UK Grime Rapper Dot Rotten Has D!ed At 37

UK Grime Rapper Dot Rotten Has D!ed At 37

The UK hip-hop community is mourning the loss of grime rapper and producer Dot Rotten, who has died at the age of 37.

Dot Rotten — born Joseph Ellis-Stevenson — rose to prominence during the early days of the UK grime scene, gaining attention for gritty tracks like “Petrol Bomb” and “Bazooka.” The South London artist quickly built a reputation as both a rapper and producer, helping shape the genre during its explosive rise in the late 2000s.

In 2007, he dropped the mixtape “This Is the Beginning,” a project that helped establish his name among grime fans. His career reached a wider audience in 2011 when he signed to Mercury Records, eventually scoring a UK chart hit with the single “Overload,” which cracked the Top 20 in 2012.

Dot Rotten also collaborated with singer Ed Sheeran on the 2011 project No. 5 Collaborations Project, further boosting his profile beyond the underground rap scene.

In later years, the artist began working more behind the scenes as a producer and adopted the name Zeph Ellis, creating music for artists including Kano and Nines.

Details surrounding Dot Rotten’s death remain limited. His family confirmed the news, but a cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. Tributes have already begun pouring in online as fans and fellow artists remember the rapper’s influence on the grime movement.