Pa Salieu
Birth namePa Salieu Gaye
Birth date1 July 1997 (age 29)
Birth placeSlough, Berkshire, England
OriginCoventry, West Midlands, England
Genre
Occupation
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2018–present
LabelWarner Records

Pa Salieu Gaye (born 1 July 1997) is an English rapper and singer. He is signed to Warner Records.[1] He gained recognition in January 2020 with the single "Frontline", which was the most-played track of 2020 on BBC Radio 1Xtra.[2] His style blends elements of afrobeats, grime and UK drill.[3][4][5] He released his debut mixtape titled Send Them to Coventry on 13 November 2020.[6]

In 2022, Salieu was sentenced to 33 months in prison after being charged with violent disorder. He served 21 months of that sentence and was released in September 2024.[7]

Early life

Pa Salieu was born in Slough, on 1 July 1997, where he spent the early stages of his life. His parents moved to the UK from The Gambia. He was named after his father's eldest brother, Pa Salieu, a police officer who died in his early twenties during a motorcycle accident while on duty. His aunt is a folk singer, and Salieu describes her and Vybz Kartel as major musical influences.[8][9]

Before his first birthday, his parents sent him back to The Gambia where he lived with his grandmother. There, he spent his formative years living in a household with his elder relatives. He describes his time there as the most important period in his life.[10] At the age of 8, his mother brought him back to England. They moved to Hillfields, a suburb in the North of Coventry.[11]

Career

2018–2021: Career beginnings and Send Them to Coventry

Pa started taking his music career seriously when a friend, who encouraged him to make music instead of doing criminal activity, was killed.[12] He started rapping in 2018 under the name Tribal1, he released several videos with other artists in Coventry.[13][14] His first string of singles, "Never Had" with B.M. and "Say So" were released in July and September of 2018. In February 2019, he released his "Next Up?" Freestyle with Mixtape Madness. That March, he released his BL@CKBOX freestyle.[15]

In 2020, he released his breakout single "Frontline" with a music video released via Mixtape Madness.[4][16] It has also become the most played track of 2020 on BBC 1Xtra, Reprezent Radio and Rinse FM. Salieu's music has received support from Virgil Abloh,[17] BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac[18] and Tiffany Calver[19] as well as OVO Sound co-founder Oliver El Khatib. Throughout 2020, he collaborated with South London rapper SL on the song "Hit the Block", as well as Meekz, M1llionz and Teeway on "Year of the Real". He also collaborated with Backroad Gee and Ambush for the remix to their track, "Party Popper". In June 2020, Salieu released two tracks – "Betty" and "Bang Out".[20]

In November 2020, he released his debut mixtape Send Them to Coventry, which peaked at number 14 on the UK R&B Albums Chart.[21]

2021–present: Afrikan Rebel, prison and release

In January 2021, he was announced as the winner of the BBC Sound of... 2021.[22] On 22 January 2021, he performed "Frontline" on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show".[23] Pa Salieu has been selected by GQ as one of 11 "new musicians who'll make 2021 better"[24] and he was also on the cover of NME's first issue of 2021, NME 100 edition.[25] In September 2021, he released the EP Afrikan Rebel with features from Tay Iwar, Obongjayar, and Zlatan.[26] In October 2021, Salieu released the single "Bad" with Aitch.[27] In August 2022, he appeared on the song "Blessing Me" by British producer Mura Masa alongside Kali Uchis and Skillibeng.[28] In September 2022, he appeared alongside Swedish rapper Yasin on the song "Magazine".[29]

Following a two-year break due to his incarceration, he returned with the single "Belly" in September 2024.[30] Salieu followed up with the songs "Allergy" and "Epiphany / Crash" in the same month.[31][32] On 30 October, he released the single "Round & Round".[33] On 5 November 2024 he made his debut on the COLORS show with a premiere of his new song "Dece (Heavy)".[34]

On 10 September 2025, Afrikan Alien was announced as one of 12 nominees for the 2025 Mercury Prize.[35]

Personal life

In October 2019, Salieu was hit by shotgun pellets outside of Ivy House in Coventry. 19 pieces of bullet shrapnel were removed from the back of his head. He made a full recovery in hospital.[36]

In 2015, Salieu was given a suspended sentence for knife possession.[37]

On 1 September 2018, Fidel Glasgow, who was a friend of Salieu and the grandson of musician Neville Staple, was fatally stabbed near a nightclub; Salieu and a group of men chased another man from the scene who was then attacked by the group. Salieu admitted to hitting the victim with a tree branch, and smashing a bottle to defend himself. On 2 December 2022, Salieu was convicted of possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon & violent disorder leading to a sentence of 33 months in prison.[38] After serving 21 months of his sentence, he was released in September 2024.[7]

Discography

Mixtapes

TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
R&B
Send Them to Coventry
  • Released: 13 November 2020
  • Label: Warner Music UK
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD
14
Afrikan Alien
  • Released: 15 November 2024
  • Label: Warner Music UK
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD
—

Extended plays

TitleDetails
Afrikan Rebel
  • Released: 15 September 2021
  • Label: Warner Music UK
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
UK
[39]		SWE
[40]
"Frontline"2020——Send Them to Coventry
"Betty"——
"My Family" (featuring BackRoad Gee)——
"B***K"——
"Block Boy"——
"Energy" (featuring Mahalia)——
"Glidin'" (featuring Slowthai)202178—rowspan="3"
"Bad" (featuring Aitch)82—
"Magazine"
(with Yasin)		2022—29
"Belly"2024——Afrikan Alien
"Allergy"——
"Epiphany / Crash (Freestyle)"——
"Round & Round"——Afrikan Alien
"Dece (Heavy)"——
"King Steps"
(with Disclosure)		——

References

  1. ^ "Pa Salieu"
  2. ^ "Why Pa Salieu is the rapper to have on your radar". Evening Standard. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  3. ^ "The evolving sound of UK drill". DJMag.com. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Pa Salieu: UK rap's genre-blurring rising star on his journey from the Frontline to greatness". NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Get To Know: Pa Salieu". www.mtv.co.uk
  6. ^ "Amazon Music: Send Them to Coventry by PA Salieu". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  7. ^ "British Rapper Pa Salieu Released From Prison". Hypebeast. 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  8. ^ "Get To Know: Pa Salieu". www.mtv.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  9. ^ "From the dust: The rise of Pa Salieu". Mixmag. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  10. ^ "Pa Salieu is Coventry's hopeful rap star". The FADER
  11. ^ Boparai, Danil (28 February 2020). "Pa Salieu: "There's blood, sweat and tears on the frontline""
  12. ^ "100% Pa Salieu: the Coventry rapper leading the UK rap Frontline". The Face. 28 May 2020.
  13. ^ Tribal1 - Tribal Lean (#M1ST) (#O.II.IV) [Music Video] | RatedMusic. RatedMedia. 2 January 2018. Archived 25 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 September 2022. – via YouTube
  14. ^ PA Salieu ft Chxmpion - Fine Girl (Gorilla Nation) [Music Video] (4K) | KrownMedia. KrownMedia. 3 September 2017. Archived 25 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 September 2022. – via YouTube
  15. ^ "The Rise of Pa Salieu". Mixtape Madness. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  16. ^ "2020 vision: Pa Salieu is ready to deliver his testimony". Red Bull. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  17. ^ Phelps, Nicole (19 March 2020). "Virgil Abloh's Lockdown Playlist". Vogue
  18. ^ "BBC Radio 1 – Radio 1's Future Sounds with Clara Amfo, HAIM Hottest Record"
  19. ^ "BBC Radio 1Xtra – 1Xtra's Rap Show with Tiffany Calver, Pa Salieu does a Tiffany Calver freesyle!"
  20. ^ ""It's in my blood to build": Why Pa Salieu is in his own lane in the UK music scene". Mixmag. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  21. ^ Pritchard, Will. "Pa Salieu: Send Them to Coventry". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  22. ^ "Rapper Pa Salieu wins BBC Sound of 2021: 'I am the voice of the voiceless'". BBC News. 6 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Pa Salieu: Frontline – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Pa Salieu". British GQ. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  25. ^ "Pa Salieu: "I've been cut from the system, but I will rise up like a phoenix"". NME. 8 January 2021.
  26. ^ "Pa Salieu drops surprise new EP 'Arikan Rebel'". Mixmag. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  27. ^ Skinner, Tom (2021-10-14). "Listen to Pa Salieu and Aitch's new collaborative single, 'Bad'". NME. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  28. ^ "Mura Masa, Pa Salieu & Skillibeng Drop Music Video For "Blessing Me"". www.complex.com. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  29. ^ Knight, Oli (2023-05-12). "11 UK & European Rap Link Ups". GRM Daily. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  30. ^ "Pa Salieu Released From Prison, Drops New Single "Belly"". Stereogum. 2024-09-07. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  31. ^ Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & & Murray, Robin (2024-09-16). "Pa Salieu Shares Neck-Snapper 'Allergy' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  32. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (2024-10-11). "Listen to Pa Salieu's powerful double single, 'Epiphany/Crash'". NME. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  33. ^ "Pa Salieu Continues His Prolific Run With Melodic "Round And Round"". trenchtrenchtrench.com. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  34. ^ "Pa Saleiu makes his COLORS debut with "Dece (Heavy)"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  35. ^ Snapes, Laura (2025-09-10). "CMAT, Pulp and PinkPantheress among Mercury prize shortlist light on new names". The Guardian. Archived 2025-09-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  36. ^ Layton, Josh (12 February 2020). "Coventry rapper's defiant message after being shot in the head". CoventryLive
  37. ^ Snapes, Laura (2022-12-02). "UK rapper Pa Salieu jailed for 33 months over mass brawl". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  38. ^ "Pa Salieu sentenced to 33 months in prison for part in mass brawl". NME. 2 December 2022.
  39. ^ Peaks in the UK: * "Glidin'": "Pa Salieu ft Slowthai | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 October 2021. * "Bad": "Pa Salieu ft Aitch | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  40. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 37". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 16 September 2022.