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Zeph Ellis

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Dot Rotten
Dot Rotten performing at Bingley Music Live, September 2011
Dot Rotten performing at Bingley Music Live, September 2011
Background information
Birth nameJoseph Ellis-Stephenson
Also known asDot Rotten
Young Dot
Mr. Three-Six
Big Dotti
Biological Father of Grime
Terror Child
Born (1988-10-19) 19 October 1988 (age 36)
London, England[1]
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2004–present
Labels
  • Rotten Riddims
  • Minarmy
  • Mercury (past)
Websiteproducerzeph.store

Joseph Ellis-Stephenson (born 19 October 1988), better known by his stage name Dot Rotten or Zeph Ellis, is a British grime MC, rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer from Lambeth, South London.[1]

Having released a series of mixtapes independently in the grime scene under the names Young Dot and later Dot Rotten, Ellis signed to Mercury Records, releasing his debut studio album Voices in My Head in 2013.[2][3] After leaving the major label, he has since released several independent EP's and projects, as well as later changing his name to Zeph Ellis and focusing on producing.

He is known for introducing various sampling techniques to grime production, and creating the style of singing hooks on grime tracks. These styles can be heard throughout his discography from the early Young Dot era to his present projects under the Zeph Ellis moniker.

Biography

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2004–2008: Early career and first name change

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Ellis began rapping at the age of seven, using an Atari model as a basis for music production.[1] Under the name Young Dot, he released his first self-produced mixtape in 2007, entitled This Is The Beginning.

The following year saw Ellis abandon the moniker and adopt a new guise, Dot Rotten. The name change was followed by a second self-produced mixtape entitled R.I.P. Young Dot, released in July 2008. This year also saw the release of Rotten Riddims, an instrumental series spanning six volumes. These featured a host of new material, as well as instrumentals that Ellis had previously made and used in his Young Dot era. Volume 7 was eventually released in 2014 as a free download.

2008–2011: Mixtapes and collaborations

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The following year, Ellis released two mixtapes within two months, entitled S.O.O.N (Something Out of Nothing) and Extra Attention. Production was primarily handled by Dot himself, but also featured instrumentals by Rude Kid, Faith SFX and Dizzee Rascal. Guest vocalists included Ice Kid, MEGA12, Voltage, Brutal and Shimmer.

2011–2013: Breakthrough and Voices in My Head

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2011 saw Dot Rotten sign his first major label deal with Mercury Records. During this year he made several guest appearances, including on Ed Sheeran's No. 5 Collaborations Project ("Goodbye to You"),[4] Mz. Bratt's Elements mixtape ("Speeding By")[5] and Cher Lloyd's Sticks Stones ("Dub on the Track"). He also appeared on the Children in Need 2011 charity single, "Teardrop".[6][7] Under the name 'The Collective', Rotten appeared as one of many artists assembled by Take That member Gary Barlow, which included Chipmunk, Wretch 32, Mz. Bratt, Labrinth, Rizzle Kicks, Ed Sheeran, Ms. Dynamite and Tulisa Contostavlos. The single, which was performed both at Children in Need 2011 and Children in Need Rocks Manchester in November 2011 debuted at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart;[8] marking Dot Rotten's first chart appearance. An EP entitled Above The Waves was self-released in June 2014 featuring the lead track, "Normal Human Being".

The rapper proceeded to release his debut single on 4 November 2011, entitled "Keep It on a Low". It was announced on 5 December that Dot Rotten had been nominated for the BBC's poll Sound of 2012.[1] The rapper's second single, "Are You Not Entertained?" was released on 4 March 2012, following a premiere from BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe on 4 January. "Are You Not Entertained?" debuted at number fifty-three on the UK Singles Chart and number twenty-one on the UK R&B Chart – marking Rotten's first chart appearance as a solo artist.[8][9] The rapper's third single, "Overload", was released in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2012. Sampling the 1996 number-two hit "Children", by Robert Miles, the track was selected as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World.[10] "Overload" debuted at number fifteen on the UK chart,[8][11] also debuting at number three on the R&B chart.[9] In march 2013 Dot Rotten featured on Kid Bookie's "Evolution" produced by Flava D alongside Griminal, Brotherhood, Pawz and Maxsta.[Video Reference 1][12] His debut studio album, Voices in My Head, was released in the United Kingdom on 6 May 2013. Despite the successful singles, due to issues with the label, the album was neglected by Dot himself and it only managed to chart at number 146 on the UK Albums Chart. A free mixtape entitled Throwback Music was released soon after, consisting of songs that didn't make the final cut of the album.

2013: Interview and name change

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After leaving his label deal, Minfection EP was released in January 2014.[13] Ellis then proceeded to put out his self-released album Interview featuring artists including Sickman, Stylo G, Lady Leshurr and Abel Miller.

Taking a break from rapping, Ellis changed his stage name to Zeph Ellis and focused on production, releasing various instrumental projects including the This Side of Grime series. He produced an instrumental titled "XCXD BXMB" which featured on the fabriclive.83 mix CD. It was used as the basis for Kano's "Garage Skank" from Made in the Manor, and AJ Tracey's "Naila" from the Alex Moran EP. Ellis also produced Jammer's 2016 single "Dagenham Dave."


Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details
Voices in My Head
  • Released: 6 May 2013
  • Label: Mercury/Universal Records Ltd.
Interview
  • Released: 13 July 2014
  • Label: Minarmy
  • Free download

Mixtapes

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Extended plays

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Title EP details
Above the Waves
  • Released: 14 June 2011
  • Self-released
Minfection
  • Released: 7 January 2014
  • Self-released
Remember Me
  • Released: 5 December 2014
  • Self-released
Spotified Mine
  • Released: 21 July 2017
  • Self-released
No L's
  • Released: 22 September 2017
  • Self-released

Singles

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Single Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[8] 		UK
R&B
[9] 		SCO
[14]
"Keep It on a Low" 2011 70 32 — Voices in My Head
"Are You Not Entertained?" 2012 53 21 76
"Overload"
(featuring TMS) 		15 3 20
"Karmageddon"[15] 67 — —
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.
[edit]
Single Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[8] 		UK
R&B
[9] 		SCO
[16]
"A Star"[17]
(Early B featuring Dot Rotten) 		2008 — — — Non-album single
"Teardrop"
(as part of The Collective) 		2011 24 7 30 Non-album single
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

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Song Year Album
"Sounds & Gimmicks"
(P Money featuring Dot Rotten) 		2008 P Money Is Power
"Seven Figure Swagger" (Plastician Remix)
(Foreign Beggars featuring Wretch 32 & Dot Rotten) 		2010 Beggattron Remixed EP 1
"Goodbye to You"[4]
(Ed Sheeran featuring Dot Rotten) 		2011 No. 5 Collaborations Project
"Speeding By"[5]
(Mz. Bratt featuring Dot Rotten) 		Elements
"Dub on the Track"
(Cher Lloyd featuring Mic Righteous, Dot Rotten Ghetts) 		Sticks Stones
"You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (True Tiger Remix)[18]
(Ed Sheeran featuring Dot Rotten & Scrufizzer) 		The Thank You EP
"Single Tear" (S-X Remix)
(Tyler James featuring Dot Rotten) 		2012 Single Tear — (Remixes)
"Evolution"
(Kid Bookie featuring Griminal, Brotherhood, Dot Rotten, Pawz and Maxsta) 		2013 N/A
"Evolution 2"
(Kid Bookie featuring Samantha Mumba, Crooked I, Kuniva D12, Lady Leshurr, Scrufizzer and Dot Rotten)[19] 		2014 That SP Compilation, Vol.1

Music videos

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This list is incomplete

Song Year Director References
"Normal Human Being" 2011 Luke Monaghan James Barber [20]
"I Want To Annoy" Quason Matthews
Joseph Ellis 		[21]
"Speeding By" (with Mz. Bratt) [5]
"Teardrop" (as part of The Collective) Ben Vertex Ben Leinster [22]
"Keep It on a Low" Luke Monagan James Barber [23]
"Dub on the Track" (with Cher Lloyd, Mic Righteous Ghetts) Paris Zarcilla [24]
"Are You Not Entertained" 2012 Adam Powell [25]
"Understimated" Jamal Woon Joseph Ellis [26]
"Overload" Quason Matthews [27]
"Overload" (Remix) Saoud Khalaf Charlotte Regan [28]

Awards and nominations

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Year Organisation Award Result Ref.
2011 BBC Sound of 2012 Sound of 2012 Nominated [1]

Tours

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Kid Bookie ft. Griminal, Brotherhood, Pawz, Dot Rotten & Maxsta | Evolution [Music Video]: SBTV". SBTV: Music. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2021.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "BBC – Sound of 2012 – Dot Rotten – Profile". BBC. 5 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Dot Rotten signed to Mercury Records". The Guardian. 18 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Introducing Dot Rotten". Sonic Shocks. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran's 'No 5 Collaborations Project' EP released". Soul Culture. 7 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Mz. Bratt ft. Dot Rotten – 'Speeding By' – Music Video". YouTube. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Gary Barlow names Children in Need band". Digital Spy. 13 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  7. ^ "The Collective – 'Teardrop' – Digital Download". iTunes. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e Peak positions for the UK Singles Chart:
  9. ^ a b c d Peak positions for the UK R&B Chart:
  10. ^ "Zane Lowe's Hottest Record – 26 March 2012". BBC. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Chart Analysis – 10 June 2012". Music Week. 10 June 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  12. ^ Day, Graeme (11 March 2012). "Kid Bookie Feat. Griminal, Brotherhood, Pawz, Dot Rotten & Maxsta – Evolution [Video]". Once Upon A Grime. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Minfection EP". SBTV. 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  14. ^ * For "Overload": "Scottish Chart Archives > Top 40 Singles". Official Charts Company. 16 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  15. ^ "News | Dot Rotten". Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Scottish Chart Archives > Top 40 Singles". Official Charts Company. 26 November 2011. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Early B – 'A Star (featuring Dot Rotten)' – Digital Download". iTunes. 1 November 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  18. ^ "EdSheeran – You Need Me, I Don't Need You (True Tiger Remix ft. Dot Rotten & Scrufizer) – YouTube". YouTube. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  19. ^ "Evolution 2 (Feat. Crooked I, Kuniva, Samantha Mumba, Scrufizzer, Lady Leshurr & Dot Rotten)". Spotify. 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Normal Human Being' – Music Video". YouTube. 3 April 2011. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  21. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'I Want To Annoy' – Music Video". YouTube. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  22. ^ "The Collective – 'Teardrop' – Music Video". bestinnewmusic.com. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  23. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Keep It on a Low' – Music Video". Fader. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  24. ^ "Cher Lloyd ft. Mic Righteous, Dot Rotten & Ghetts – 'Dub on the Track' – Music Video". YouTube. 13 December 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  25. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Are You Not Entertained?' – Music Video". YouTube. 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Underestimated' – Music Video". YouTube. 9 April 2012. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  27. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Overload' – Music Video". YouTube. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  28. ^ "Dot Rotten – 'Overload' (Remix) – Music Video". YouTube. 16 June 2012. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
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