Daniel Adams-Ray
| Daniel Adams-Ray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Daniel David John Adams-Ray |
| Also known as | Big-Danne |
| Born |
18 August 1983 Nairobi, Kenya |
| Genres | Hip hop, pop |
| Occupations | Designer, singer |
| Associated acts | Snook |
| Website | http://www.danieladamsray.com/ |
Daniel David John Adams-Ray (born 18 August 1983 in Nairobi, Kenya) is a Swedish rapper, singer, and fashion designer.[1]
Early years
Daniel Adams-Ray was born in Kenya to an Indonesian mother and a father of Swedish/Scottish heritage. His mother was a school administrator and his father a medical surgeon. In 1996 the family left Africa for Europe and lived for a year in the Netherlands where he played football (soccer) with a very young Arjen Robben.[1] Later the family left to Sweden where they lived in Lidingö,[2] an affluent suburb of Stockholm. His parents owned and operated a plastic-surgery clinic in the area.[3] Daniel Adams-Ray says he felt very much like an outsider and says he was bullied and called racist slurs. After switching high schools, he found a school that fitted him better and met Oskar Linnros his future partner in the band Snook.[1]
Snook
The schoolmates and Oskar Linnros started an alternative hip hop duo group calling it Snook. The duo released two albums: Vi vet inte vart vi ska men vi ska komma dit in 2004 and Är in 2006 receiving both praise and heavy criticism. The band's unorthodox hip hop was met by comments that the band wasn't "keeping it real" and the fact that Adams-Ray spent his teenage years in Lidingö caused critics to label them "upper class rappers".[4][5] Despite some critics, the band had many hits, received awards from radio station P3,[6] The 2003 Swedish Hip-hop Awards 2003, and best Swedish band at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006. Daniel Adams-Ray won the Swedish freestyle-rap championship in 2004 and was awarded the prize for best Swedish rapper in 2005.[2]
Post-Snook
Adams-Ray and Oskar Linnros drifted apart. Adams-Ray attended the design school Berghs School of Communication[7] and started the fashion label Lagom. During a fashion show in 2009 he produced some music and this led to new songs (with him singing, not rapping). He says his music might be called Kenyan pop-disco-indie-punk.[1] Influenced range from Motown-disco, afro beat, hip-hop and early 60's surf pop.[8]
Trivia
- He is fluent in English, French, Dutch, German and Swedish. He also speaks quite a bit of Italian and Swahili.
- He is related to Swedish journalist Kersti Adams-Ray.[1]
Discography
(For Daniel Adams-Ray's albums and singles as part of Snook, see discography section of Snook)
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart peak SWE [9] |
Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Svart, vitt och allt däremellan | 2 | |
| 2013 | Innan vi suddas ut | 4 | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart peak SWE [9] |
Certification | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Dum av dig" | 16 | Svart vitt och allt däremellan | |
| "Gubben i lådan" | 1 | |||
| "Förlåt att jag aldrig sagt förlåt" | 8 | |||
| "Lilla Lady" | 40 | |||
| "Svart" | 46 | |||
| "Gryningspyromanen" | 52 | |||
| 2013 | "Precis som jag" | 25 | Innan vi suddas ut | |
- Collaborations
| Year | Single | Chart peak SWE [9] |
Certification | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Håll om mig" (Petter with Daniel Adams-Ray) |
28 | ||
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/pop-i-cool-forpackning-1.1125540
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
- ↑ http://www.adam-plastikkirurgi.se
- ↑ http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/skivrecensioner/snook-ar-1.444455
- ↑ http://www.svd.se/opinion/ledarsidan/sa-lange-handerna-ar-i-luften_1492663.svd
- ↑ http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/p3-guld-hyllar-veteraner-och-nykomlingar-1.428647
- ↑ http://www.plazakvinna.com/news/fashion/?ID=1556
- ↑ http://www.orebroguiden.com/daniel-adams-ray-gor-solodebut/
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "SwedishCharts.com Daniel Adams-Ray discography page". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2013-02-01.