STORMZY BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Stormzy — born 26 July 1993 in Croydon, London — is the grime star behind three UK No. 1 albums and the 2019 Glastonbury headline set. His real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., a British rapper of Ghanaian heritage.

From homemade freestyles to headline festival sets and BRIT Awards, Stormzy has become one of the defining British artists of his generation. This profile covers his age, early life, career, biggest songs, recent work and the charity work he is known for.

Early Life

Stormzy grew up in Croydon, South London, in a family of Ghanaian heritage. He began sharing his music online as a teenager, building an audience long before a record deal.

His early breakthrough came through the "Wicked Skengman" freestyle series, which he posted on his StormzyTV YouTube channel from the age of 11. The raw, confident performances introduced his voice and wordplay to grime fans and helped him stand out in a crowded London scene. His early rise came in the same London grime scene that produced Skepta — read the Skepta biography.

Career

Stormzy's rise accelerated in 2015, when "Shut Up" reached Christmas No. 1 — the first grime track to top the UK chart at Christmas.

His debut album, "Gang Signs & Prayer", was released in 2017 through #Merky / Atlantic. It became the first grime album to win British Album of the Year at the BRITs, in 2018. He followed it with "Heavy Is the Head" in 2019 and "This Is What I Mean" on 25 November 2022, a 12-track album. All three albums reached No. 1 in the UK.

His singles include "Vossi Bop", released in April 2019 as his first UK No. 1 single, "Crown", "Sounds of the Skeng", "Own It" featuring Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy — a UK No. 1 in 2019 — and "Mel Made Me Do It" from 2022.

Stormzy won the BRIT Award for British Male Solo Artist in 2018 and again in 2020. In 2019, he headlined Glastonbury, becoming the second-youngest solo headliner at the time. He has also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Exeter.

Stormzy's career has run alongside a wider wave of UK rap, and fans often compare his path with those of his peers — read the Central Cee biography and the Dave biography for two of the most prominent examples.

Recent Work

Stormzy made his debut as a film lead in the short film "Big Man", released in June 2025. He plays Tenzman in the film, which was shot on iPhone and released via Merky Films.

On May 22, 2026, he released "24 Hours" with British singer-songwriter Odeal — his first official solo single in over two years.

According to reports in March 2026 in The Sun, he is secretly recording his fourth studio album at Metropolis Studios in West London.

He also appears on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 album.

Personal Life & Charity

Stormzy founded the #Merky Foundation and the Stormzy Scholarship, which funds Black British students at Cambridge. He also runs #Merky Records.

Through the foundation and the scholarship, he has focused on education and opportunity for young Black British students. For more profiles from the same UK scene, see the Jorja Smith biography and the Aitch biography.

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official video for "Vossi Bop" below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Stormzy?

Stormzy was born on 26 July 1993, so he turned 33 in July 2026.

What is Stormzy's real name?

His real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr.

What are his biggest songs?

His biggest songs include "Shut Up", "Vossi Bop", "Own It" with Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy, "Crown" and "Mel Made Me Do It".

Is Stormzy releasing a new album?

He is reported to be recording his fourth studio album at Metropolis Studios in West London, but no title or release date has been announced.