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How Santan Dave nearly followed in his brothers’ footsteps to jail but momma saved the day

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Santan Dave has come a long way from his debut rap gig

23rd of September 2019 could not have gone any better for Santan Dave.

The 21 year old Nigerian British artist stood with his proud mum accepting the Mercury Music Price winner’s trophy for his latest album ‘Psychodrama’ which also came with a £25k cash prize.

In his speech, Dave thanks his mum, and brother, Christopher. Boy, those two are the most influential people who got him to that stage.

In 2015, the then 16 year old made his rap debut on Bl@ckBox. In that moment in time with his rapping, you could tell he was one special talent.

Listen closer to the lyrics though – you might catch goosebumps – those words were scary enough to think David might just do something that will end his future before it even begun.

Along one of the lyrics, Dave raps; “…What? Like Wale, I’ma get you down, a couple man they wanna get you, I’ma get you first, I’ma get you last, and I’ma get you well”.

It easy to look back now and say thank the good Lord he found music because then, listening and watching the video, his demeanor suggested he was going after Wale, worse still, incite others to do it.

See full lyrics

Who is this Wale, Dave was talking about?

Wale is the popular British Nigerian Instagram comedian – Mikes Comedyy.

Wale supposedly snitched on Dave’s brother, Christopher, and the rest of the gang who committed a murder – which resulted in Chris getting sentenced to life imprisonment with an 18 year minimum jail term.

In 2010, around 19 boys (including Wale and Christopher) and one girl from one school was supposedly fighting with another group in a school gang war over a girl.

Christopher’s group caught hold of one boy, Sofyen Belamouadden, chased him into Victoria station ticket hall during an early morning rush hour and stabbed the 15 year old nine times.

SEE: Mans like Mikes Comedyy

Christopher got the most severe punishment partially due to the fact the knife used to kill Sofyen was found in his bag.

Wale and 3 others pleaded guilty to violent disorder, and though they were all sentenced, Wale was the only person not to serve jail time.

Christopher and mum are the two biggest influential people that shaped Dave today

It was alleged Wale got away with no jail time because he testified and revealed information on the boys.

David was just 11 years old at the time of the murder. Dave saw people hurt, sad and angry. His Grandmother died as a result of this horrible event – Dave would have been deeply affected by what he was witnessed so no surprise that he wanted to seen revenge.

Plus allegedly Chris was framed by someone else who put the knife that killed Sofyen in his bag as David revealed in one of the lines “and Wale was a witness, put their shanks in my brother’s bag, how’s that fair?”.

So 18 years minimum for a crime someone may not have done – at least from David’s perspective – can make anyone vexed.

Another brother, another drama

It did not help that just four years after his middle brother’s crime, Dave’s oldest brother, Benjamin, would rob two women at gunpoint
with a fake firearm – ending up being jailed for four years.

And he would come out and then commit bank fraud.

As revealed by David, seeing the path of her two eldest children, mum fastened her belt on Dave, keeping him at home for his own safety and everyone’s sanity – and getting him a piano for his birthday to engage him.

It was keeping him at home with that piano and possibly therapy that helped re-channel his revenge on behalf of Christopher – through music – that contributed to Dave’s prosperity.

It was momma and her attempt not to let this one go completely astray that got Dave to where he is today.

So Dave’s words when he received his prize:

“I want to thank God. I want to thank everyone, my mum. I want to thank my brother Christopher. Even though you can’t be here with us today, I know you are watching this bro.”

SantanDave with his brothers Christopher and Benjamin all grown up. ©SantanDave/Instagram

Dave’s Bl@ckBox – S6 of E24/25 – lyrics

[Intro]
Yeah, listen, cool, look

[Verse]
Walking down my road and I don’t even know my ends now
Everybody’s shanked up, everybody’s got a skeng now
And man are tryna cotch with a jezzy
Talking about they’re cocking a semi
They move rocks and are ready
See, every boy’s a trapper ’til the shit hits the fan
And then that shit hits the walls, you’re flushing bits of the raw
And every girl’s a trap queen, ’til they kick in the door
And now you’re in the station telling stories like Roald Dahl
Your man are in a holding cell, hoping that you hold out
My ends is all fucked now, got a nigga tryna cut now
I’ve been to the end of that road
Bruv I’ve been to them graveyards
I’ve been to the pen for my bros
And bruv I’ve seen what a skeng does to mugs in the south
Like I’ve seen a shank leave a nigga’s guts hanging out
Seeing big straps, make a whip crash, no whiplash
Big money, make a big man look like a kid akh
You ain’t really from here
Armani’s clean, the vision’s never cloudy
So know what I’m on clear, you’re trapping for designer
I’m in and out of Santander
On a madness doing recon for a line up
4-1-9, that’s word to my Nigerian uncle up in Lagos
No favours for the paper
Bring all your guys and you can lose that war
You bring a burner to the beef, I’ll make you use that corn
You bring a turner to the madness, you could lose that corn
Man that’s the niggas have you missing, that’s some unicorn

School, they never rated, girls call me a money man
The yutes call me a paigon
But I’ve never been a witness like Jehovah
So I couldn’t tell you my involvement, from sticks to revolvers
I’ve never been no victim to them olders
So I can’t disclose what the holder gets you
Have to ask my older friends
Never been a witness like Jehovah
So I couldn’t tell you my involvement, from sticks to revolvers
I’ve never been no victim to them olders
So I can’t disclose what the holder gets you
Have to ask my older friends

For half dark, half light, get it for a calm price
Hanging out the passy, like Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
What the fuck’s a one-on-one? Fighting fucking punch to punch
I’ll boot you in your face bruv
I won’t ever watch my darg fight
The fuck you gonna tell me that you love me
Gave my boys my square and they still tried to bump me
That was way back, I had to switch the game up
Now I got springs in my 110’s, and springs in that…

They gave my brother 18 for a fucking murder
A knife crime, the lifetime, the whole sentence he’s serving
Now in my chest, my brother knows it’s burning
Them visits had me crying, had me whelping
Had me taking pills to help it
Looking, thinking who am I?
Trust, you never knew this guy
Grandma died, had my mother stricken, talking suicide
Trust me I don’t say that shit
Why I never rate these kids
My mum was on a madness
You ain’t never seen no pain like this
I know you niggas feel this
Brother putting on a brave face for the visit
But I know my brother feels it
And my brother don’t reveal it, na
My brother don’t reveal it
Take a life for my mother, my brothers don’t wanna steal it
But this track’s got me on a rage
My brother’s stressed out, a man can see it in his face
Like man can see it in his eyes, he’s holding back the tears
That judge moving like a Mayan, holding back them years
They done my brother dirty
Doing hard time, he didn’t even do the dirties
But I can’t say much, ’cause certain man are snitches
And certain man are bitches
And certain girls are witches
And Wale was a witness
Put their shanks in my brother’s bag, how’s that fair?
Gave Scalez 16, and bruv he wasn’t even there
Case was all banter ’til junior got cancer
And mums got sick, and tales got told
And then the paint wore off, and true colors got shown
And certain man go free, and all the real niggas don’t
So, shout out Lewis, and shout out Serge
Now I’m rolling with an ‘arghh’ that will get man ‘arghh’
What?

Like Wale, I’ma get you down
A couple man they wanna get you, I’ma get you first
I’ma get you last, and I’ma get you well
And show you snitching motherfuckers just why you don’t tell
So how the fuck you gonna tell me that you hate me?
When I was dead broke, they still bumped me on my AC’s
I’ve never had dough, them niggas laughed, they wouldn’t rate me
Now the trainers on my feet, are like minimum like 380
What? ‘Cause I’m Prada boy now, I’m money boy now
I’m piano boy now, I’m Mr. Duck a Man Down
Mr. Fucking Stop Asking, how I get my P’s in
Asking for a bring in, none of you brought me in
Brother fuck a fake friend, why you fucking riding for?
I’ve got a couple people that I’d die for
Ride out, lights out
My brothers pulling strings from up in High Down
To get you skied before the sky down, look at the sky now
Look at this guy now

Dave Blackbox Freestyle on GENIUS

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