Wiley Tickets

Born Richard Kylea Cowie in London in 1979, Wiley is a producer, rapper and MC, prominent in the UK garage, grime and hip hop scene. Early collaborations included groups such as Pay As U Go and The Hit Squad before the Roll Deep collective was formed, which also included Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder as members. Wiley recorded a few instrumentals singles, which got him a solo contract with XL Recordings, and he released his debut album, Treddin' On Thin Ice in 2004, which produced the singles “Wot Do U Call It?” and “Pies”.

Under the name 'Eskiboy', Wiley released mixtapes of his particular brand of grime (which he called 'Eskibeat'), as well as other music under the name 'WileyKat', later dropping the 'Kat' and reverting to just 'Wiley'. His second album, Da 2nd Phaze, came out in 2006, quickly followed by Playtime Is Over (2007). The single, “Wearing My Rolex” (2008) gave Wiley his first mainstream success, as did the album, Grime Wave, later that year. The next album, See Clear Now (2008), included the hits “Cash In My Pocket” and “Summertime”, but Wiley didn't like it, and was furious with the way the record label had insisted on producing it, and he left the label to set up his own, Eskibeat Recordings. Its first release was Race Against Time in 2009, and included the hit “Too Many Man”. In 2010, Wiley used Twitter to post up 200 tracks for free download, comprising mainly old recordings he hadn't released.

In March 2011, Wiley released more recordings, this time on iTunes, under the name Offload Volume 01, before another studio album, 100% Publishing, in June. An EP, Chill Out Zone, was released in July, and another studio album, Evolve Or Be Extinct, is set for an early-2012 release.