Donae'o

Hailing from Northwest London, Ian Greenidge (aka Donae'o) grew up listening to rap, Afrobeat, and Caribbean music, and had a fondness for the likes of 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., and D'Angelo instilled a desire to emulate his idols. Donae'o released his first single, Falling, in 2002, a mix of U.K. garage, R&B, and hip-hop; the single was followed by the release My Philosophy (Bounce). Over the next few years, Donae'o released a mix of EPs and singles including Colours, Change, and Devil in a Blue Dress. 2009 saw him appear alongside Lethal Bizzle on the track Go Hard, while also inking a deal with My-Ish Records. Donae'o’s debut album, Party Hard, appeared that year along with the single Watching Her Move. Releases from Donae'o slowed over the next few years, yet he kept working, appearing on tracks by the likes of Shy FX, Mike Delinquent, and Foreign Beggars. 2011 saw the release of the free album Indigo Child as well as the singles Big Ben and Move to Da Gyal Dem. Donae'o’s third album, The Forest of Zephron, appeared a couple of years later in 2013, and opted for a funkier house direction than his previous material. With a renewed vigor, more releases from Donae'o followed, with singles such as Mami No Like, What Is Love, and My Circle, along with a remix version featuring Wiley and Ghetts. Donae'o also continued with collaborations, appearing on the U.K. charting single Lock Doh by Giggs at the end of 2016. ~ Rich Wilson