Top Ten: Santan Dave (Singles)

Santan Dave

David Orobosa Omoregei, popularly known as Santan Dave or just Dave, is a British rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and producer. Born to Nigerian parents in 1998, Dave had struggled with his family, losing his dad when he was younger and his older brother behind bars, and he applies those struggles to his craft.

Dave is popularly known for his electronic sounds and awe-inspiring lyrics. He incorporates his hobbies, such as football, anime, and filmography, into his music. The grime artist has released multiple singles, two EPs, Six Paths and Game Over, and one studio album, Psychodrama.

Here are our top ten Dave singles in no particular order. It is important to note that singles in this context means no features.

So here are our top ten Dave songs with no features:

Hangman

Dave continued to raise the bar with this single, which shows the sincerity of his craft as he addressed real-life issues with this song. He addresses his comments about knife attacks and the perils of fame with brilliant lyrics which were worthy of the beat produced by the Nana Rogues.

Some of the best lines include: My mummy tryna wake me up for college in the morning is the only time a human on this earth has ever rushed me | I brought the fam together like when Tommy got the black hand (referencing Peaky Blinders).

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Streatham

Dave was born and raised in Streatham, and he takes listeners on a trip down memory lane as he details his experiences growing up on the streets of Streatham. The flow, coupled with the beat and a number of hard-hitting bars, earns it a place on the list.

The standout lines include: When you’re tryna make it out the ends, Friends of enemies are enemies, And enemies of enemies are friends | But I don’t need a me and you Like when a chef would eat at his restaurant (me n’ u).

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Picture Me

Picture Me is the second track from his debut EP- Six Paths, and it instantly exemplifies to listeners why he is regarded by many as one of the realist musicians. The depth and lyrical content of this track earn it a place on the list, and its music video is also stunning.

Standout line: Or you could call me Scofield Why? cause I got prison in my skin but I won’t ever have a prison in my picture.

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Professor X

The song features on the soundtrack to season 3 of the Drake executive-produced Netflix series- Top Boy. Here Dave discusses his intimate relations with women comparing one’s complexion to Reese’s chocolate bar and others to the titular Marvel character, Professor X.

Dave utilizes his rhyming skills and ability to switch up the flow mid-track to produce a track worthy of its place on the list. Lines such as Peng ting still get aired Left on read then blue like Barça would leave you playing the song on repeat.

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Black

Another masterpiece from the grime artist, and this earns him a 2019 Brit Award.

His words in the song are lyrical and technical, clever and moving, with a melancholic heart that comes not just from the minor chords he plays on the piano. Several of his songs seem almost suffused with personal pain, and this is no different as the artist puts to good use the pain of not just himself but of a whole race. And with recent happenings around the world, the track becomes more and more relevant every day.

Some of the best lines include: The blacker the berry the sweeter the juice A kid dies, the blacker the killer, the sweeter the news | We all struggled, but your struggle ain’t a struggle like me Well how could it be when your people gave us the odds that we beat?

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How I Met My Ex

A piece of art.

Dave’s ability to paint a detailed mental image in your head just through his lyrics is incredible. You can hear the raw emotion throughout the song over a quality instrumental he wrote and produced himself.

As for lyrical content, the song speaks for itself.

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Screwface Capital

There are so many bars on this track that you’d think you’re in a prison cell (don’t leave me, don’t leave me).

Screwface Capital is the 7th track on his debut studio album Psychodrama, and although its theme is quite aside from the other songs on the album, it shows there are levels to his rap game. The beat helps us focus more on the lyrical content and the brilliant delivery. He does not need to aggressively deliver the words as you are captured by the intelligence and originality of his thoughts.

Bars like I got ninety-nine out of a hundred marks in class on my English questions
I’d get the same if I did it again ’cause I still don’t know the definition of resting and clever wordplay like Man wanna beef, don’t know what the stakes is (steaks) are just the barest examples of the intelligence of this track.

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71

The standout song on his Six Paths Ep and probably of his career. If you thought the producer did a great job with the beat, the lyrics would leave you even more astonished.

Lines like: It’s like I cremated Moses, cause man was just burning profits (prophets) | It’s funny how them man are Psychos but their P’s are silent | Man still hate on me and my team ’cause I got more ice for my age than Sid are only a few of the clever bars he lays out on the track.

If he does retire at 40, we can expect many more great tracks like this.

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Two Birds No Stones

Arguably his most underrated song, the metaphorical wordplay in this song, is unmatched by any other song on this list.

With lines like: She said my music’s like silk, it’s inspired her (in Spider) | I’m more like apples, I’m inside her (In Cider) | I’m lonely and nothing more, Eight great minutes and then I’ll buss like Dumbledore (Albus), Dave shows yet again why he is one of the best lyricist of the grime era.

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Psycho

The opening track of Psychodrama took Dave three weeks to write; it’s little wonder then that the track is absolutely jam-packed full of lines. Dave once again comes through with crazy wordplay for us to decipher, which gives the track and in fact the whole album insane replay value.

Some of the outstanding lines include: Talent’s in my blood and I don’t wanna be vain | Kiddo, we seen swords longer than a limo My bros are are blacksmiths like Jaden and Willow.

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Dave is one of the best rappers and lyricists we have right now. He never wastes a word, and his language is incredible. You need to listen to his songs a few times over before it reveals, but when it does, the effect is profound indeed. If you have not discovered Dave or given his music a go, then you really need to. In a sea of manufactured artists and meaningless words, here is an artist with a lot to say, and he makes sure every word strikes and hits its mark!

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