He began rapping in 2005 under the name Castro Saint, but retired the moniker in 2007 when he took a five-year hiatus from the music business.[2] When he returned in 2012, he adopted the name Casisdead.[3]
CASISDEAD's debut album, Famous Last Words, was released on 27 October 2023 via XL Recordings.[4] The album spent one week at number 7 on the official UK Albums Chart along with placing number 1 on the official UK Hip Hop & R&B Albums Chart.[5]
CASISDEAD began rapping under the name of Castro Saint in 2005. During this period he penned, produced and released tracks such as "Adolescence", "C from T", and "Drugs." These songs were based on Castro's lived experiences in Tottenham and his gradual immersion into a narcotic-centred lifestyle.[3] During this period he was involved in the grime community, both as a member of a group called Proppa Production and as a recurring guest in work by grime crew In Da Hood.[8] A bootleg collection of Castro's tracks is available on YouTube.[3]
2012-2013: The Number 23 mixtape
From 2007 to 2012, Cas did not release music or perform.[8] He returned to music in 2012 using the name Casisdead. From that time Casisdead regularly collaborated with a group known as the "Dead Team", including creative director and in-house producer Cyrus (1iMediaGroup); DJ Mystry, the DJ of Cas' live shows; Mr Ghostrain, a photographer and videographer. In June 2015, Dead Team member Renea "Mello" Campbell-Russell died at the age of 26. In an interview with Loud and Quiet magazine, Casisdead stated that the pain of Mello's death motivates him and the Dead Team to pursue their artistic vision.[9]
In December 2013, Casisdead released The Number 23 mixtape which contains the majority of singles he had released in 2012 and 2013. The first music release of his comeback was the rap "T.R.O.N." this was shortly followed by "Leon Best". The songs that comprise his 23 mixtape are in various musical styles such as grime, drum & bass, electro, jazz, soul, and the Bullitt film soundtrack.[3] For the singles included from the 23 mixtape, Cas worked with several producers such as: Tre Mission ("Play"); Faze Miyake ("Play" remix); MssingNo ("Drugs Don't Work"); Skywlkr ("All Hallows"); and Jme ("Baraka" and "Cheese Slice" remix).
2015–2016: Commercial 2 EP and singles
In September 2015, Cas issued a limited release of the Commercial 2 EP, which was only sold in cassette tape format via his website.[10] Cas provided a further limited release of the Commercial 2 cassettes in December 2015 via his website.[11]
Casisdead released the single "Simon" in January 2016 with an accompanying video.[12] The track is produced by Skywlkr and the video is directed by Cas.
In May 2016, Casisdead released the upbeat single "Before This" with a highly stylised video directed by the rapper set around the domestic theme of grocery shopping and cooking.[13][14] The track is a collaboration between Cas and Later – a duo comprising London producer Dominik Binegger and Norwegian singer/songwriter Linn Carin Dirdal.[14]
Casisdead features on two tracks on Giggs album Landlord released on 5 August 2016.[15] Cas raps on "501 Hollow & Heston" and also on "Lyrical Combat". The two rappers first collaborated in November 2015 when Giggs featured on a remix of Casisdead's "What's My Name?"[16] Giggs released "501" as the second single from his album with a video directed by Casisdead featuring the rappers in a car mechanic's workshop.[17]
Cas featured on Tricky's EP Obia released on 30 September 2016: he contributes his lyrics to a reworked version of "Does It" (the single is originally from Tricky's False Idols album).[18]
2023: Famous Last Words
On 27 October 2023, Casisdead released his first studio album, Famous Last Words. Seven of the album's 23 tracks had been previously released as singles.[8]Johnny Jewel and MSM have been identified as the album's primary producers, though a variety of other people have been credited for production on parts of the album, including Stranger Things composer Kyle Dixon.[19]Famous Last Words has been described as "a work of vivid storytelling and dense world-building" that "marr[ies] '80s synth-pop influences with a bleak lyricism".[8][19]
Music videos
Casisdead has directed several of his music videos. The artist has said that he perceives himself to be both, in equal measure, a music video director and rapper.[9] Casisdead has directed the music videos for: "Cheese Slice"; "All Hallows"; "Charlotte"; "What's My Name?"; "Simon"; "Before This"; "501 Hollow & Heston"; "The XXIII – Weekend"; "The Grid"; and "Matte Grey Wrap".
Critical reception
WordPlay Magazine praised The Number 23 mixtape, stating that they felt that it was "in the top 3 UK releases" for 2013.[3] In May 2015, UK producer The Purist praised Cas as a rapper.[20]
In December 2015, Mixmag compared the artist favorably to Mike Skinner and Giggs, stating that he was "quite possibly one of the best things to ever happen in British rap music."[21] During a 2016 interview on US radio, Dizzee Rascal paid tribute to Casisdead, for being the "best lyricist and pristine".[22]
In an interview with Global Rockstar Magazine in March 2016, Tricky lauded Casisdead for his originality stating.[23]
During a 2017 interview with the Evening Standard newspaper, ASAP Rocky endorsed Casisdead as his favourite UK rapper, stating: "my favourite of all of them, my favourite UK rapper, [is] CASisDEAD."[24]
Personal life
Casisdead consistently wears a mask in his public appearances. He has described himself as having a variety of motives for doing so, including his creative passions, personal struggles, and his desire to retain his anonymity in a hyper-exposed world. Casisdead is a boyhood Newcastle United fan.[9]
Selected discography
Studio albums
Famous Last Words (2023)
Mixtapes
The Number 23 (2013)
Extended plays
Commercial 2 (2015)
Singles
List of singles, showing year released and album name
Title
Year
Album
"Seein' Double"
2014
Non-album singles
"What's My Name"
2015
"Simon"
2016
"Before This" (Later x Casisdead)
Famous Last Words
"The XXIII – Weekend" (featuring Maso and KingRico)
