PA SALIEU

Who is Pa Salieu?

Pa Salieu is a British-Gambian rapper who has carved out a reputation as one of the UK’s most fearless new voices, blending the sounds of Afroswing, drill, grime, and dancehall into a style that feels as global as it is rooted in Coventry, the city he proudly calls home. 

Raised between The Gambia and the Midlands, he draws on rich cultural traditions and raw personal experience, turning stories of survival, resilience, and identity into music that resonates far beyond his own community. His breakout single Frontline became a street anthem and springboard for his acclaimed debut mixtape Send Them to Coventry, a project that painted vivid portraits of modern Britain and earned him the title of BBC Sound of 2021. Since then, Salieu has collaborated with artists including FKA twigs, Mura Masa, Slowthai, and Aitch, while continuing to push boundaries with his own releases such as the Afrikan Rebel.

In September 2025 it was announced that Pa Salieu's album Afrikan Alien was nominated for the Mercury Prize Album of the Year 2025.