In Celebration of Craig David
Naz Hamdi reflects on the life and times of Southampton’s finest UK garage export-turned-R&B poster boy, Craig David.
Singer Songwriter Craig David Performs At MOBO Awards by Courtney FrancisTRENCH
The millennium ushered in a sense of endless possibility across the world. Industries, including technology, fashion, and music, were experiencing huge transformations and everyone wanted to be a part of this new age.
Among this excitement, 19-year-old Craig David was preparing for the release of his life-changing and game-altering debut album, 'Born to Do It'.
A few months before its release, Craig had his first taste of chart success under his belt with UKG duo Artful Dodger and their track "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta)", which catapulted him into the limelight, significantly impacting the trajectory of his life forever.
In the autumn of 2000, Craig David dropped Born To Do It, the platinum-selling R&B-garage debut that included lead singles "Fill Me In" and "7 Days"—both of which performed incredibly well on a commercial level, pushing him further into the limelight.
Shortly after, the Southampton native was receiving praise from other musical legends, such as Quincy Jones, Beyoncé, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and many others, while experiencing transatlantic success for his groundbreaking LP.
Singer Songwriter Craig David Performs At MOBO Awards by Courtney FrancisTRENCH
Two decades, eight albums, and several awards later, Craig David’s superstardom lives on and his significance is still being felt across the UK music world. Earlier this year, he sold out the O2—twice—after announcing the tour alongside his eighth studio album, 22, in 2021.
His legacy has entrenched him as one of the greatest R&B stars British music history has ever seen, and his long-standing appeal is easily understood and recognised because he's an artist, an MC, a DJ, who experiments with genres in ways that no one else at the time was.
Craig David's impact is cross-generational, very much a household name today as he was back then—an icon living whose classic anthems and newer tracks are ingrained in the lives of millions.
Singer Songwriter Craig David Performs At MOBO Awards by Courtney FrancisTRENCH
He represented R&B on a global level during his humble beginnings, and he is still relevant for creating a universal sound that highlights his British roots.
His importance in British culture transcends music, too, as he is also known for making regular TV and radio appearances, selling out headline performances around the world, and holding a coveted Ibiza Rocks residency. Give Mr. David all his flowers.
This digital work has been produced in collaboration with PRS Foundation and POWER UP. The article first featured in TRENCH x Union Black's Chapter One: Game Changers zine.
Words by Naz Hamdi
Photography by Courtney Francis
Videos by MOBO Awards, BBC Music, Craig David
Commissioned by TRENCH
