{{Short description|British rapper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = LD |alias = {{Flatlist| * Scribz * Lil Dice<ref name = dazed>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/52039/1/ld-67-uk-drill-figurehead-whos-watching-prison-interview|title=LD (67): the UK drill figurehead speaks from prison|first=Sam|last=Davies|date=26 February 2021|publisher=[[Dazed]]|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> }} |birth_name = Cassiel Nii Akwei Wuta-Ofei<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/read/ld-new-album-whos-watching-new-track-outro-drill-news/|title=LD TEASES NEW ALBUM 'WHO'S WATCHING' WITH LATEST TRACK 'OUTRO'|first=Jemina|last=Skala|date=9 January 2021|website=mixmag.net|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/912306498 |title=FELL IN LOVE |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref> |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|4|9|df=yes}}<ref name = met/> |origin = [[Brixton Hill]], London, England<ref name = huck>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/ld-godfather-of-drill-speaks-out-from-behind-bars/|title=LD, godfather of drill, speaks out from behind bars|first=Dhruva|last=Balram|date=26 February 2021|website=[[Huck (magazine)|Huck]]|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> |years_active = 2009–present |genre = {{flatlist| * [[British hip-hop]] * [[UK drill]] * [[road rap]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://defpen.com/ld-interview/|title=The Man Behind The Mask: A Conversation With LD About Drill Music, Counseling And The Future|first=Cee|last=Valentina|date=22 July 2022|work=Def Pen|access-date=7 September 2022}}</ref> }} | label = | occupation = {{flatlist| * Rapper * songwriter }} |current_member_of = [[67 (rap group)|67]] }}
'''Cassiel Nii Akwei Wuta-Ofei''' (born 9 April 1992), known professionally as '''LD''' and '''Scribz''', is a [[masked]] British rapper. Named as the "godfather of [[UK drill]]" and as a founding member of the UK drill scene,<ref name = huck/><ref name = high>{{Cite web|url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/masked-musicians/|title=SAVING FACE: A TIMELINE OF MASKED MUSICIANS WHO PIONEERED FACE-COVERING|first=Samuel|last=Trotman|date=3 January 2022|publisher=[[Highsnobiety]]|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> LD rose to fame in 2014 with the release of his debut single "Live Corn" and the release of "[[Let's Lurk]]" alongside [[67 (rap group)|67]] in 2016, featuring [[Giggs (rapper)|Giggs]].
Wuta-Ofei has been imprisoned twice for two separate criminal convictions. His rapping style often includes heavy, Andante chanting with lyrics inspired by real events in his life and those of his entourage. LD is known for his distinct, powerful vocals and signature mask.
==Early life== Cassiel Wuta-Ofei was born in 1992 and was raised by his mother and grandmother. He has three brothers and two sisters.<ref name = dazed/>
==Career== In 2014, [[67 (rap group)|67]] would rise to fame, with Wuta-Ofei – under the alias Scribz – as its frontman. In the same year, he was handed an [[Anti-social behaviour order|ASBO]],<ref name=vw>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/ld-whos-watching-album-interview/|title=LD, the UK's Original Drill Rapper, Calls Us From Jail|first=Ryan|last=Bassil|date=26 February 2021|publisher=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> which forbade him from performing in public under the name Scribz; this would result in him changing his alias to LD. In addition, he would start wearing a [[The Phantom of the Opera (1925 film)|Phantom of the Opera]]-style mask, which was discovered in an office during an [[SB.TV]] session.<ref name = high/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/55008/1/mask-off-drill-uk-public-image-dazed-winter-2021|title=Mask Off: how UK drill subverts reality, fantasy, and public image|first=Sam|last=Davies|date=14 December 2021|publisher=[[Dazed]]|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> In the same year, he would release "Live Corn"; according to ''[[Huck (magazine)|Huck]]'', the song "had the wider industry paying attention [to LD] almost instantly".<ref name = huck/>
In September 2018, LD released ''The Masked One'', which spent one week the [[UK Albums Chart]] at number 69.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/the-masked-one/ |title=Official Album Charts |publisher= The Official UK Charts Company |date=20 September 2018 |accessdate=25 February 2022}}</ref> Following its release, an article by HotNewHipHop noted that he "contains the image, flow and delivery to become [67's] defining breakout artist".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/187309-uk-artist-recommendations-based-on-american-rappers-you-like-news|title=UK Artist Recommendations Based On American Rappers You Like|first=Robert|last=Blair|date=9 May 2019|website=hotnewhiphop.com|access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref> The mixtape was followed in 2021 by ''Who's Watching''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/ld-whos-watching|title=LD Claims 'Godfather Of Drill' Title With New Album 'Who's Watching'|first=James|last=Keith|date=26 February 2021|publisher=[[Complex Networks]]|access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Vice (magazine)|VICE]]'', he stated that it was named as such because "you never know who's watching you", also saying that it was his last story of him against the police.<ref name=vw/> He would also release several remixes of his single "Rich Porter" following [[Brexit]]; an article by [[GRM Daily]] states the remixes were made in order to "keep his musical connections [in the European Union]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://grmdaily.com/67-ld-rich-porter-brexit-remixes/|title=67'S LD SHARES BREXIT REMIXES OF "RICH PORTER" WITH FRANCE'S ZIAK, SPAIN'S MC BUZZ & MORE|first=Courtney|last=W|date=9 April 2021|website=grmdaily.com|access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref>
Following his release from prison in late 2021, LD released "First Day Out".<ref name = firstday/>
==Criminal convictions== In 2014, Wuta-Ofei was issued an [[Anti-social behaviour order|ASBO]] that banned him from making and performing music for two years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Joe |title=Beautiful South: 67 and RAY BLK on their London |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/beautiful-south-67-and-ray-blk-on-their-london |website=[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]] |access-date=10 December 2018 |date=29 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dymoke |first1=Alex |title=67 interview: This is not a gang. This is a logo. This is a company. This is a brand |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/67-interview-this-is-not-a-gang-this-is-a-logo-this-is-a-company-this-is-a-brand-a3620276.html |website=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=10 December 2018 |date=25 August 2017}}</ref> Following this, Wuta-Ofei donned a mask and changed his artist name to LD, with his first tune under the new moniker being "Live Corn".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/uk-drill-FAQ-history-artists-and-future|title=What is UK drill? A primer on the rising British rap sound|website=Red Bull|language=en|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> In 2016, Wuta-Ofei's ASBO order came to an end, resulting in him releasing a song called "Wicked and Bad", in which he sent for opposing gangs. Within the song, he mentioned that Scribz and LD are the same person. In 2017, Wuta-Ofei was jailed for six months for possession of a knife.<ref name=i-d>{{cite web |last1=Thapar |first1=Ciaran |title=67's LD on the state of uk drill music |url=https://i-d.co/article/67s-ld-scribz-interview-on-the-state-of-uk-drill-music/ |website=[[i-D]] |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |access-date=10 December 2018 |date=24 October 2018}}</ref><ref name = met>{{cite web |title=Man jailed for possession of a knife |url=http://news.met.police.uk/news/man-jailed-for-possession-of-a-knife-273042 |website=[[Metropolitan Police]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102170552/https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-jailed-for-possession-of-a-knife-273042 |archive-date=2 January 2018 |date=6 November 2017 |access-date=16 December 2018}}</ref>
In December 2019, Wuta-Ofei was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and jailed for 4 years and six months.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thelawpages.com/court-cases/Cassiel-Wuta-Ofei-27749-1.law |title=Inner London Crown Court - Sentencing |publisher=TheLawPages.com |date=6 December 2019 |accessdate=25 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Harry |title=Croydon musician jailed for county-lines drug supply. |url=https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2019/12/croydon-musician-jailed-for-county-lines-drug-supply/ |access-date=14 November 2020 |work=Eastlondonlines |date=9 December 2019}}</ref> He was released from prison in November 2021.<ref name = firstday>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolt.tv/new-music/2021/11/24/22800367/67s-ld-first-day-out-video|title=67's LD celebrates his "First Day Out" with new visual|first=Jon|last=Powell|date=24 November 2021|website=revolt.tv|access-date=28 November 2021|archive-date=28 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128170943/https://www.revolt.tv/new-music/2021/11/24/22800367/67s-ld-first-day-out-video|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Mixtapes=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+List of mixtapes, with selected details ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em"| Certifications |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[UK Albums Chart|UK]]<br /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/54257/ld/|title=LD {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|website=officialcharts.com|access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|''All I See Is Smoke''<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(as Scribz)</span> | *Released: 2013 |rowspan="2"|— | |- !scope="row"|''6.7''<br><span style="font-size:85%;">(with [[Dimzy]] and Monkey)</span>
| *Released: 29 January 2015 | |- !scope="row"|''The Masked One'' | *Released: 20 September 2018 *Label: Trakstrs |69 | |- !scope="row"|''Who's Watching'' | *Released: 26 February 2021 |— | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LD}} [[Category:Black British male rappers]] [[Category:Black British rappers]] [[Category:Rappers from the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:English male rappers]] [[Category:UK drill musicians]] [[Category:British drill musicians]] [[Category:Gangsta rappers]] [[Category:Masked musicians]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Brixton]] [[Category:English people convicted of drug offences]] [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:21st-century British rappers]]