Romeo (English rapper)

{{Short description|British rapper (born 1979)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Romeo | image = | image_size = | birth_name = Marvin Dawkins | alias = Romeo MC Romeo | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|10|23}} | origin = Battersea, London, England | genre = UK garage, grime, hip-hop | occupation = Rapper, MC | years_active = 1998–present | label = Relentless Records (2002–2003) Maffia Recordz | current_member_of = So Solid Crew }}

'''Marvin Dawkins'''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/apr/24/urban|title=A history of So Solid Crew|last=Jackson|first=Jamie|date=24 April 2005|work=The Guardian|accessdate=29 May 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> (born 23 October 1980), better known by his stage name '''Romeo''', '''Nigel''', or '''MC Romeo''', is a British rapper and MC.

==Biography== Romeo first found fame in the garage group So Solid Crew, having grown up on and around the notorious Surrey Lane, Winstanley and Badric Court estates of Battersea. He subsequently had a solo career. He got his name Romeo due to his smoothness with the ladies.<ref name="Delaney">{{Cite web|last=Delaney|first=Zoe|date=2021-08-06|title=So Solid Crew then and now 20 years on from hit single 21 Seconds to Go|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/solid-crew-now-20-years-24708065|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Daily Mirror|language=en}}</ref>

Romeo released his solo album ''Solid Love'' in November 2002, through Relentless records, the label that So Solid had just left for Independiente.

He enjoyed two top 10 singles, "Romeo Dunn'em" which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 2002, and secondly a duet with Christina Milian, "It's All Gravy", which reached No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart in the same year.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 469}}</ref><ref name="Delaney" />

However, only a disappointing 40,000 copies sold of his album, peaking at No. 46 in the UK Albums Chart. In March 2003, Relentless filed for bankruptcy with debts of £3m.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/><ref>{{cite news |first=Jamie |last=Jackson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/apr/24/urban |title=A history of So Solid Crew | Music | Observer Music Monthly |work=The Guardian |date=26 October 2006 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

In 2004, Romeo appeared in the reality show ''The Games'', and returned to the series to compete in the ''Champion of Champions'' contest in 2006. Romeo also featured in a gameshow called ''Fool Around With... Romeo'' on Channel 4 in 2005, in which he had to guess which girl out of four was single.<ref name="Delaney" />

In August 2004, Romeo was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder after slashing the face of Ejay Armstrong with a knife when it was alleged that he joined friends in a dispute after a night out in London's Leicester Square. In June 2005, the jury failed to reach a verdict against him and the prosecution was suspended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/Romeo-6821.html |title=Romeo Jury Fail To Reach Verdict |publisher=Female First |date=30 June 2005 |accessdate=15 August 2013}}</ref> During the retrial in November 2005, he told the jury that he had been trying to act as peacemaker and was found not guilty of wounding with intent when the prosecution decided not to continue the case.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4443466.stm |title=UK | England | London | Rapper Romeo is cleared of attack |publisher=BBC News |date=16 November 2005 |accessdate=15 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Press Association |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/nov/17/arts.artsnews |title=Rapper Romeo cleared of car park attack | UK news |work=The Guardian |date= 17 November 2005|accessdate=15 August 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

Romeo appeared in an episode of ''Don't Tell the Bride'' on BBC Three on 22 September 2009, as the best man for his brother, Darnell Dawkins.<ref name="Delaney" />

Romeo is currently signed to So Solid's Lisa Maffia's record label, Maffia Recordz. A second album, announced for release during 2008, has not yet materialised. In 2009, Romeo and fellow members of So Solid Crew attempted a musical comeback with the single "Since You Went Away".{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Romeo appeared in ''Celebrity Big Brother 2012'' up until his eviction on 25 January 2012 just narrowly missing out on the final.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sigodo|first=Melissa|date=2021-10-17|title=Where the main members of So Solid Crew are now|url=https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/black-history-month-how-batterseas-21827126|access-date=2022-01-21|website=MyLondon|language=en}}</ref>

==Discography== {{see also|So Solid Crew#Discography}}

===Albums===

====Studio albums==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style=text-align:center; |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Album details ! scope="col"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;" | Certifications |- !style="width:3em;font-size:85%"|UK <ref name="UKChartsRomeo">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/romeo/|title=ROMEO – Artist – Official Charts|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=6 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="ZobbelRomeo">{{cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_R.HTM|title=Zobbel.de: Chart Log UK: The Rabble Army – RZA|publisher=Zobbel.de|accessdate=6 January 2011}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Solid Love'' | *Released: 11 November 2002 *Label: Relentless *Formats: CD, cassette | 46 | * UK: Silver<ref name="BPI">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx|title=Certified Awards Search: Romeo|publisher=British Phonographic Industry|accessdate=6 January 2012}}</ref> |}

===Singles===

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! style="width:220px;" rowspan="2"| Song ! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Year ! Peak chart positions ! style="width:180px;" rowspan="2"| Album |- !style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| UK <ref name="UKChartsRomeo" /><ref name="ZobbelRomeo" /> |- !scope="row"| "Romeo Dunn" (featuring Lisa Maffia, Thug Angel & Tiger S) | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2002 | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| ''Solid Love'' |- !scope="row"| "It's All Gravy" (featuring Christina Milian) | style="text-align:center;"| 9 |}

====As a featured artist==== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! style="width:220px;" rowspan="2"| Song ! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions |- !style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| UK <ref name="UKChartsStudioB">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/studio%20b/|title=STUDIO B – Artist – Official Charts|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=6 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="ZobbelStudioB">{{cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_S.HTM|title=Zobbel.de: Chart Log UK: TDJ S – The System Of Life|publisher=Zobbel.de|accessdate=6 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11682/ac-burrell-ft-mega-man-and-romeo/|title = AC BURRELL FT MEGA MAN & ROMEO | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website = Official Charts}}</ref> !style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| UK Dance <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/dance-singles-chart/20000924/104/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904053557/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/dance-singles-chart/20000924/104/|archive-date=4 September 2019|title=Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company|website=OfficialCharts.com}}</ref> |- !scope="row"| "No Good 4 Me" (Oxide & Neutrino featuring Megaman, Romeo & Lisa Maffia) | style="text-align:center;"| 2000 | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| |- !scope="row"| "Nasty" (AC Burrell featuring Mega & Romeo) | style="text-align:center;"| 2000/02 | style="text-align:center;"| 84 | style="text-align:center;"| 10 |- !scope="row"| "I See Girls (Crazy)" (Studio B featuring Romeo & Harry Brooks) | style="text-align:center;"| 2003 | style="text-align:center;"| 52 | style="text-align:center;"| |- !scope="row"| "Since You Went Away" (So Solid featuring Lisa Maffia & Romeo) | style="text-align:center;"| 2010 | style="text-align:center;"| 82 | style="text-align:center;"| |- !scope="row"| "Don't Stop the Music" (Lisa Maffia featuring Romeo & Tyler Daley) | style="text-align:center;"| 2012 | style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/tag/romeo/ Unreality TV – Romeo News, Gossip and Chat] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20031129080800/http://www.geocities.com/romeodunnheaven/ Romeo Heaven] *[http://yahoogroups.com/group/romeo_dunn_lovers Romeo Lovers Yahoo Group]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romeo (MC)}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Black British male rappers Category:Black British rappers Category:English male rappers Category:People from Battersea Category:Rappers from the London Borough of Wandsworth Category:So Solid Crew members Category:UK garage musicians Category:English people of Nigerian descent