Taio Cruz British Rapper Born in 1980

Early life

Taio Cruz was born Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere on 23 April 1980 in the London Borough of Brent. He was raised in Kensal Rise. His schooling included Bilton Grange, a preparatory school in Warwickshire, and Battle Abbey School in East Sussex, after which he returned to London and studied at Stanmore College.

Career

Cruz began in the music business as a songwriter. In the middle of the 2000s he was discovered by the American producer Tricky Stewart and joined the writing team at Stewart's company, RedZone Entertainment. After several years writing for others, he released his own debut single, "I Just Wanna Know", in 2006. It reached number 29 on the UK singles chart, his first appearance there, and it led to a record deal with Republic Records and the UK branch of Island Records. He founded his own company, Rockstar Music London, which put out that single.

His first album, Departure, came out in 2008. He wrote, arranged and produced it himself. It earned a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry and a nomination at the 2009 MOBO Awards. Its singles included "Come On Girl", with Luciana, which reached number five in the UK in March 2008.

His second album, Rokstarr (2009), brought a move toward dance-pop. The lead single, "Break Your Heart", reached number one on both the UK singles chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, the American version featuring the rapper Ludacris. "Dynamite" followed and reached number two in the United States, and "Dirty Picture", recorded with Kesha, and "Higher" both reached the UK top ten. In 2010 he issued the compilation The Rokstarr Collection. In 2011 he performed "Telling the World" for the soundtrack of the animated film Rio, and he featured on David Guetta's "Little Bad Girl", also with Ludacris. His third album, TY.O (2011), contained "Hangover", with Flo Rida, and "There She Goes", with Pitbull, both of which were UK hits. In August 2012 he performed "Dynamite" at the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games and sang a second song with Jessie J and Tinie Tempah.

Cruz went on to release single after single. His 2015 release "Do What You Like" was the first of a series of single collections he called Roses, and in 2017 he issued "Row the Body" with the rapper French Montana. In 2019 he released "Time For You".

Songwriting has remained a second strand of his work. He is credited on songs for Tinchy Stryder ("Never Leave You" and "Take Me Back"), McFly ("Shine a Light"), Jennifer Lopez ("I'm Into You"), David Guetta ("Without You"), Cody Simpson, Olly Murs ("Kiss Me"), Cheryl and The Wanted, and in 2025 he co-wrote "Dopamine" by Robyn.

Recognition

"Break Your Heart" was nominated for Best British Single at the 2010 Brit Awards, and "Dynamite" received the same nomination a year later. In 2011 "Dynamite" won three Billboard Music Awards, among them Top Hot 100 Song. Cruz received a first Billboard Award in May that year.

Public roles

Cruz launched the fashion and accessories brand Rokstarr in 2009, with a focus on sunglasses, and renamed it RXTR in 2012. In 2013 he introduced a social media app called Kewe. He also recorded a public service announcement for Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit that supports music education in schools.

Personal life

Cruz has no marriage or children on record.