Devlin, whose full name is James Devlin, is a British rapper born in Bermondsey, London, on May 7, 1989. Renowned for the quality of his lyrics and the stylistic acrobatics of his flow, from the age of 15 he was a member of the grime collectives O.T Crew (Deeperman, Kozy, DogZilla) and The Movement (Wretch 32, Ghetts, DJ Unique). He is a regular guest on BBC Radio 1 and Kiss FM. In 2010, he released his debut album, Bud, Sweat and Beers, which included the commercial hit "Brainwashed " (#11 on the UK R&B Singles Chart). In 2012, Devlin invited singer Ed Sheeran to his cover of Bob Dylan's "(All Along The) Watchtower", and the following year built on his collaborations with artists Wretch 32 and Diane Birch to produce the album A Moving Picture, featuring the tracks "Off Their Heads" and "Rewind". In 2016, the singles "Bitches" and "Cold Blood" heralded the release of the album The Devil In (2017), which reached No. 16. After three successful albums, Devlin continues without regaining the audience of his debut with The Outcast (#94 in 2019), Eye for the Blind (2022) and The James Devlin Album (2025), testifying to a style and writing that have lost none of their relevance.
