Benjamin Balogun was born in Hackney, United Kingdom, and emerged as the British rapper known as Overlord X. Beginning to rap at fourteen after a period of DJing, he first attracted attention on John Peel’s radio sessions in late 1988, where he recorded three tracks that highlighted his lyrical intensity. His debut single, "14 Days in May", released on Westside Records in March 1988, addressed the execution of Edward Earl Johnson and secured national acclaim. In 1989, Overlord X released his first album, Weapon Is My Lyric, under Mango Records; the record charted at UK number 68 and established a rock‑infused hardcore style. The following year he issued X Versus the World, featuring collaborations with the X Posse and the alter‑egos Sidekick and Lord V; the album received critical praise and bolstered his reputation within the UK hip‑hop scene. Throughout the early 1990s, Overlord X released singles such as "Powerhouse" and "You Oughta Get Rushed", engaged in a public feud with MC Duke, and performed on The Late Show in 1991. After a brief period of producing for emerging artists and forming the group Benz, he ultimately left his label and stepped back from the spotlight, leaving a legacy marked by early chart success and influence on the development of British rap.
