Michael Dapaah likes to describe himself as an average black boy trying to make a difference and possibly make history. A YouTube personality, Dapaah gained widespread recognition in 2017 following the release of her alter ego, Big Shaq’s single Man’s Not Hot. He is a rapper, producer, comedian and actor and here is how his story unfolds.
Michael Dapaah (Big Shaq) Wiki – Where is he from?
Michael Dapaah was born on August 10, 1991 in Croydon, South London, England. He is a second generation Ghanaian. Raised in a middle-class family in Croydon, Dapaah had the responsibility to fend for himself at an early age. Her family consists of a sister, Heather, who owns her own hair salon, as well as a brother, Edward, who has made several appearances on his YouTube channel. Their father is called Joseph Dapaah.
Michael Dapaah has revealed through numerous interviews he has given that he fell in love with acting since he was a child. Also in love with producing and acting, Dapaah decided to start a YouTube channel in April 2017. The eponymous YouTube channel featured a section called Somewhere In London, known as SWIL.
The segment is actually a mockumentary following the lives of different individuals on their unique journeys to success! Dapaah played each of these characters, including Roadman Shaq, the Ghanaian Uber driver, and the East London traffic warden. In just a few months on the video-sharing platform, Dapaah gained huge popularity and already had a loyal fan base.
One of the characters on the mockumentary is Roadman Shaq who yearns to get his music career off the ground to get off the streets. Dapaah’s big hit came when Roadman Shaq was a guest on Charlie Sloth’s BBC 1Xtra radio show Fire in the Booth. Roadman Shaq, who later went by the alias Big Shaq and MC quakes, showcased his rapping skills on radio for the first time. In no time, the song went viral, making the fictional character a real star.
When asked about the song’s lyrics, Dapaah said most of it was pre-written but the part that says “The ting goes skrrrahh” came on the spur of the moment. The radio clip quickly went viral and Dapaah capitalized on the opportunity and created a studio version of the song “Man’s Not Hot”, which was soon followed by a music video.
The music video featured appearances from Lil Yachty, Waka Flocka Flame and DJ Khaled, who praised Dapaah’s work and described it as “legendary”. The BPI certified the single platinum.
After all the frenzy with “Man’s Not Hot” Calmed, Michael Dapaah continued streaming the mockumentary on his YouTube channel that bears his name and which now has over 1.3 million subscribers and over 354 million views. Big Shaq released another single, “Man Don’t Dance”, in 2018. It was recorded in the UK. Michael Dapaah may have found fame in his fictional character, but the producer and comedian revealed he needed to create a proper comedy show.
He listed some of his inspirations to understand; Mo the comedian, Stevo The Mad Man, Eddie Murphy and the legendary Bernie Mac. He also expressed his admiration for the works of Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry.
Net value
Michael Dapaah has certainly made a lot of money from Big Shaq’s hit single. Thanks to the popularity of the song, Dapaah managed to get some paid gigs, which undoubtedly boosted her YouTube personality earnings. His net worth has been estimated at around $500,000.
Is he married?
Michael Dapaah is not married but hey! Big Shaq is off the market. He was seen tying the knot with his girlfriend, played by British radio DJ Snoochie Shy. The same person who kept asking him to take his jacket off in Man’s Not Hot. After the video was released, many celebrities, from English football stars to A-list actors like Idris Elba, took to social media to congratulate the rapper on his union. In the video for the single, Big Shaq takes off his jacket for the first time in three years.