Richard Kylea Cowie Jr, born in 1979 and known as Wiley, is a British grime artist, songwriter, DJ, and producer from Bow, London. Recognised as the "Godfather of Grime," Wiley was instrumental in pioneering the genre with early eskibeat instrumentals like "Eskimo." He first gained attention as part of UK garage group Pay As U Go, achieving a top 40 hit with "Champagne Dance" in 2001, and later founded the influential crew Roll Deep. Wiley is known for blending underground grime with mainstream success, earning UK chart hits such as "Wearing My Rolex," "Never Be Your Woman," and the number-one single "Heatwave." His album "Godfather" reached the UK top ten and he received an NME award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Wiley was awarded an MBE in 2018, which was later revoked in 2024 following controversy over antisemitic social media posts. Despite personal setbacks and public controversies, Wiley remains a key figure and innovator in the evolution of UK grime.