| Grand Daddy I.U. | |
|---|---|
 Grand Daddy I.U. in 2010 | |
|
Birth name |
Ayyub Cave |
|
Born |
August 23, 1968 |
|
Origin |
Long Island, New York, U.S. |
|
Genre(s) |
|
|
Occupation(s) |
Rapper, record producer |
|
Years active |
1989-1995, 2007-present |
|
Labels |
Steady Flow, Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros., Cold Chillin'/Epic/SME |
|
Associated acts |
Big L, Biz Markie, Juice Crew, Positive K, Pudgee tha Phat Bastard |
|
Death |
December 13, 2023 (age 54) |
Ayyub Cave (August 23, 1968 - December 13, 2022), better known by his stage name Grand Daddy I.U., was an American rapper and record producer from Long Island, New York. He was primarily active during the golden age of hip hop and was a member of the Juice Crew.
Grand Daddy I.U. was raised in Hempstead, Long Island, and was encouraged to begin performing by his brother. He recorded a demo tape and gave it to Biz Markie, who signed him to the label Cold Chillin' Records in 1989. In 1990, he released his debut album Smooth Assassin, which spawned his one and only hit "Something New". He became noted for his high-end sartorial choices, always appearing in public wearing a suit and tie.
Grand Daddy I.U. did ghostwrite for Biz Markie and Roxanne Shanté but became disenchanted with Markie over a dispute involving publishing credits for the tracks on his debut. He released his second album Lead Pipe in 1994, but the album received little promotion, causing I.U. to quit rapping for nearly a decade.
Grand Daddy I.U. continued to do production work in hip-hop for groups and artists such as Das EFX, Heltah Skeltah, KRS-One and Ice-T. His first album in thirteen years, Stick to the Script, was released in 2007. His latest album, P.I.M.P. (Paper Is My Priority), was released in 2015.
On December 13, 2022, Grand Daddy I.U. died at the age of 54. His cause of death is unknown.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1990: Smooth Assassin
- 1994: Lead Pipe
- 2007: Stick to the Script
- 2015: P.I.M.P. (Paper Is My Priority)