EsDeeKid is an anonymous rapper from Liverpool who broke through in 2025 to become one of the biggest names in the UK underground rap scene. He performs with his face hidden by a balaclava, raps in a thick Scouse accent over blown-out cloud rap and trap production, and has never publicly revealed his real name, his age or what he looks like. Despite that secrecy — or because of it — his debut mixtape Rebel climbed to Number 8 on the UK Official Albums Chart, according to Official Charts, and peaked at Number 23 on the US Billboard 200.
At a Glance
- Who: EsDeeKid, an anonymous British rapper; his real name has never been publicly confirmed
- From: Liverpool, England
- Known for: Performing in a black balaclava that shows only his eyes, and a distinctive Scouse accent
- Genre: UK underground rap — a mix of cloud rap, trap and jerk
- Breakthrough: 2025, with the debut mixtape Rebel (released 20 June 2025)
- Biggest songs: “Phantom” (with Rico Ace), “4 Raws”, “Century”, “LV Sandals” (with Fakemink and Rico Ace)
- UK chart peaks: Rebel Number 8; “Century” Number 10; “Phantom” Number 12; “4 Raws” Number 20 (Official Charts)
- Identity status: Unconfirmed — he performs anonymously and, as of October 2026, has never revealed who he is
Who Is EsDeeKid?
Almost everything the public knows about EsDeeKid is in the music. According to Official Charts, he comes from Liverpool and raps with a “distinct Scouse twang”, keeping “a low profile, with his identity masked by a balaclava”. NME has described him in the same terms: an artist from Liverpool who “remains anonymous and performs obscured by a balaclava”, with much of his background simply not known.
What critics focus on instead is the voice. The Guardian’s “Add to Playlist” column praised his “magnificent Scouse accent” and “entertainingly debauched lyrics”, and its December 2025 feature on the UK underground’s global explosion described his “distinctive Scouse accent battling a storm of apocalyptic bass and John Carpenter-esque horror synths” at a sold-out London show, reporting that he had amassed more than 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify by that point.
He has described himself, in his own branding, as a “council house rat” from Liverpool — a phrase he later turned into the name of his 2026 headline tour. Beyond that, he rarely gives interviews and lets the masked image do the talking.
Why Does EsDeeKid Wear a Balaclava?
The balaclava is the whole point of the persona. EsDeeKid has performed masked from the start of his career, showing only his eyes, and he has kept his name, appearance and age private even as his streaming numbers have grown into the tens of millions. Reviews and interviews consistently note that he rarely breaks character in public: the all-black clothing, dark visuals and minimal personal exposure are a deliberate artistic choice, not a temporary gimmick.
The anonymity has had a side effect he could not have scripted: it turned his identity into one of the most talked-about mysteries in pop, and briefly attached his name to one of the most famous actors in the world (see the Timothée Chalamet section below). As of October 2026, his identity remains unconfirmed, and any website claiming to know his real name is publishing speculation, not fact.
How Did EsDeeKid Start Out?
EsDeeKid’s first known appearance was a feature in 2023, and he began releasing his own music in 2024. The turning point came with “Bally”, a 2024 collaboration with fellow UK underground rapper Rico Ace. Pitchfork highlighted “Bally” in its “The Ones” column of essential tracks, with writer Alphonse Pierre naming EsDeeKid one of the year’s breakout stars — an early sign that the Liverpool rapper’s distorted, reverb-heavy sound was cutting through.
Through late 2024 and early 2025 he built a run of singles with a close circle of collaborators — Rico Ace, Fakemink and producer Wraith9 among them — as part of a loose UK underground movement that also includes artists such as Fimiguerrero, Lancey Foux and Jim Legxacy. Two of those collaborations became the foundation of his breakthrough: “LV Sandals”, with Fakemink and Rico Ace, which went viral on TikTok, and “Phantom”, again with Rico Ace.
Like Skye Newman — another young UK breakthrough act who shot from nowhere to the top of the charts in 2025 — EsDeeKid’s rise was driven by streaming and social media rather than radio or traditional press, which he largely avoids.
What Is ‘Rebel’ — and How High Did It Chart?
Rebel is EsDeeKid’s debut mixtape, released on 20 June 2025 through XV and Lizzy Records. It is a short, intense project — 11 tracks in under 21 minutes — produced entirely by Wraith9, with guest appearances from Rico Ace, Fakemink and Fimiguerrero. Pitchfork, reviewing the mixtape, gave it 6.6 out of 10 and described EsDeeKid as “one of the hottest faces of UK rap”.
What happened next was one of the most unusual chart stories of 2025. Rebel was not an instant hit. According to Official Charts, it only entered the Official Albums Chart Top 100 in September 2025, at Number 82 — three months after release — and then climbed week after week as its songs spread on TikTok. It broke into the Top 40 for the first time in early October and eventually peaked at Number 8 on the UK Official Albums Chart, spending 34 weeks on the chart in total. It also reached Number 1 on the UK’s Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart, and was certified Gold by the BPI.
The success was international, too. In the United States, Rebel peaked at Number 23 on the Billboard 200 — remarkably, it did not debut on that chart until nearly five months after it was released. The Guardian and Billboard both reported that in November 2025 Rebel was the most-streamed hip-hop album in the world on Spotify. At the end of the year it appeared on major best-of-2025 lists, including Number 2 in Crack magazine’s Top 50 albums of the year, Number 8 in Complex UK’s list and Number 48 in NME’s Albums of the Year.
What Are EsDeeKid’s Biggest Songs?
As of October 2026, EsDeeKid’s UK chart record, according to his full Official Chart history, is:
- “Century” — UK Number 10. Released on 31 October 2025, this was his first solo single after Rebel and became his first UK Top 10 hit. Official Charts ran the headline “Scouse sensation EsDeeKid earns first Top 10 with Century” as the song entered the race for the 2025 Christmas Number 1.
- “Phantom” (with Rico Ace) — UK Number 12. Released in March 2025, “Phantom” is his signature song and, according to figures reported in 2026, his most-streamed track, with more than 300 million streams on Spotify. It was certified Gold by the BPI.
- “4 Raws” — UK Number 20. The Rebel track that became a global viral moment: it reached Number 3 on the UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart, Number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Number 38 on the Billboard Global 200.
- “LV Sandals” (with Fakemink and Rico Ace) — UK Number 99. The February 2025 single that first went viral on TikTok and introduced his sound to a mass audience, later charting in the UK and reaching Number 23 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
- “Omens” — UK Number 75. His first single of 2026, reviewed by The Harvard Crimson as a confident victory lap that “doubles down on the formula” of Rebel.
Is EsDeeKid Timothée Chalamet? The Fan Theory, Explained
No evidence has ever supported the theory — but it became one of the biggest music memes of 2025, and it was widely reported by reputable outlets, including NME and The Guardian.
The unverified fan theory claimed that the man behind the balaclava was Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet. Fans pointed to supposed clues: close-ups in which EsDeeKid’s eyes were said to resemble the actor’s, the fact that both names contain a double “e”, and Chalamet’s well-documented teenage history as a schoolboy rapper performing under the name Lil Timmy Tim.
Asked directly about the rumour in December 2025 while promoting his film Marty Supreme, Chalamet refused to shut it down. As NME reported, he told Heart FM presenters Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden: “I’ve got no comment on that,” before adding, “I got two words on that… all will be revealed in due time.”
The reveal came on 19 December 2025. As The Guardian reported, Chalamet “put the speculation to bed” by appearing alongside EsDeeKid in a video for a remix of “4 Raws” — the two of them rapping together, in the same scenes, as two clearly separate people, with Chalamet performing under his old Lil Timmy Tim persona. Official Charts likewise reported that the pair had “put the chatter to bed”. EsDeeKid himself has never publicly commented on the rumours, and the episode ended with the theory debunked but his real identity still unknown.
Has EsDeeKid Signed to Capitol Records?
This is widely reported but not officially confirmed, and it should be treated as unverified. In late 2025 and into 2026, music press reports linked EsDeeKid with a major deal at Capitol Records: Pigeons & Planes reported in April 2026 that he had “reportedly inked an eight-figure deal with Capitol Records — rumoured to be among the biggest in UK rap history”, and HotNewHipHop reported rumours of a deal worth $30 million, a figure that was even referenced in a diss track by fellow underground rapper Lancey Foux.
What is confirmed is the independent route that got him here: Rebel and his 2025 singles were released through Lizzy Records and XV, and Official Charts lists those labels on his chart entries. As of October 2026, neither EsDeeKid nor Capitol Records has publicly confirmed a signing, and no deal value has been verified by a primary source.
EsDeeKid Live: Festivals and the Council House Rat Tour
Live, the masked persona has translated into arena-sized demand. The Guardian’s December 2025 feature captured the intensity of his London show at the Electric Ballroom, describing an ecstatic young crowd and “the palpable sense… that this is A Moment”.
In 2026 he stepped up to major festival stages. PA Media reported on his masked set at the All Points East festival in east London in August 2026, noting that the mystery around his identity was “no problem” for his fans, and NME reported that he would open for Deftones at London’s Outbreak Fest 2026, on a bill with IDLES, Amyl & The Sniffers and JPEGMAFIA.
As of October 2026, he is on the road with his biggest headline run yet, the Council House Rat Tour. PA Media reported it as a 48-date tour across North America, Europe and the UK, and Ticketmaster listings show the scale: US dates from 21 October 2026, European dates through November (with Rico Ace as support), then London’s OVO Arena Wembley on 3 December 2026, Dublin’s 3Arena on 6 December and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on 7 December, before the run closes with two homecoming shows in Liverpool.
What Has EsDeeKid Released in 2026?
The follow-up era began with “Omens” in early 2026, which peaked at Number 75 in the UK. He also collaborated with US rapper Yeat on “Made It on Our Own”, which charted in Canada in March 2026, and released the single “RockWave” in June 2026. A second full-length project has been trailed, but as of October 2026 no title or release date has been officially confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is EsDeeKid?
EsDeeKid is an anonymous rapper from Liverpool, England, who broke through in 2025 as a leading figure in the UK underground rap scene. He is known for his thick Scouse accent, his cloud rap, trap and jerk-influenced sound, and for performing with his face hidden by a balaclava. His debut mixtape Rebel peaked at Number 8 in the UK and Number 23 on the US Billboard 200, according to Official Charts and Billboard chart records.
What is EsDeeKid’s real name?
His real name is not public. EsDeeKid has never revealed his name, age or appearance, and as of October 2026 his identity remains unconfirmed. Websites that publish an alleged real name are printing speculation that no reputable source has verified.
Is EsDeeKid really Timothée Chalamet?
No. That was an unverified fan theory reported by outlets including NME and The Guardian. It was effectively debunked on 19 December 2025, when Chalamet appeared alongside EsDeeKid — as a separate person, in the same video — on a remix of “4 Raws”. Chalamet had previously teased the rumour in interviews, telling Heart FM that “all will be revealed in due time”.
Where is EsDeeKid from?
He is from Liverpool, England. His Scouse accent is one of his trademarks — The Guardian praised his “magnificent Scouse accent” — and he has branded himself a “council house rat” from the city, a phrase he used as the name of his 2026 headline tour, which closes with two shows in Liverpool.
What is EsDeeKid’s biggest song?
By streams, it is “Phantom”, his 2025 collaboration with Rico Ace, which passed 300 million streams on Spotify according to figures reported in 2026 and peaked at Number 12 in the UK. His highest-charting UK single as of October 2026 is “Century”, which reached Number 10 and gave him his first Top 10 hit.
When did ‘Rebel’ come out, and how well did it do?
Rebel, his debut mixtape, was released on 20 June 2025 through XV and Lizzy Records. It was a slow-burn success: it entered the UK albums chart at Number 82 in September 2025 and climbed to a peak of Number 8, reached Number 23 on the US Billboard 200, was certified Gold by the BPI, and was reported by The Guardian and Billboard to have been the most-streamed hip-hop album in the world on Spotify in November 2025.
Is EsDeeKid touring in 2026?
Yes. As of October 2026 he is on the Council House Rat Tour, reported by PA Media as a 48-date run across North America, Europe and the UK. Ticketmaster listings include London’s OVO Arena Wembley on 3 December 2026, Dublin’s 3Arena on 6 December and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on 7 December, with the tour closing with two shows in Liverpool. He also played All Points East festival in London in August 2026.
Sources: Official Charts (artist page, ‘Century’ and ‘4 Raws’ chart histories and chart news), The Guardian (Ian McQuaid’s UK underground feature, December 2025, and its report on the ‘4 Raws’ remix), NME (Chalamet interview report and ‘4 Raws’ remix report), Billboard chart records, PA Media reporting on All Points East and the Council House Rat Tour, Pitchfork, Pigeons & Planes and HotNewHipHop. All facts checked October 2026.
