Stephen Austin AKA Stevie Hyper D was a pivotal figure in the 90s, signed by Darcus Beese to Island Records in 1996; he sadly passed away on July 5th 1998 before there was time to realise his full potential

Born on September 20th 1966 in Fulham, South West London to mixed parentage from the Caribbean & Gibraltar. London was a melting pot in the 70s and 80s when Stevie was growing up as a young man. He brought together various forms of influence from music and his peers, to become a figurehead for UK music in the 90s.

Before the digital explosion, music fans would listen to live performances on pirate radio, attend raves in the thousands and pass around battered tapes that had been wound and rewound. Stevie Hyper D was the star of this era in the 90s, dominating all elements unlike anybody before.

He struggled with dyslexia, alongside other trials and tribulations to become an incredible lyricist and MC. He found solace in the rave scene, where he trod a path to become an icon of underground music.

This was a time before the Internet and a culture that existed without it, the end of the analogue era and the beginning of the digital boom. In July 1998, a dream was cut short, Stephen Austin passed away suddenly and the rave scene would never be the same again.

Instead of breaking through to the mainstream, the legend of Hyper D would go back underground to influence a new generation of artists.

We are here to tell Stevie’s story through this amazing online portal and future content projects. We will break down the myths and solidify the Hyper D legacy, as one of the most influential British artists of the last 20 plus years.