Craig David
Craig David is a British R&B singer, songwriter, rapper, and producer born on May 5, 1981, in Southampton, England. Craig Ashley David grew up in a musical family; his father, George, was a bass player in a reggae band. By age 14, he was MCing at local clubs and built a bedroom studio with earnings from gigs. He gained early exposure writing for Damage and singing on UK garage tracks.
David broke through in 1999 featuring on Artful Dodger's "Re-Rewind," which hit No. 2 in the UK. His 2000 debut single "Fill Me In" topped the charts, followed by the massive album Born to Do It, which sold over 8 million copies worldwide.
He released albums like Slicker Than Your Average (2002), The Time Is Now (2018), and Commitment (2022), blending R&B, garage, and dance. Collaborations include Sting, Rita Ora, Bastille, and Kano. In 2020, he received an MBE for music services.
David continues touring and DJing, with hits like "7 Days" enduring as classics. He has acted in films like Bridget Jones's Diary and About Time.
Born To Do It
4:17
2 Can't Be Messing 'Round
3:54
3 Rendezvous
4:37
4 7 Days
3:55
5 Follow Me
4:01
6 Last Night
4:31
7 Walking Away
3:24
8 Time To Party
4:05
9 Booty Man
3:48
10 Once In A Lifetime
3:30
11 You Know What
3:34
12 Rewind
5:33
Written by C. David, D. Hill (tracks: 4), J. Seals (tracks: 8), M. Hill (tracks: 1, 3 to 12)
Label: Wildstar Records – CDWILD32
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK & Ireland
Released: 2000
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul, Hip Hop,
Style: Contemporary R&B, UK Garage
Released in 2000, Craig David’s Born To Do It is a landmark UK Garage and R&B debut, celebrated for its smooth vocals, intimate songwriting, and infectious two-step garage beats. Featuring iconic hits like "Fill Me In," "7 Days," and "Walking Away," the album was praised for its refreshing, polished sound that bridged underground UK scenes with mainstream pop.
The album was hailed as an excellent, mature debut, noted for its "soulfully smooth voice" and "brilliantly market-tuned fusion of R&B elegance and all-ages pop sugar".
Key Highlights:-
"Fill Me In": A groundbreaking blend of garage rhythms and R&B storytelling.
"7 Days": A masterclass in rhythmic phrasing that became a top-10 hit in the US.
"Walking Away": Frequently cited as a standout for its emotional depth and acoustic-leaning production.
"Rewind": The high-energy collaboration with Artful Dodger that solidified his roots in the garage scene.
It successfully brought UK Garage to a wider audience, with many considering it one of the best R&B albums of the 2000s.
Despite some criticism of the lyrics being slightly underdeveloped or "corny" at times, the album is widely recognized for its charisma and for establishing David as a superstar.
The album has maintained high regard, with tracks that still sound fresh 25 years later, as highlighted in Albumism's 25th-anniversary review.
Born To Do It remains a quintessential record of the early 2000s, often praised for its ability to balance emotional, intimate songwriting with danceable, modern beats. Critics highlighted David's "silver-tongued" vocal gymnastics and the album's polished production by Mark Hill (of Artful Dodger). Its ability to appeal to clubgoers and pop fans simultaneously made it a massive commercial success.