Tinie Tempah was born Patrick Okogwu on November 7, 1988, in London, England, to parents of Nigerian Igbo heritage. He grew up in a close-knit household alongside three younger siblings — Kelly, Kelvin, and Marian. His father, Patrick Sr., and mother, Rosemary, emphasised education and discipline during his upbringing. His middle name, Chukwuemeka, translates to “God has done more” in Igbo. Until age 12, the family lived on the Aylesbury Estate in southeast London, before relocating to Plumstead.

His father began his career as a barber and later became a social worker, while his mother worked as an administrator for the National Health Service. Raised with strong faith, Tinie is a Catholic and has said that having faith is important to him. His multicultural London upbringing, bridging council estates and more affluent areas, would go on to shape his artistry and perspective.

After signing with Parlophone in 2009 and releasing several mixtapes, he rose to fame with the UK number-one singles “Pass Out” and “Written in the Stars” in 2010. He subsequently released his debut album Disc-Overy in October 2010, which also charted at number one and was certified platinum in 2011.

Beyond music, Tinie is a musician and passionate art collector who has hosted Extraordinary Portraits, a BBC One and BBC iPlayer series that explores the art of portrait making, matching members of the public with extraordinary stories to a selection of distinctive and celebrated portrait artists. The first two series were presented by Tinie Tempah, with the show first airing on 14 February 2022.

In July 2019, Tinie married Eve De Haan, daughter of British business magnate Sir Roger De Haan. The couple has two daughters, born in 2018 and 2021. The family maintains a private life in London, with Tinie remaining active across music, television, fashion, and entrepreneurship.