Is DIDE really a Premier League footballer?

Footballers wanting to rap is nothing new, from Memphis Depay to Ryan Babel to our own Piergollo and Leao, but recent addition DIDE is among the most mysterious and talented. In his just-released video 'Thrill', he raps through the night streets of the English capital, covered in a striking mask reminiscent of those Margiela made for Kanye West to disguise the identity of the rapper he himself describes on his Instagram page as a Premier League footballer. And it is his bio 'Rapper at home footballer on the pitch' that has sparked a veritable manhunt for the masked singer's identity in recent hours.

Like the hit format TV, one has to piece together the dots left like crumbs between the beats of DIDE and in the frames of the music video. Some are sure, given the location, that it is a footballer from one of London's various Premier League teams, focusing particularly on Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Some of the most popular names among social detectives at the moment are Wilfred Zaha, Kortney Hause, Noni Madueke, Reiss Nelson and Bukayo Saka. But the one that seems to make the most sense is Gunners striker Eddie Nketiah. Better known as Eddi, an acronym for DIDE, he has always been a passionate rapper and has often performed freestyles on his social channels. He also describes his goal against Manchester United this season in some bars of Thrill, while others point out that the reference to Psalm 23 is a reference to the rapper's age.

We are still in the realm of speculation, of course, and nothing prevents us from thinking that this could be a perfect marketing move. On the other hand, masked singers have always been a very successful means of drawing attention and curiosity to upcoming music projects. And combining the artistic aspect with the sporting aspect at a particularly hot time of the season in the Premier League is proving successful.