Mystery rapper and footballer DIDE 'revealed as player who Liverpool let go'

AI technology may have just cracked the case of the enigmatic rapper DIDE’s true identity. The masked artist, who has been the subject of intense speculation since claiming to be a Premier League footballer after dropping his viral track ‘Thrill’, has had fans and pundits alike scrambling to unmask him.

Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, former Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha, and Chelsea talent Noni Madueke have all been in the frame. However, groundbreaking AI speech recognition software from GitHub has pointed the finger at ex-Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo, now at Cardiff City.

The software, which analyses speech patterns, tone, and speed, indicated there’s an 89% probability that Ojo is DIDE, following analysis of a recent Sky Sports interview he conducted.

Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah is also a real consideration with a 61% match, while team-mate Reiss Nelson was given a 51% chance. Former Gunner Alex Iwobi – now at Fulham – came in with a 42% likelihood, and Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey was seen as a 29% possibility.

“Using AI speech recognition which uses deep neural networks to determine pitch, tone, speed of speech to match voice recordings software, we have managed to narrow down the potential professional footballer behind the mask,” said Liam Solomon, Head of PR for Best Payout Online Slots.

“The AI has given an 89% match to Cardiff City player Sheyi Ojo,” he continued. “He seems like a prime candidate with players heading to the Euros ruled out of contention and recently finishing a loan spell in Belgium.”

Fans have been poring over every release for clues about DIDE’s identity – from the locations of music videos and live events to minute details of his exposed skin.

The Daily Star reports while many were convinced Nketiah was the man behind the mask, firstly because DIDE is an anagram of Eddi, but also because his lyrics, released last year, include lines like “my team stay winning” and “every game is like a final” thought to be in reference to Arsenal’s title race with Manchester City.

However, despite AI software not dismissing Nketiah from the running, the chances of DIDE actually being Ojo are hard to overlook.

The 26-year-old was born in Watford but joined Liverpool’s academy in 2011 aged 14. He made his debut for the senior team in 2016, however, spent the majority of his Anfield career out on loan.

He left the club permanently in 2022, having made just 13 appearances and scored one goal for the Reds. Ojo was then signed by Cardiff, who had taken him on loan two years prior, but he spent just one season in south Wales before being shipped out to Belgian outfit Kortrijk on loan for the 2023/24 season.