JME, Wiley, Adele and more celebrate Skepta’s Mercury Prize win
Big up Skeppy.
Last night (September 15), Skepta won the Mercury Prize for his album Konnichiwa, making him the first grime MC to be awarded the Mercury since Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner in 2003.
The Tottenham MC beat off major releases such as David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, ANOHNI’s Hopelessness and Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool. Other nominees included Laura Mvula’s The Dreaming Room, soul singer Michael Kiwanuka’s Love & Hate, Bat For Lashes’ The Bride and Kano’s Made In The Manor.
In an interview after the ceremony, Skepta called his win “a revolution for freedom,” praising the democratisation of music and the benefits of doing things on your own terms. “I just wanted to know what happens when you do it yourself. This [winning awards] happens,” he said. Skepta also said that he will spend his £25,000 ($33,000) prize money on “something positive,” mentioning the studio he is helping to build for young artists in Tottenham.
Powerful words from Mercury prize award winner @Skepta pic.twitter.com/wc5TMH0Jo5 #MercuryPrize
— PLTFRM SE7EN (@PLTFRM_SE7EN) September 15, 2016
The tributes to Skepta have been coming in thick and fast, with everyone from members of the grime community to Adele praising his win. See a selection below.
https://twitter.com/LethalBizzle/status/776565869660999681
Mad ting
— Jme (@JmeBBK) September 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/JmeBBK/status/776717106389913600
A photo posted by @wiley__ on
Congrats to @Skepta. Independent as f-ck. A DIY don dada…
— The Bug(official) (@thebugzoo) September 16, 2016
A photo posted by @adele on
https://twitter.com/FatimaAlQadiri/status/776684904428015616
https://twitter.com/Wretch32/status/776526345954271232
Big up @Skepta literally so deserved ❤️ #mercuryaward
— vicky grout (@vickygrout) September 16, 2016
Amazing choice and best acceptance speech in years – congratulations @Skepta! #MercuryPrize
— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) September 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/AJFromTheLane/status/776562118820790273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
YES @Skepta you really are an inspiration!! @MercuryPrize thank you so much for everything & awarding the album that truly represents 2016!!
— matty (@Truman_Black) September 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/TinchyStryder/status/776550321904508928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
