Last night, it appeared the Mercury Music Awards have been listening to the #BritsSoWhite complaints with grime winning in a major way.
Skepta's Konnichiwa, which was up against albums from Kano, ANOHNI, David Bowie, Savages, Radiohead and more, won the award for Best Album, one of the ceremony's most coveted awards. As much as everyone was rooting for Skepta, it was expected that Bowie pick up the gong. What's more, Skepta is the first grime artist to win Best Album since Dizzee won with Boy In Da Corner in 2003.
"I'm just so thankful. I've been trying to do this music stuff and work it out for so long," Skepta commented. "I was like 'let's do it for ourselves.' All these songs, we've travelled the world—no record label, nothing. We just did this for us but the love is very appreciated. For everybody who knows what it takes to put an album together, cos it's so much more than just making the music."
Speaking to the BBC backstage, Skepta said he would use the prize money to help the disadvantaged: "Something positive, something to help other people feel as happy and as free as me," he said. "We're doing a project right now, actually, building a studio in my old estate to help the young kids do music." (See more about the Levi's #SupportMusic project here).
"Kane—for life bro—we did it," he added. "And lastly, my mum and dad, and all my friends mums and dads—because they made us, they gave us that voice in our head that's talking to keep us in line to keep us in check. We all won today. Konnichiwa!"
