Radiohead lose the 2016 Mercury Prize to Skepta

Skepta has won the 2016 Mercury Prize for Konnichiwa, at the Hammersmith Apollo on 15 September. A Moon Shaped Pool was one of the 12 albums on the shortlist, with David Bowie's last album, Blackstar.

Bowie was the name most expected to win, though the prize had never gone to an artist who had died. Jarvis Cocker, one of this year's judges, read out the result. If David Bowie was looking down on the Hammersmith Apollo tonight, he would want the Mercury Prize to go to…²

Konnichiwa is Skepta's fourth album, put out on his own Boy Better Know label, and at 33 he is the second grime artist to win, after Dizzee Rascal with Boy in da Corner in 2003. In his speech he paid tribute to Bowie and Amy Winehouse, and to how far he had come without a label. All these songs, we've travelled the world - no record label, nothing. We just did this for us, but the love is very appreciated.²

Skepta accepts the Mercury Prize for Konnichiwa, Hammersmith Apollo, 15 September 2016· BBC Musicwatch on youtube →