Unfancied British hip hop artist Speech Debelle has beaten off strong competition to win the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize.
Well, well. The Mercury Music Prize has always gone with its gut instinct, the panel earning a reputation for favouring rank outsiders. In true going against the grain fashion this year’s Mercury Music Prize has been awarded to Speech Debelle.
Hailing from London, Speech Debelle was raised in a comfortable single parent family. Artistic from an early age she continually wrote, and soon became immersed in hip hop. Inspired by MCs such as Rakim, Speech Debelle decided to find her own voice.
However the rapper began rebelling against her mother and soon found herself in a bedsit. Battling back to the top, she began making music and signed a record deal with Big Dada.
Her debut album ‘Speech Therapy’ has now claimed the Mercury Music Prize. Beating off competition from Florence & The Machine, Glasvegas, The Horrors, La Roux and many more the rapper was clearly overwhelmed.
Approaching the microphone to claim her prize Speech Debelle was quick to point out the achievements of the other nominees. Clearly overwhelmed, she singled The Invisible out for praise before thanking her family and her record label – Big Dada.
This is the first time in six years that a hip hop record has won the Mercury, with Dizzee Rascal scooping the gong with ‘Boy In Da Corner’ back in 2002. ‘Speech Therapy’ features contributions from Roots Manuva – who has also been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
