Mercury Prize judge and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker said that the late David Bowie would have approved of their decision to award Skepta the trophy, with the grime artist’s album Konnichiwa beating out Bowie’s Blackstar to take home the gong.
Bowie’s posthumous nomination led to him being named the favorite to receive the prize at this year’s ceremony, while Radiohead and Savages were also strongly suggested to be chosen as this year’s winners. However, it was Skepta who ultimately received the trophy, making him the second grime musician to ever be given the nod by Mercury following Dizzee Rascal’s win in 2003 for his influential debut LP Boy In Da Corner. The winner of the prestigious award also receives £25,000.
Discussing the panel’s decision, Cocker said: “We as a jury decided that if David Bowie was looking down on the Hammersmith Apollo tonight, he would want the 2016 prize to go to Skepta.” Skepta was the third favourite to take home the award, behind Anohni.
“If David Bowie was looking down on the Hammersmith Apollo tonight, he would want the #MercuryPrize to go to….” pic.twitter.com/ifqqxKCR8I
— BBC Music (@bbcmusic) September 15, 2016
Skepta accepted his award by thanking his family, with his parents appearing on-stage during his speech. He was also joined by his brother JME and other members of his Boy Better Know record label.
Bowie had previously been nominated for the Mercury Prize back in 2013, though his comeback album The Next Day was beaten out by James Blake’s Overgrown.
