LONDON — Grime hip-hop artist Skepta was awarded Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize on Thursday for his album Konnichiwa in recognition of a resurgent homegrown genre, muscling out late rock legend David Bowie. "Skepta brilliantly demonstrates the energising impact of British grime while retaining his unique defiant edge -- completely engaging," the jury said. Also in the running for the Mercury Prize were albums by soul singers Laura Mvula and Michael Kiwanuka and by two artists from Britain’s grime music scene, Kano and Skepta. "This is music to make sense of our unsettling times -- heartfelt, angry, thoughtful and thrilling," the Mercury jury said in a statement announcing the 12 shortlisted albums. Her last album, Let England Shake, won in 2011, making her the only artist to have taken home the Mercury Prize twice.

Source: Viet Nam News September 15, 2016 22:07 UTC