Skepta took home the top gong at the AIM Awards 2015 last night (08.09.15).
The ‘Shutdown’ rapper was recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to Music at the ceremony that celebrated the independent sector’s most important and influential artists and was hosted by Radio One’s Alice Levine and XFM’s John Kennedy.
AIM Awards judge and BBC Radio One and 1Xtra presenter MistaJam said previously: "Since grime was born out of the ashes of UK garage, Skepta has been a pioneer of the sound.
"There’s no denying Skepta has put in the blood, sweat and tears for the last 10 whole years and now, as he stands on the cusp of true international acclaim, it feels right to award Skepta for his immense contribution so far to British music."
Elsewhere, alternative rockers Wolf Alice won the Independent Breakthrough of the Year award and Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis took to the stage at The Brewery in London to present British band Enter Shikari with the Independent Album of The Year for their fourth LP ‘The Mindsweep’.
FKA twigs’ song ‘Two Weeks’ was picked as the Independent Track of the Year, and Best Second Album went to Young Fathers for ‘White Men Are Black Men Too’.
Last year’s Outstanding Contribution to Music Award was won by techno deejay Richie Hawtin.
The full list of winners were as follows:
Outstanding Contribution to Music – Skepta
Best Small Label – Erased Tapes
Best Live Act – All Time Low
Independent Breakthrough of the Year – Wolf Alice
Hardest Working Band or Artist – Swans
Special Catalogue Release of the Year – ‘Cities Of Darkscorch Boardgame’
Best ‘Difficult’ Second Album: Young Fathers – ‘White Men Are Black Men Too’
Golden Welly Award For Best Independent Festival: Brainchild Festival
Indie Champion Award: Marc Riley – BBC 6 Music
Independent Track of the Year – FKA twigs – ‘Two Weeks’
Independent Video of the Year – Flying Lotus – ‘Never Catch Me’
PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Act – Jungle
Independent Album of the Year – Enter Shikari – ‘The Mindsweep’
Innovator Award – Peter Quicke, Matt Black & Jonathan More – ‘Ninja Tune’
Independent Label of the Year – Transgressive
Pioneer Award: Digby Pearson – Earache Records
Skepta honored at AIM Awards 2015
