Young Fathers have won the 2014 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.
The Edinburgh-based hip-hop group’s debut studio album, ‘Dead,’ was declared the best British or Irish record of the last 12 months at a star-studded ceremony at The Roundhouse in London on Wednesday night (29.10.14).
Upon collecting their trophy and cheque for £20,000 from Nick Grimshaw, the band – comprised of Alloysious Massaquoi, G Hastings and Kayus Bankole – said: "Thank you, thank you. We love you all!"
Shortly before the ceremony, the ‘No Way’ hitmakers insisted they didn’t care about winning the prestigious prize, and told BANG Showbiz: "It doesn’t matter to us we’re just concentrating on our performance."
They also said winning wouldn’t change them, explaining: "You don’t spend half your life recording music and writing songs and then win an award and suddenly stop. It’s just part and parcel of the industry. It’s just what happens."
The trio won’t have much time to celebrate the good news, as they’re "just going over to Germany to record a new album."
Speaking about their victory, Chair of Judges, Simon Frith said: "Young Fathers have a unique take on urban British music, brimming with ideas – forceful, unexpected and moving."
The awards show, which will be broadcast in full on Channel 4 at 11.40pm on Friday (31.10.14), saw each of the twelve shortlisted artists, including Damon Albarn, FKA twigs and Jungle, perform a track from their albums.
Young Fathers win Mercury Prize
