As if the man needs any more awards! Yesterday South London rapper Tinie Tempah was named one of 12 artists in the running for this year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize. The award, won last year by minimalist indie-pop trio The XX, recognises the best British albums of the year, with the winner receiving the £20,000 prize money.
Known for their left-field choices and reluctance to champion artists considered ‘too- mainstream, this years nominations were decidedly more balanced with this year’s biggest-selling artist Adele in the mix. Dubstep princess Katy B got a nod as did rising urban raconteur of sorts, Ghostpoet.
The full list of nominees are:
Adele-21
Anna Calvi- Anna Calvi
Elbow- Build A Rocket Boys!
Everything Everything- Man Alive
Ghostpoet- Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
Gwilym Simcock- Good Days At Schloss Elmau
James Blake- James Blake
Katy B- On A Mission
King Creosote & John Hopkins- Diamond Mine
Metronomy- The English Riviera
PJ Harvey- Let England Shake
Tinie Tempah- Disc-Overy