The Mercury nominees are in, and as usual, a plethora of fine British albums have been given the nod. The Year of the Bowie sees the man himself become the oldest ever nominee, and along with Foals, Arctic Monkeys, Savages and Jake Bugg, it looks like rock music’s back in favour.
But throw the words “Mercury Music Prize” over to a group of people who know their Xx from their X Factor, and you’ll probably get mixed opinions; for such a revered music award, it doesn’t half cause controversy. Well, not controversy in the sense of Jarvis Cocker baring his arse, more the fact that Radiohead have never won. Every year, music critics analyse who’s been nominated, who hasn’t, and who should win, but is it actually worth winning, looking back on its history? Does it really offer up the best British album of the year?...
But throw the words “Mercury Music Prize” over to a group of people who know their Xx from their X Factor, and you’ll probably get mixed opinions; for such a revered music award, it doesn’t half cause controversy. Well, not controversy in the sense of Jarvis Cocker baring his arse, more the fact that Radiohead have never won. Every year, music critics analyse who’s been nominated, who hasn’t, and who should win, but is it actually worth winning, looking back on its history? Does it really offer up the best British album of the year?...
- 10/1/2013
- by Mark White
- Obsessed with Film
Celebrity MasterChef will return to BBC One at the end of the month, it has been announced.
The first new episode of the cooking competition will air on July 31 with a new lineup of celebrity contestants.
16 famous faces - including Sugababe Heidi Range, Bottom star Ade Edmondson and comics Les Dennis and Katy Brand - will battle it out to impress long-standing judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Actors John Thomson, Denise Black and Brian Capron and sports stars Phillips Idowu, Matthew Hoggard and Joe Calzaghe are also set to show off their culinary talents.
TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff, Boyzone's Shane Lynch, rapper Speech Debelle, Jo Wood and Janet Street-Porter complete the lineup.
The show will air across six weeks, with the celebrities facing challenges such as mass catering for Cirque du Soleil and the Harlequins rugby team.
Exec producer Carla-Maria Lawson said: "The return of Celebrity MasterChef to this...
The first new episode of the cooking competition will air on July 31 with a new lineup of celebrity contestants.
16 famous faces - including Sugababe Heidi Range, Bottom star Ade Edmondson and comics Les Dennis and Katy Brand - will battle it out to impress long-standing judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Actors John Thomson, Denise Black and Brian Capron and sports stars Phillips Idowu, Matthew Hoggard and Joe Calzaghe are also set to show off their culinary talents.
TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff, Boyzone's Shane Lynch, rapper Speech Debelle, Jo Wood and Janet Street-Porter complete the lineup.
The show will air across six weeks, with the celebrities facing challenges such as mass catering for Cirque du Soleil and the Harlequins rugby team.
Exec producer Carla-Maria Lawson said: "The return of Celebrity MasterChef to this...
- 7/18/2013
- Digital Spy
Celebrity MasterChef returns to the BBC this summer with a new lineup of famous faces attempting to impress John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
16 celebrities will be putting their palates to the test and proving their culinary worth on primetime BBC One.
Sugababes star Heidi Range, comic Les Dennis, actors John Thomson, Denise Black and Brian Capron, and Bottom star Ade Edmondson are among the competitors.
Katy Brand, Shappi Khorsandi, TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff and sports stars Phillips Idowu, Matthew Hoggard and Joe Calzaghe are also taking part.
Completing the lineup are Jo Wood, rapper Speech Debelle, Boyzone's Shane Lynch and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.
Exec producer Carla-Maria Lawson said: "The return of Celebrity MasterChef to this BBC One peak time slot sees thrills and spills and some extraordinary cooking from our lineup of well-known faces.
"In this series, the contestants' enthusiasm in their pursuit of the MasterChef trophy is palpable, often inspiring and sometimes very,...
16 celebrities will be putting their palates to the test and proving their culinary worth on primetime BBC One.
Sugababes star Heidi Range, comic Les Dennis, actors John Thomson, Denise Black and Brian Capron, and Bottom star Ade Edmondson are among the competitors.
Katy Brand, Shappi Khorsandi, TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff and sports stars Phillips Idowu, Matthew Hoggard and Joe Calzaghe are also taking part.
Completing the lineup are Jo Wood, rapper Speech Debelle, Boyzone's Shane Lynch and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.
Exec producer Carla-Maria Lawson said: "The return of Celebrity MasterChef to this BBC One peak time slot sees thrills and spills and some extraordinary cooking from our lineup of well-known faces.
"In this series, the contestants' enthusiasm in their pursuit of the MasterChef trophy is palpable, often inspiring and sometimes very,...
- 6/24/2013
- Digital Spy
Gil Scott-Heron's life story will air in a new radio documentary later this month. The musician and poet was one of the biggest influences on what has become hip-hop, and has been name-checked by the genre's greatest stars including Kanye West and Nas. BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Benji B will present a documentary on Scott-Heron's life this Sunday (October 21), which will include contributions from Jamie Xx, Speech Debelle, Krs-One, Mos Def, Chuck D and Shabazz Palaces. The presenter will also talk to Xl Recordings' Richard Russell, who is credited as getting Scott-Heron back (more)...
- 10/15/2012
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
"I was quite quiet at the beginning. I've seen it going on for about a week," Speech Debelle said to Digital Spy of the controversial, internet-led Kony 2012 campaign to raise awareness of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. "It didn't ring true to me. I was on the Al Jazeera website today when I saw one of the news reports they'd been doing on oil found in Uganda and it began to seem a bit suspicious. A bit too much of a coincidence. Again.
> Invisible Children Stop Kony campaign backed by Rihanna, Taylor Swift
> 'Big Brother' Makosi Musambasi: 'Kony campaign is really about oil' "I'm not backing this Kony campaign. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to be part of a campaign that possibly - and based on historic fact - more than likely could contribute to more raping and pillaging of the birthplace (more)...
> Invisible Children Stop Kony campaign backed by Rihanna, Taylor Swift
> 'Big Brother' Makosi Musambasi: 'Kony campaign is really about oil' "I'm not backing this Kony campaign. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to be part of a campaign that possibly - and based on historic fact - more than likely could contribute to more raping and pillaging of the birthplace (more)...
- 3/12/2012
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Akira The Don is an interesting character, the cartoonist, rapper, producer, blogger and videographer has a lot going for him but unfortunately his second album ‘The Life Equation’ is lacking a cutting edge.
The first single We Won’t Be Broke Forever Baby features Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys and is the bets example of what an Akira The Don song is all about. There is a mixture of rapping, indie guitars and hip hop beats which on paper sounds brilliant but Akira just doesn’t seem to be able to combine all three to create something amazing.
Many of the tracks from the ten songs that make up the album never seem to take that extra step that is needed to take the song to the next level, with Babydoll and Video Highway being the biggest culprits.
The album isn’t that bad, but there...
Akira The Don is an interesting character, the cartoonist, rapper, producer, blogger and videographer has a lot going for him but unfortunately his second album ‘The Life Equation’ is lacking a cutting edge.
The first single We Won’t Be Broke Forever Baby features Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys and is the bets example of what an Akira The Don song is all about. There is a mixture of rapping, indie guitars and hip hop beats which on paper sounds brilliant but Akira just doesn’t seem to be able to combine all three to create something amazing.
Many of the tracks from the ten songs that make up the album never seem to take that extra step that is needed to take the song to the next level, with Babydoll and Video Highway being the biggest culprits.
The album isn’t that bad, but there...
- 2/27/2012
- by Jonathan Pritchard
- Obsessed with Film
Speech Debelle has revealed that parts of her new album were inspired by Tupac. The rapper is currently preparing to release her second studio LP Freedom of Speech and has justified some of the more aggressive lyrics on the record. In new track 'Blaze Up A Fire', Debelle raps: "I'm not a popstar/I'm a motherf**king thug." However, she defended her strong language, saying that it is a representation of herself "trying to be better". Debelle told The Mirror: "It's inspired by Tupac. The lifestyle (more)...
- 2/6/2012
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
Speech Debelle has said that her fallout with record label Big Dada "needed to happen". The rapper won the Mercury Prize for her debut album Speech Therapy but appeared to split from her label soon after, suggesting that it had not properly promoted the record. However, they eventually reunited and Debelle's second album Freedom of Speech is released through Big Dada on February 13. Asked if the split could have been avoided, Debelle told The Quietus: "Oh no, that needed to happen, we needed to fall out. "It's a relationship: you speak to each other every day, you email each other all the time. "It's really intense and I think, like with any intense relationship, you sometimes reach a point that (more)...
- 1/19/2012
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
The golden envelope is opened. It's your name. And then what? Four award winners talk to Shahesta Shaitly about life after the applause
It's the awards season, the time of nominations, shortlists and statuettes. And if you happen to be up for one, whether it be employee of the month or the gong for best vegetable patch, you'll be in the spotlight. But imagine how much more intense it would be if, as with the Oscars, you knew that more than a billion people across the planet were settling down to watch your reactions and judge your acceptance speech.
Natalie Portman, winner of the best actress Oscar for Black Swan, cautions winners to remain grounded, saying: "When you start valuing yourself based on other people's accolades, it is a little dangerous, because then you have to start valuing yourself based on other people's insults, too."
Julian Barnes, once described the...
It's the awards season, the time of nominations, shortlists and statuettes. And if you happen to be up for one, whether it be employee of the month or the gong for best vegetable patch, you'll be in the spotlight. But imagine how much more intense it would be if, as with the Oscars, you knew that more than a billion people across the planet were settling down to watch your reactions and judge your acceptance speech.
Natalie Portman, winner of the best actress Oscar for Black Swan, cautions winners to remain grounded, saying: "When you start valuing yourself based on other people's accolades, it is a little dangerous, because then you have to start valuing yourself based on other people's insults, too."
Julian Barnes, once described the...
- 12/18/2011
- by Shahesta Shaitly
- The Guardian - Film News
Speech Debelle has returned to Big Dada to release her comeback single. Debelle fell out with the label soon after winning the 2009 Mercury Music Prize, suggesting that it did not properly promote her debut album Speech Therapy to capitalise on her victory. "The Mercury Prize was on Tuesday, and on Friday there were no more physical albums in the shops," she said at the time. "I wasn't disappointed that it didn't sell well, I was disappointed in the people I was working with." However, after releasing free download 'Blaze Up A Fire' in August, Debelle has now returned to Big Dada for her upcoming second album Freedom Of Speech. "Two years since winning the 2009 Mercury Music Prize for her debut album, Speech Therapy, and having ridden a rollercoaster through life since then, Speech Debelle is ready to drop (more)...
- 11/10/2011
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Speech Debelle has named her comeback single 'Studio Back Pack Rap'. Debelle, who won the Mercury Prize for her debut album Speech Therapy in 2009, also confirmed on Twitter that her new album is called Freedom of Speech. "Video for the first single from Freedom Of Speech album on Saturday," she said. "It's been a while but im looking forward to putting it out there, yea (sic)." Debelle added: "The first single is called 'studio back pack rap'. Can you guess what it's about??" Talking about the track earlier this week, Debelle said: "The word 'lesbian' has caused some interesting conversations today lol. Provocative indeed. "I say lesbian in my first single out end of this (more)...
- 10/13/2011
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Speech Debelle has premiered a new song featuring Roots Manuva and Realism. The 2009 Mercury Music Prize winner made the track available for free after talking about it during her Twitter comments on the recent UK riots. Debelle said in a Soundcloud statement: "I wrote this track months ago for my second album, and it wasn't due for release until next year. But after the events of this week I want to give it away right now." She added that the song "could give insight into the hearts and minds" of those who attended the peaceful marches for Mark Duggan (more)...
- 8/15/2011
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Speech Debelle has admitted that she would have joined the ongoing London riots if they happened when she was a teenager. The 'Spinnin' rapper - who lived in homeless shelters for several years in her early 20s - joined protests in Tottenham on August 6 after the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan by police in the area two nights earlier. In a series of messages on Twitter over the next two days, the 2009 Mercury Prize Winner expressed understanding for the frustrations of rioters but also condemned looting. "The 1s who don't get the #tottenham riots don't know what oppression feels like," Debelle said. "This is the fire that burns inside us #civilrightsmovement (sic). "The day I saw my mum cry with anger and pain because my cousin got beat by police was the day I discovered oppression. That knot you get in your stomach when you see police brutality (more)...
- 8/9/2011
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Tinchy Stryder and Dionne Bromfield have teamed up to record a track for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. The song, titled 'Spinnin' For 2012', is a reworked version of a Speech Debelle original, with both Stryder and Bromfield rewriting the track's lyrics. 'Spinnin' For 2012' will act as the official soundtrack for the 8,000-mile journey over 70 days, which aims to take the Olympic torch within one hour of 95% of the UK's population. It will also be featured in the London 2012 Torchbearer nomination film. Joking about being unsuccessful in obtaining Olympic 2012 tickets, Stryder told The Sun: (more)...
- 7/1/2011
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
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