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WIN: Stormzy's songwriting has won him a prestigious music prize

STORMZY AND Dave have won big at this year’s Ivor Novello Awards taking home prizes for best album and best contemporary song.

Nineteen-year-old Dave from Streatham was awarded best contemporary song for Question Time, a seven-minute track that took shots at Theresa May over the lack of NHS funding, conflict in Syria, wage stagnation and more.

The track criticised David Cameron over Brexit, with lyrics: “You f***** us, resigned, then sneaked out the firing line.” At another point in the song, Dave questions whether Jeremy Corbyn would be an effective leader.

One heartfelt verse directed at May calls out the prime minister over her handling of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Dave raps: “You look like a robot and you don’t speak with any life. It feels to me like any guy in press could’ve said them lines”, before turning his attention to the contractors and councillors responsible for the tower’s flammable cladding.

PRESTIGE: Rapper Dave shared his thoughts on winning in an Instagram post

Croydon’s Stormzy pipped Ed Sheeran to the post in the Ivor Novellos’ album category – awarded for “exceptional songwriting and consistency across an album as a whole”.

Stormzy, who received his award from Laura Mvula, said: “Yes. Very, very happy right now. Obviously this is an award that only recognises your pen and your art so... properly wanted to win this one.

"Yes, man. I worked so hard on my album from an artistic point of view, I worked so hard, I made sure my pen was as sharp as it could be. Yes.”

Judges described his album named Gang Signs and Prayer as “an astonishing open-hearted body of work that fully captures the spirit of 2017”.

The track list that consists of 16 songs explores Stormzy’s relationship with God, his early childhood R&B and more.

He also delivered his own message to May live at this year's Brit awards in March. In a powerful performance, Stormzy said: “Theresa May, where’s the money for Grenfell?”

With both using their music and platforms to vocalise strong call to actions to the UK government, artists Dave and Stormzy add yet another triumph to their prize lists.

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