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WINNING: Wiley with the Ivor Inspiration Award at the Ivor Novello Songwriting Awards at Grosvenor House in London

WILEY HAS thanked his father for giving him the gift of music and said that it saved him and his friends.

The grime pioneer made the comments after winning an Ivor Novello inspiration award at yesterday's ceremony.

“This one means a lot because my dad gave me the gift of music and I went on and tried my ting with me and my friends,” he told Sky News.

His father, Richard Cowie, who also attended the awards ceremony, said: “I’m feeling extra proud because for me this is such a prestigious award to get.”

“To be inspired and inspire is a good thing,” Wiley said.

He added: “I think music saved a lot of me and my friends because we thought we wanted to do something else but it wasn’t that and we found this and this was the right thing.”

Ghetts, whose song Black Rose earned him a nomination for an Ivor Novello award for contemporary song told NME that he believes the song resonated so well because "a lot of women felt like that...But when they spoke, they might have been deemed as ‘the angry black woman’ or something. For me being me with what I usually make, I feel like it was a breath of fresh air for people to hear me say that on their behalf".

Commenting on grime's growth and the recognition the genre is getting, Ghetts told NME: "If you think about it, grime is still the youngest genre,” he said. “It’s one of the youngest genres in the world. If you look at where grime started and how it takes for other genres to develop – even hip-hop is 40 years ahead of us in terms of sound, marketing, and everything – I think we’re moving at a great speed and finally started to catch up with other genres with recognition in a worldwide space of music."

He has also spoken about Drake’s involvement in the UK scene.

In an interview with Metro.co.uk in April, he defended Drake against culture vulture criticism and said the Canadian rapper has changed the lives of some of his peers.

He said: “I feel like Drake working with the artists over here has made the music economy better.

“We’ve benefited more from it than he has and that’s just me being honest. I can see first hand how it’s changed some of my peers’ lives so for me to sit here and say that he’s a culture vulture would be a lie.”

The grime artist recently announced UK tour dates. He will perform 10 dates across the country this December.

Mariah Carey, who is currently touring the UK and Europe, was honoured with the PRS for Music special international award.

Last year Dave was awarded the Ivor Novello best contemporary song award for Question Time, in which he criticised prime minister Theresa May and former Conservative Party leader David Cameron.

In 2018, Stormzy also picked up an Ivor Novello. He won the album category with his 2017 release Gang Sings and Prayer.

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