Skepta won the Mercury Prize – but he was upstaged by his mother's dancing

The grime artist beat David Bowie and Radiohead to win the prestigious award
Family affair: Skepta was joined on stage by his family
Dave Benett
Emma Powell16 September 2016
The Weekender

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Skepta may have won the Mercury Prize – but it was his mother who stole the show with her dance moves.

The 33-year-old musician beat David Bowie and Radiohead to take the coveted award for his album, Konnichiwa, at Thursday night’s ceremony.

Skepta – real name Joseph Junior Adenuga – invited his parents on stage for his acceptance speech, and his mother couldn’t contain her excitement.

Skepta said: “[Thank you to] my mum and dad and all my friends mums and dads because they made us they gave us the voice in our heads that’s talking. We all won today.”

Happy with the mention, his mother threw her arms in the air and did a little dance, much to the amusement of the audience.

Her moves have won her a legion of fans on social media where she was deemed a “champion” and the “real winner” of the night.

One user tweeted: "Skepta's mum just ran past me. Never felt so famous in my life."

Another posted: "Skepta's mum gives me so much life. She's just so cute."

Jarvis Cocker presented the award to Skepta and said that Bowie would have approved of the panel's decision.

Cocker said: ""We as a jury decided, are you listening? We as a jury decided that if David Bowie was looking down on the Hammersmith Apollo tonight, he would want the #MercuryPrize to go to....Skepta."

The North London born artist - who had performed his hit Shutdown at the event - was showered with Champagne and mobbed by family and friends.

He also gave a shout out to fellow nominee Kano, saying: "Kane - for life bro - we did it."

The bookies favourite to win was Bowie, who would have been the first artist to win the prestigious prize posthumously.

Mercury Prize 2016: red carpet

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