Mercury Prize 2014

As ever, the 2014 Mercury prize attracted controversy and criticism throughout the nomination process as well as last night at the award ceremony, held in Camdens Roundhouse.

Edinburgh-based hip-hop trio Young Fathers won the 2014 Barclaycard Mercury Prize for the best British or Irish record of the last 12 months.

Their record, Dead, beat 11 other albums from acts including Kate Tempest, Damon Albarn, Bombay Bicycle Club and bookmakers’ favourite, FKA Twigs.

“We’ll take it in our stride, we always wanted to make something bigger than the city we were living in” said band member Graham ‘G’ Hastings.

The winner of the £20,000 prize was announced by Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw at the Roundhouse in north London.

In a brief acceptance speech, the band’s Alloysious Massaquoi said simply: “Thank you, we love you, we love you all.”

Alt-R&B singer FKA Twigs, poet and rapper Kate Tempest and rock duo Royal Blood had been the bookmakers’ picks ahead of yesterdays announcement.

Young Fathers, in contrast, had been just 14-1 to collect the prize.