Stormzy Speaks On Diversity In AIM Award Acceptance Speech

UK rapper and singer Stormzy has shared his thoughts on diversity in his acceptance speech at the 2022 AIM Awards. Sending his thanks in a remote video message, the musician expressed how much it meant for him to accept the Diversity Champion Award, and hoping that more would embrace diversity in a real and practical sense.

Stormzy’s acceptance speech

The Grime music phenomenon stated in his video speech:

“I just wanted to say a big thank you to the AIM awards for awarding me with the Diversity Champion Award – I feel very grateful. And firstly, I always say, “Glory be to God”, I thank God for allowing my work to be recognised, and allowing us to go on this journey where we’re even being considered as diversity champions because I think we’ve just always led with love, and there’s a spirit among my team where we all share the same goals when it comes to having a platform and doing all the positive work that we do. So, I think that’s what’s led us here. One love to my team, one love to God.

I encourage everyone in the room today to not just use diversity as a buzzword. Whatever position you’re in, whatever role you play, to really let that be a driving factor for it, and not just see it as a quota or a box to tick – really see the worth and the value of being diverse. Thank you to the AIM awards, and to God be the glory.”

The Merky Foundation

Stormzy is an active figure in the endeavour for equality, and setup the Merky Foundation in 2018. Projects so far have included the Stormzy Scholarship back in 2018, #Merky Foundation x Black Heart Foundation in 2020, donated £500,000 to fund education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the most recent Scholarship for Black UK Students at the University of Cambridge, which awards £20,000 to young students attending the prestigious university.

Stormzy, whose full name is Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Owuo Jr, outlines the organisation’s pledge:

“At #Merky, we have always used our brand to elevate, support and amplify the issues and the voices of the black community. To continue and expand upon our activism and philanthropic work, #Merky Foundation pledges £10 million over 10 years, to organisations, charities & movements that are committed to fighting for racial equality, justice reform and black empowerment within the UK.

#Merky will forever remain devoted to improving and safeguarding the lives of those within the black community and this is just the beginning of our lifetime commitment to financially and wholeheartedly back these causes.

The uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognise and admit, is that black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life – simply due to the colour of our skin. I’m lucky enough to be in the position I’m in and I’ve heard people often dismiss the idea of racism existing in Britain by saying “if the country’s so racist how have you become a success?!” and I reject that with this: I am not the UK’s shining example of what supposedly happens when a black person works hard. There are millions of us. We are not far and few. We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born. Black people have been playing on an uneven field for far too long and this pledge is a continuation in the fight to finally try and even it.”

There is still much to be done in the UK music industry. Last year, a survey was conducted by Black Lives In Music, which highlighted a staggering 86% of Black musicians who said there were barriers to progression in their careers. 63% had experienced direct or indirect racism in the music industry, and 71% had experienced microaggressions.

Sony Music UK is involved with the Global Social Justice Fund improving the mental health support to people who have experienced racism, and this year the Musicians’ Union conference is titled Building an Inclusive Trade Union and Music Industry. We hope that more will follow Stormzy’s lead in creating an equal music industry.

Also by Michelle Sciarrotta: