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Stormzy will receive a Doctorate in Law from the University in June in recognition of his work towards education, music, sport and literature. This will be the second honorary doctorate the rapper receives, following his first from Exeter University back in 2022.

Back in 2018, the UK artist launched the Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge which was set to fun two black British students every year by covering their tuition fees and maintenance costs. The rise of black students in Cambridge has since seen a rise of 50%.  Indeed, in 2021, the programme saw itself being expanded after bank HSBC UK agreed to support an additional ten students per year. Today, there are 55 students that have benefited from the scholarship. This project led to a rise in applications across the UK, often referred to as the ‘Stormzy Effect’.

To be eligible for a Stormzy Scholarship, applicants must:

1. Have one of the following categories of ethnicity:
   • Black African
   • Black Caribbean
   • Black Other
   • Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
   • Mixed – White and Black African
   • Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other)
2. Have a confirmed place for entry to the University of Cambridge for a first undergraduate degree, and due to commence study in October 2024. (You can check the status of your offer on UCAS Hub.)
3. Be a UK student and have been assessed for fee status as ‘home’. You were advised of your fee status in the offer letter issued to you earlier this year. If you are in doubt, please contact the Cambridge College that has offered you a place.
4. Have applied to Student Finance (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, and have received confirmation that you have been assessed and will receive financial support. An income assessment must have been conducted and consent given to share the information with the University. Please note that if you are awarded a Stormzy Scholarship you will be able to reduce the amount of loan you take out to zero, but you will still need an income assessment from Student Finance to be able to receive the Cambridge Bursary.

Other honorands on the day include the likes Sir Simon Russell Beale, Professor Angela Davis, Lady Arden of Heswall, Dame Katherine Grainger, Sir Oliver Hart, Maria Leptin and Sir John Rutter.

 The popular music festival has hosted big names to date, some of whom include Lizzy Mcalpine, Erykah Badu and Stormzy. It was awarded the NME Award For Best Festival at the Music Week Awards back in 2019 and has been nominated in the years since. Also playing at the festival include jazz and afrobeat newcomers 2023 Mercury award winners Ezra Collective, American rapper, Nas and Paris-based artist, Sainte.

Your soundtrack to Saturday 17 August at Uber One presents All Points East featuring @LoyleCarner, @Nas, @EzraCollective, Sainté and many more ✨

Listen now on Spotify at https://t.co/tVKQSn3eYX #AllPointsEast #LoyleCarner pic.twitter.com/zhlMC4qmAc

— Uber One presents All Points East (@allpointseastuk) November 27, 2023

Studying at The Brit School, home to current creative talents such as Ella Eyre, Freya Ridings, Raye and countless more, Loyle Carner grew up in a nurturing musical environment. The artist started producing at the age of around 14 and built his network of musicians through home studio sessions. This collaborative way of working has led to popular names such as Jorja Smith, Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei.

 Aged 29, Loyle Carner has had a bright decade of inspiring young people and creatives through music (and food!) Nearly ten years ago, he was in London’s Old Street teaching kids with ADHD how to cook. Whilst speaking about his time working with the kids, his inspiring nature as a teacher and positive influence beams through “We had warnings from some of the parents that their kids might do this or that…but they’ve been brilliant. There has been no talking back, no aggression. Everyone is happy and learning.”

 The foodie’s love of cooking, bringing mental well-being and positivity has led to restauranter-inspired hits:

As well as this lesser-known talent, Benjamin has a shining skill for writing effortless lyrics in his music which captures the hearts of many. In 2018 he won the NME Award for Best British Solo Act, following his 2017 Mercury prize, for his debut album Yesterdays Gone

The humble artist has a talent for sending the ‘right’ message across. Whilst discussing rappers’ responsibility to portray a particular message, he says “I don’t think music necessarily needs to have a message BUT there is a responsibility that you carry with music as a songwriter or rapper…It’s frustrating when grown men are still talking about selling or doing drugs, shooting people, sleeping with women”

 This festival is one of a few outdoor summer shows announced by Carner in the UK and Ireland for 2024. The one-day music event is happening on August 17 2024 and tickets are out now. Get hold of one here

AJ deleted his instagram earlier this year and then revealed a mystery mobile number, asking his fans to text him for more news, keeping them updated with teasers and news about the upcoming EP. He said, “This one’s for the real day 1 Lil tracey / AJ Tracey / GTraceo fans. I made sure the ones who stuck with me get something in return.”

Secure The Bag! 2 OUT NOWhttps://t.co/foblp2hUEG

— aj (@ajtracey) November 29, 2020

The nine track record has taken us back to his roots of Ladbrook Grove with pure grime and transatlantic rap and having grown a huge fanbase over the years, this will no doubt show his growth as a talented rapper. NME reported him saying about his recent success, “Would you believe / I killed the shows overseas / Spread the sound like a disease / brought the world to its knees,” he raps on ‘Yumeko’.”

In 2017 AJ Tracey released his original EP ‘Secure The Bag’ but with his latest release it seems he has cemented himself as one of the UK’s top current rappers. His EP is very versatile and have something for everyone’s musical tastes. NME reviewed the EP saying, “Across the EP, there are moments for every type of AJ Tracey fan. Lean, skittish drum rolls on ‘Hikkimori’ are underpinned with road rap, which slots alongside the taut trap braggadocio trills of ‘Blow My Phone’. ‘No Chucks’ and ‘Triggered’, meanwhile, epitomise Tracey’s quintessential energetic, boastful rap sound.”

Having entered the album chart in 2017 with ‘Secure The Bag,’ AJ Tracy will no doubt be hoping to top his success with his latest record. Tracy then released ‘Butterflies,” feat British singer Not3s, which peaked in the top 20 on the UK singles chart. The self titled album, ‘AJ Tracy’ which was released in 2019 by Warner records and peaked at number 3 on the album charts. His highest charting single was ‘Ladbroke Grove’ which peaked at Number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

2020 has been AJ’s most successful year yet having released his hit ‘West Ten’ feat Mabel and massive hits including ‘Dinner Guest’ feat Mo Stack, a charity single ‘Times like these,’ and the platinum certified Tik-Tok track ‘Rain’ with Aich. He’s also featured alongside Stormzy on Headie One’s ‘Ain’t It Different,’ which peaked at number 2 in the UK Official Chart.

Having had over one billion streams globally, AJ’s continues to show his versatility and talent as a UK rapper as he continues to push the boundaries and have a clever use of wordplay to captivate his audience. His surprise release will surely please his fans and no doubt be another one in the bag for AJ Tracey.

Tracklist

1. Yumeko
2. LA4AWEEK2
3. Red & Green
4. Graveyard Shift
5.Hikikomori
6. Blow my Phone
7. No Chucks
8. Triggered
9. Coloumbiana

Official Charts have reported the album to of been streamed over 25.5 million times last week. His album, based on the realities of growing up in the ghetto of London and his turbulent life, is dedicated to his late mother Edna Duah.”Having my album go to number 1 means a lot to me. Edna this is for you,” Headie told Officialcharts.com.

Headie One’s pays tribute to his mum as Edna debuts at Number 1 on the Official UK Albums Chart ❤️ @HeadieOnehttps://t.co/MFvKrNPb49

— Official Charts (@officialcharts) October 16, 2020

His album, a mix of UK Rap, drill, trap, dancehall and US hip-hop, is released just 6 months after he was jailed for carrying a knife. The 26 year old described his experience to The Guardian “It was a wake-up call that it really is a thin line – one wrong move and it’s all over, it’s back to what you used to dream to get out of.”

Headie’s stint in prison is drawn upon throughout his album following convictions at the age of 17 for drug and knife possession. In 2014, he was convicted after being caught in possession of nearly £30,000 worth of drugs and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

During these times, music became his sanctuary and he developed his musical skills. He told The Guardian that other people inside, “didn’t feel the music like I did. Not just lyrics or beats, but the emotions, the sounds, the concepts.” His latest single, ‘Ain’t if Different’ ft AJ Tracey, is a catchy track with a hidden message about the dullness and hardships of prison life.

On his first day being released from prison in 2017, he spent the day recording a song and filming the video for it and released it the following day. From then on, he put all effort into his music, working intensely on new songs that later led to six mixtapes.

Headie has already had top 10 hits with rapper stars Stormzy and Dave and recently collaborated with rapper superstar Drake on their track ‘Only you freestyle,’ who describes Headie as, “The best Drill artist in the world.”- The Guardian. As well as dominating the album charts this week, Headie One also takes over this weeks official singles charts in top 40 with ‘Ain’t it Different,’ ‘Princess cuts,’ and ‘Parlez-Vous Anglais.’

Shabs Jobanputra from Relentless Records speaks about Headie’s recent successes to Official Charts, “Another subculture of British music has just permeated mainstream society. Headie is at the top of his game and he truly deserves everything that is coming to him off the back of his authenticity and talent.”

The NME reviewed that, “”Edna is proof that he’s the unmistakeable, global ‘King of drill’, and much more besides, It’s a move into the mainstream, without forgetting where it all began.”

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Lovely stuff. New album #E3AF out October 30th pre order link in bio.

A post shared by Dizzee Rascal (@dizzeerascal) on Oct 10, 2020 at 11:25am PDT

Dizzee took to his Instagram to comment on the award, saying ‘Lovely stuff’, and to remind followers that his highly anticipated new album E3AF is due for release on October 30th. Dizzee Rascal is no stranger to awards. His sensational debut album, Boy in da Corner, made him the youngest person ever to receive a Mercury Prize at 19 years old.

His contribution to the UK grime scene is unquestionable. Though his main achievement is surely bringing grime to the mainstream with Boy in da Corner, he also started Dirtee Stank Records in 2003 with a view to promoting promising artists with ‘social problems’ that might make major labels reluctant to take them on. Dirtee Stank has released several successful artists like Klass A and Newham Generals.

When Dizzee self produced his first single, aged 16, it was clear that he was operating in a different league from his musical contemporaries. I Luv U, with its glitchy beat, rapid cymbals and furious flow, put Dizzee on the map. The tonality of his voice here sounds like an instrument in itself, and his lyrics – although pretty derogatory by todays standards – feel entirely authentic.

This talent was first spotted by a music teacher at Langdon Park school, who was thanked in in the credits on Boy in da Corner‘s album sleeve. Dizzee wrote: ‘Special thanx to Mr. Smith, da best music teacher Langdon Park ever let go (you fools). I’ll never forget da way you kept the faith in me, even when things looked grim.’

Since then, Dizzee Rascal has released six albums, each one more innovative than the last. His most recent, Raskit, saw him ‘reclaim his crown’. It definitely signified a departure from the cocky lyricism of his earlier work, with tracks like Wot U Gonna Do? sounding like the concerns of an artist worried about fading into obscurity: ‘What you gonna do when they won’t play your records// And you don’t get booked ’cause your buzz is all gone’.

But Dizzee doesn’t have to worry about that. October 2nd release Body Loose, that sampled its beat from 2000’s garage classic Body Groove, was a catchy and inventive party-track and the rest of E3AF will be sure to deliver too. His MBE award is a well deserved reminder that the East London rapper is still very much relevant.