Stormzy closed the Brit Awards by lambasting Theresa May’s handling of the Grenfell tower disaster, in a politically-charged performance that also took aim at institutionalised racism and the Daily Mail.
It was a big night for the British rapper on Wednesday (21 February), taking home both awards he was nominated for, including the coveted British Album Of The Year prize, as well as delivering what was unquestionably the performance of the night.
Taking to the stage immediately after winning British Album Of The Year, Stormzy kicked off his performance with a chorus of ‘Blinded By Your Grace, pt. 2’, surrounded by figures in balaclavas, in the style of the album artwork for ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’.
Following this, he stripped off his t-shirt and delivered a brand new rap, where he took aim at the prime minister.
He was heard saying: “Yo, Theresa May, where’s that money for Grenfell? You thought we just forgot about Grenfell?
“You’re criminals, and you’ve got the cheek to call us savages, you should do some jail-time, you should pay some damages, you should burn your house down and see if you can manage this.”
The same rap saw him discussing the treatment of black people in Britain, name-checking Daniel Kaluuya’s Baftas win over the weekend and the declaration: “Will someone tell the Daily Mail they can suck my dick?”
Shortly after the performance, Labour leader and grime supporter Jeremy Corbyn reached out to Stormzy, leading several politicians who also sent messages of public support in response to his Brits appearance:
Downing Street also responded on Thursday (22 February), insisting in a statement the prime minister is “absolutely committed” to helping and supporting those whose lives have been affected by the Grenfell tragedy.
Since the Grenfell Tower disaster last year, Stormzy has been among the most vocal celebrities when calling out the establishment’s reaction, taking the opportunity to say that the government should be held “accountable” during his set at Glastonbury.
