Wiley, the self-professed ‘godfather of grime’, is to receive the NME’s Outstanding Contribution award.
Wiley began his career in UK garage crew Pay As You Go Cartel before going on to found influential grime crew Roll Deep in the mid-2000s.
He later found mainstream success with breakthrough track Wearing My Rolex in 2008 and later with his first UK chart number one Heatwave.
Wiley has recently released his eleventh album, Godfather, earlier this year to great reviews with the record featuring many of grime’s heaviest hitters including Skepta, Devlin, JME and Frisco.
Wiley said: ‘Thank you for everyone’s support and thank you NME for this award. It’s because of the fans’ support that I am here, and my family and friends who’ve been behind me from day one. This for all the massive and the crew.’
Mike Williams, NME editor-in-chief, added: ‘Wiley isn’t just the godfather of grime, he’s the inventor of it too. He’s the man the rest of the scene looks up to, and the figurehead of the most exciting musical movement in a generation.
‘Without Wiley, the entire landscape of British music would look very different, so it’s a huge honour to recognise his influence and talents by awarding him NME’s Outstanding Contribution to Music. This year’s ceremony has just got even more exciting.’
Wiley will perform a sold out headline show at London’s Roundhouse on 9 February.
Wiley is confirmed to attend the NME ceremony to collect the gong and is set to play a special live performance.
Tickets for the ceremony on 15 February at London’s O2 Academy Brixton are on sale at nme.com/tickets.
Wiley began his career in UK garage crew Pay As You Go Cartel before going on to found influential grime crew Roll Deep in the mid-2000s.
He later found mainstream success with breakthrough track Wearing My Rolex in 2008 and later with his first UK chart number one Heatwave.
Wiley has recently released his eleventh album, Godfather, earlier this year to great reviews with the record featuring many of grime’s heaviest hitters including Skepta, Devlin, JME and Frisco.
Wiley said: ‘Thank you for everyone’s support and thank you NME for this award. It’s because of the fans’ support that I am here, and my family and friends who’ve been behind me from day one. This for all the massive and the crew.’
Mike Williams, NME editor-in-chief, added: ‘Wiley isn’t just the godfather of grime, he’s the inventor of it too. He’s the man the rest of the scene looks up to, and the figurehead of the most exciting musical movement in a generation.
‘Without Wiley, the entire landscape of British music would look very different, so it’s a huge honour to recognise his influence and talents by awarding him NME’s Outstanding Contribution to Music. This year’s ceremony has just got even more exciting.’
Wiley will perform a sold out headline show at London’s Roundhouse on 9 February.
Wiley is confirmed to attend the NME ceremony to collect the gong and is set to play a special live performance.
Tickets for the ceremony on 15 February at London’s O2 Academy Brixton are on sale at nme.com/tickets.
