Kendrick Lamar wins BBC Radio 6 Music’s album of the year

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Kendrick Lamar Wins Bbc Radio 6 Music’s Album Of The Year
Kendrick Lamar, © PA Wire/PA Images
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By Alex Green, PA Acting Deputy Entertainment Editor

Mr Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar has been named BBC Radio 6 Music’s album of the year.

The 35-year-old US rapper, born in Compton, California, fended off competition from acts including Arctic Monkeys with The Car and Fontaines DC with Skinty Fia.

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His dense fifth album was released in May, with critics describing it as a “tender opus” and praising its complex portrayal of themes including self-doubt, cancel culture and infidelity.

Broadcaster Lauren Laverne announced the news on her Radio 6 Music Breakfast Show on Tuesday morning following a vote by the station’s presenters.

Mary Anne Hobbs, one of those who voted for Lamar, said: “I think it’s fair to say, it’s rare that one artist can unite the whole of the 6 Music family with our vast diversity of tastes and preferences.

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“But Kendrick is peerless and with Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, he’s done it.”

The top 10 list also included The Overload by Leed post-punks Yard Act, The Line Is A Curve by rapper and poet Kae Tempest, and the self-titled debut by indie duo Wet Leg.

Also featured was Topical Dancer by Ghent-based dance music duo Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul, London-based post-punk band Warmduscher with At The Hotspot, and Tresor by Welsh musician Gwenno.

Cheat Codes by US rapper Black Thought and producer Danger Mouse closed out the list.

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Alex Turner in Big Issue
Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner (Yui Mok/PA)

It comes after a stand-out year for Lamar.

In June he headlined Glastonbury festival to critical acclaim, wearing a crown of thorns reportedly made by Tiffany and Co and featuring 8,000 diamonds.

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He ended his performance on the Somerset festival’s Pyramid Stage with a dramatic and heartfelt condemnation of the recent reversal of the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling on abortion rights in the US.

Prior to the release of Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, his latest work had been 2017’s Damn, which won the Pulitzer Prize for music, becoming the first non-jazz or classical work to do so.

His other albums include 2011’s Section.80, 2012’s Good Kid, MAAD City and 2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly.

Samantha Moy, head of Radio 6 Music, said: “6 Music’s Albums of the Year celebrates the work of some incredible artists who have been championed by our passionate presenters across 2022.

“As always, 6 Music will be taking a deeper exploration of each of these fine albums throughout December.

“Congratulations to all of our selected artists and especially to Kendrick Lamar for his acclaimed album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.”

The winner of the 2021 prize was Little Simz’ Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which went on to win the Mercury Prize.

In celebration of the top 10 albums, five special episodes of New Album Fix, 6 Music’s weekly guide to the best new releases, will be live on BBC Sounds from Tuesday, November 29th and also broadcast throughout December.

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