Raw talent REMi wins the AMP Award
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AMP winner REMi. Picture: Thomas Roy
Source: Supplied
In the closest finish in its 10-year history, REMi’s Raw X Infinity has won the prestigious Cooper’s Australian Music Prize for 2014 — and $ 30,000 — beating CW Stoneking’s Gon’ Boogaloo by one solitary vote, 8 to 7.
The AMP is given to the record judged the best of the year, as adjudicated by 15 industry judges.
Total Control’s Typical System and Blank Realm’s Grassed Inn followed close behind but couldn’t get the numbers.
The award was announced in Sydney last night at a Paddington Town Hall dinner and ceremony, hosted by Double J’s Myf Warhurst and APRA’s Dan Rosen.
For the first time, each Shortlisted artist was presented with a commemorative trophy and interviewed on stage. Like an Encouragement Award but less condescending.
Judge Bernard Zuel moderated a conversation between leading artist managers John Watson (Silverchair) and Scott MacLachlan (Lorde), and REMi was typically humble when accepting his gong. The 30K goes nicely with the $ 50,000 REMi and his band mates Sensible J and Dutch picked up at the AIR Awards for the Carlton Dry Global Music Grant. The 23-year-old star has the world waiting for him and as Dead Prez knew: “It’s bigger than hip-hop.”
In 2014, Rock City fave REMi Kolawole emerged a fully formed star, ravenous for success. Raw X Infinity took aim at the ice epidemic, ignorance, Eddie McGuire and Australia’s Most Read Columnist and did it in an intellectual, progressive way with startling poise.
The record was released independently through House of Beige and Unified and distributed by Warner.
It’s the first hip-hop album to take out the award.
The sangria señor is also a funny bugger. One of his many great lines: “So your Boss can get some new Beamers? F— that a—hole, If he wants a Castle, Then tell him he’s dreaming”
With 80K, REMi could well buy a BMW but you just know this money will go straight back into his next record like a true artist.
[CLAIMER] Mikey Cahill is an AMP Judge and won’t stop banging on about it.
