Music

Twitter Is Full Of Praise For Rated Award’s Moving Jamal Edwards Tribute

Plus, Julie Adenuga’s stand-out look and Dreya Mac’s performance.

Jamal Edwards in a black jacket, black pants and a plain black shirt
Getty Images/David M. Benett

The Rated Awards, which celebrates the best of UK rap, was hosted by Julie Adenuga and Big Zuu this year. The ceremony took place on Oct. 22, and was aired on national television via E4 on Oct. 25. As expected, the evening was packed with mesmerising outfits and bold musical performances. The ceremony also included a touching tribute to the late Jamal Edwards. Meanwhile, rapper Dave led the night, earning four awards, two of which were for his song “Clash,” which features Stormzy.

Upon receiving his third award, Dave shared the story behind making “Clash,” explaining that the journey began whilst on holiday in Los Angeles after finishing a tour. The 24-year-old rapper said in his speech that he freestyled “every word” of the track, before Stormzy added his verse at a later stage.

Responding to the televised event, many viewers commented on Adenuga’s look, saying that she looked “incredible” in her figure-hugging black cut-out dress and African-inspired Bantu knots hairstyle. Another big talking point of the show was Dreya Mac’s performance of her TikTok viral song “Own Brand.” The live production included rappers Ms Banks, Ivorian Doll, and FelixThe1st, with some calling it “the best performance” of the night.

But the most sentimental moment of the night was the Legacy Award dedicated to the late Jamal Edwards. His mother, Loose Women’s Brenda Edwards, and sister Tanisha collected the award. “Long live my brother, Jamal,” Tanisha said on stage. Being the new CEO of SBTV, she added that “SBTV will carry on the vision of Jamal.” Viewers expressed how moved they were by the tribute, with some tweeting they were brought to tears.

Below, see more on how viewers reacted to The Rated Awards 2022.