Thornton Heath grime star Stormzy has been named person of the year by an Oxford University society.

The rapper was given the honour by the University’s African and Caribbean Society (ACS) because he has made “amazing contributions to our society and the wider black community”.

Stormzy, real name Michael Omari, gave a sold out speech at the university last year that was so popular it had to move to a bigger venue.

In a speech, he told the room the award was not like music accolades he had won, noting he was especially proud to receive the award from young black students who had worked so hard to get to the elite university.

Stormzy said the students were inspirational to him.

He told them: “I think it’s easy for the public to look at footballers, rappers and entertainers and see us as the epitome of black excellence, but I feel that it’s actually you guys.

“At the end of uni, you lot are becoming the doctors and lawyers, the medical scientists [etc.].”

Stormzy made history in February with the release of his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer when it became the first grime album in history to reach number one in the UK.
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