7 times Stormzy was the nicest guy in the game
We love Stormzy!
Last updated 26th Jul 2024
It's safe to say Stormzy has accomplished a LOT in his career so far! The 31-year-old 'Own It' rapper has established himself as one of the biggest names in British music, with three BRIT Awards under his belt so far, as well as three Number 1 albums.
In addition to his chart success, Stormzy is also one of the nicest guys in the industry, having been recognised for his philanthropy, including launching a scholarship for University of Cambridge students and pledging to donate £10 million over 10 years to charities which tackle racial inequality. We've taken a look at some of the amazing things Stormzy's done so far.
1) Performing on the Artists for Grenfell charity single
Stormzy was one of the artists who featured on ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, the charity single coordinated by Simon Cowell that was released in June 2017 to help the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
In the moving verse, Stormzy rapped: “I don’t know where to begin so I’ll start by saying I refuse to forget you / I refuse to be silenced / I refuse to neglect you / As for every last soul up in Grenfell, even though I’ve never met you, that could be my mum’s house / That could be my nephew / That could have been me up there, waving my white plain tee up there / With my friends on the ground trying to see up there. I just hope that you rest and you’re free up there.”
2) He performed at a fan's funeral
In December 2017, Stormzy performed at the funeral of a fan’s father, after being contacted on Twitter. After Nasir Bockarie’s father sadly passed away, he sent Stormzy a message where he said that him and his father both liked the song ‘Blinded By Your Grace’, inviting Stormzy to sing the track at his dad’s funeral if he could.
Stormzy replied to Nasir, going on to perform ‘Blinded By Your Grace’ at his father’s funeral in Reading on 21st December. Speaking about Stormzy’s kind gesture at the time, Nasir’s cousin, Mariama Kallon told the BBC: “We did the best to give my uncle a memorable send-off and of course Stormzy really made that happen. We’re so grateful and our family will be praying for him always.”
3) He helps young writers get published
In 2018, Stormzy launched #Merky Books with the publishers Penguin Random House UK. The scheme helps young writers get their work published, with the #Merky Books New Writers’ Prize open to young, underrepresented and unpublished writers in the UK.
The winners of the prize get a publishing contract with #Merky Books, as well as the chance to attend a Writers’ Camp, where they can take part in workshops and one-to-one sessions.
Speaking about #Merky Books, Stormzy said: “I know too many talented writers that don’t always have an outlet or a means to get their work seen and hopefully #Merky Books can now be a reference point for them to say, ‘I can be an author’, and for that to be a realistic and achievable goal. Reading and writing as a kid were integral to where I am today and I from the bottom of my heart cannot wait to hear your stories and get them out into the big wide world.”
4) He launched the Stormzy Scholarship with the University of Cambridge
In 2018, Stormzy launched the Stormzy Scholarship scheme, which provides financial support to black students studying at the University of Cambridge.
The scholarships offer students funding which covers the full cost of their tuition fees, as well as providing them with a maintenance grant. According to the university, it is estimated that 81 students will have been awarded a Stormzy Scholarship by 2026.
Speaking about the scholarships, Stormzy said: “I hope these scholarships continue to serve as a small reminder to young black students that the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world is theirs for the taking!”
5) Pledging £10 million over 10 years to charities which tackle racial inequality
Stormzy’s charity #Merky Foundation has pledged £10 million over 10 years to help support charities which tackle racial inequality in the UK. In a statement released at the time, Stormzy said: “The uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognise and admit, is that black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life – simply due to the colour of our skin.
“I’m lucky enough to be in the position I’m in and I’ve heard people often dismiss the idea of racism existing in Britain by saying, ‘If the country’s so racist, how have you become a success?!’ and I reject that with this: I am not the UK’s shining example of what supposedly happens when a black person works hard. There are millions of us. We are not far and few. We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born.
“Black people have been playing on an uneven field for far too long and this pledge is a continuation in the fight to finally try and even it.”
6) He donated £500,000 to help fund scholarships for disadvantaged students
As part of Stormzy’s pledge to donate £10 million over a decade, in 2020 he donated £500,000 to help fund educational scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He donated the funds to the Black Heart Foundation, with the money helping to provide cash grants to students who need financial assistance to take part in any educational activity.
7) Striving to increase diversity in football
Stormzy has also worked to help increase diversity in football and offer young people opportunities. Partnering with Adidas and 10 other brands including Manchester United, Fulham FC and Sky Sports, Stormzy launched a scheme to help young black people obtain jobs and leadership roles in all levels of football.
Called Merky FC, the scheme sees the brands involved in the initiative provide work experience placements in a range of areas including marketing, operations and creative. Speaking about Merky FC in an interview with Sky Sports News, Stormzy said: “I always hope that 20, 30, 40 years from now, there is some kid who has no idea who I am – I’m way too old, he don’t care about Stormzy – but there is some initiative that we started now, which allows them to have some ambition and a dream and a future.”
8) He was awarded an honorary degree for his philanthropy
In June 2022, Stormzy was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Exeter, which recognised his ‘outstanding achievement in the field of higher education, philanthropy and widening participation.’
In his graduation speech, he said: “I have been so richly blessed by God and I don’t just mean financially, I mean with love and life and family and joy and with peace and with purpose, so to put it simply, I’ve bared fruit and I share fruit and without sounding too fantastical, that’s just what we’re meant to do in whatever way we can.
“Some of our destiny is to save one life, some of us are destined to build nations and schools, some of us will focus on raising our families and those closest to us, some of us will help our local community, some of us will help the neighbour next door, some of us will help the world, some of us will help a friend.
“My point being that we should always share and support, uplift and help in whatever capacity we are able to. All of these different sizes and levels of being a helping hand are all beautiful and all of them are just as powerful as each other.”
We love you, Stormzy! Don't ever change.
Now take a look at Stormzy's incredible career so far:
2013: Career beginnings
Aged 19 in 2013, Stormzy was trying to make his music career happen while working in Southampton at an oil refinery. He released his first full project '168: The Mixtape'. The piece got its name from the fact it was recorded in one week - or 168 hours.
2014: MOBO win
The next year he followed up with 'Dreamers Disease EP' and the seven tracks shot to Number 1 in the iTunes Hip Hop/Rap chart and that year Stormzy scooped up Best Grime Artist at the MOBO Awards.
That's when things really started to take off for Stormzy as more and more people took notice of his talent. Fans were also feeling his love of Nando's, and he'd occasionally take fans there for free or casually gift them Adidas trainers.
2015: 'Know Me From' and 'Shut Up'
Stormzy also won Best Grime Act for the second year running at the 2015 MOBO Awards, and in February 2015 he dropped his first single 'Know Me From' with track 'Shut Up' following shortly after.
2015: Anthony Joshua performance
Stormzy performed 'Shut Up' live at Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte's boxing match at the O2 as Joshua's entrance music. The single was the first ever freestyle to enter the UK Top 40 and peaked at Number 18, which led Stormzy to launch a campaign to get the song to Christmas Number 1.
It had such support that the song did indeed break into the Top 10 for Christmas - although it didn't reach the top spot, it peaked at Number 8 and was his highest-charting single at the time.
2017: Debut album release
Following a year's career break in 2016 and a social media hiatus, Stormzy burst back onto the scene in 2017, releasing his debut album 'Gang Signs & Prayer' in February - going straight to Number 1. Stormzy also took part in the Artists For Grenfell campaign, featuring on the charity single 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to raise funds for the residents of Grenfell Tower. At the BRIT Awards, he took home the gong for British Male Solo Artist.
2018: BRIT Awards performance
Stormzy's epic performance at the BRIT Awards 2018 saw the rapper use his platform to call out the government for not doing enough to help the residents of Grenfell Tower. His album 'Gang Signs & Prayer' became the first ever rap album to win British Album of the Year.
2019: Glastonbury Festival headline slot and second album
2019 was another big year for Stormzy - his headline set on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2019 was hugely acclaimed, and he once again used his platform to comment on politics. Wearing a Union Jack stab vest designed by artist Banksy, many took this as a comment on knife crime in London. He also used a speech made by Labour MP David Lammy on the British criminal justice system.
Stormzy released his second album, 'Heavy Is the Head', in December 2019, which went to Number 1 in the UK.
2020: BRIT Award win
Stormzy announced his 'Heavy is the Head' tour in December 2019, which was to take place in September 2020 around the UK - starting with two nights at The O2 in London, then calling at Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bournemouth. Unfortunately, dates of his tour were rescheduled due to the pandemic.
On the more positive side, Stormzy won British Male Solo Artist at the BRITs 2020, as well as three other nominations, and gave an incredible 10-minute performance with Burna Boy of 'Don't Forget to Breathe', 'Wiley Flow', 'Own It' and 'Rainfall'.
The rapper and singer spent time in 2020 being charitable, working with a scheme to give a young fan a bedroom makeover, as well as surprising him in a heartfelt video. Stormzy was also announced to appear on the soundtrack for NBA video game NBA 2K21 with his song 'Bronze' from album 'Heavy is the Head'.
2021: Madame Tussauds waxwork
On 26th July 2021, in celebration of the rapper's 28th birthday, it was announced that he would be getting his very own waxwork at Madame Tussauds London, joining their star-studded summer line-up.
2022: 'Heavy Is The Head' Tour
Stormzy headed on tour around the UK supporting his 2019 album 'Heavy Is The Head'. Following his residency at London's O2 Arena, which covered March 27th, 28th and 29th, the tour - which is the rapper's biggest to date - wrapped up on 3rd April 2022.
The tour was his biggest yet and also saw him perform in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool. Stormzy's sister Rachael Anson was the supporting act for the tour and played a DJ setlist to open his shows.
2022: Met Gala debut
Stormzy made his debut at the prestigious Met Gala where the theme was White Tie. Suiting up in the spirit of the dress code, the rapper wore an all-white Burberry three-piece wool suit complete with satin lapels. Also adding to the outfit was an impressive matching white cape designed by Riccardo Tisci.
2022: Honorary degree
Stormzy was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Exeter - he is now a doctor! In his acceptance speech, he told of his experience taking his AS Levels. He said he was "extremely blessed and grateful".
2022: Third album announced
Big Mike announced his highly-anticipated third album 'This Is What I Mean' in October 2022, revealing the track list AND that it would be coming just a month later in November.
2022: British GQ Men of the Year cover star
Stormzy appeared as the cover star of British GQ's Men of the Year edition, a hugely prestigious title. In his profile interview, he spoke about how he views success differently now he's older: "My version of success now requires a man: not just more music and more money. Now it means taking care of my family, having children, having a wife, even understanding marriage and raising kids, and that requires a man."
2023: Stormzy was nominated for three BRIT Awards
In January 2023, Stormzy picked up three BRIT Award nominations including ones for: Mastercard Album of The Year, Artist of The Year and Hip Hop, Grime and Rap act. Although he lost to Harry Styles twice and Aitch, he gave an incredible performance at the event.
2023: 'The Weekend' with RAYE
In July 2023, Stormzy teamed up with RAYE on 'The Weekend'. The track is accompanied by an official music video and combines Stormzy's rap and RAYE's soulful vocals.
2024: Sixth MOBO Award win
Stormzy took home his sixth MOBO Award at the ceremony in February 2024, taking home the Video of the Year gong for 'Mel Made Me Do It' and tying him Central Cee for the most awarded rapper in MOBOs history. Although he couldn't be there in person, he sent a message of thanks in which he said he was "honoured" and that the video was a "piece of art" for all involved in the making of the video.
2024: MerkyFC HQ launch
In May 2024, Stormzy shared the exciting news that he, along with Adidas, were opening the brand new MerkyFC HQ in Croydon. He wrote: 'Excited to finally announce a very special project that myself and Adidas have been working on for the past 3 years. The brand new #MerkyFC HQ in Croydon - A new multi-purpose centre providing opportunities for young Londoners across football, music and gaming.
'Don't wanna get too emotional but it means the world to be able to build something in my hometown that can serve the community and be a place for opportunity, education, fun and of course football.
'We are open from tomorrow - Visit merkyfchq.com to find out more about how you can get involved! #MerkyFC HQ . TO GOD BE THE GLORY! 🙏🏿❤️'.
Stormzy and Adidas' Merky FC initiative was first announced in 2023, providing 15 you black people with jobs in the industry - with the rapper revealing that in 2024, he wants to go bigger, with 50 roles available.
2024: F1 British Grand Prix performance
In July 2024, Stormzy performed to the British Grand Prix crowd as a headline act, taking to the main stage as part of the weekend-long festival. The performance served as Stormzy's debut Silverstone appearance, as well as his second live show in the UK in 2024. Ahead of the big race, the rapper took to the stage on Friday 5th July, with his then-girlfriend Maya Jama there supporting him.
Sadly, the couple announced they had split less than two weeks later in a joint statement, explaining that they had tried again following their original relationship that ended in 2019.
Now read:
Everything you need to know about 'Mel Made Me Do It' rapper Stormzy
Stormzy's biggest collaborations: From Little Mix to Ed Sheeran
Dave: Get to know the BRIT Award-winning rapper 🌟