A FORMER Croydon student and a rapper who wrote a song about his murdered stepfather have been nominated for MOBO music awards.
Twenty-four-year-old Lianne La Havas, who attended Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls, gets the nod for best female act as well as best R&B/soul act at the Music of Black Origin awards.
She is joined by hip hop duo Krept and Konan, who are nominated in the best newcomer category.
The duo featured in the Advertiser last month with the release of My Story – a heartfelt musical tribute from Konan (real name Karl Wilson) – to his murdered stepfather. My Story was released following the conviction of Christopher Thomas for the murder of Carlton Ned at his Thornton Heath home.
Speaking to the Advertiser after the nominations were released, Krept (real name Casyo Johnson), from Upper Norwood, said the duo would not have started rapping if it wasn't for their experiences in Croydon gangs.
The 23-year-old said: "We didn't see this coming but we have worked so hard to get where we are today.
"We weren't in gangs for a long time and we were very young, but it has definitely helped make us what we are today.
"It didn't take long for either of us to know that being in a gang wasn't for us and you see when you get a bit older that it's stupid.
"You have this sort of tunnel vision. Before we started our music, I'm not even sure I knew about places like Birmingham and Liverpool because we couldn't see outside of where we already were."
He said the response to My Story, in which Konan relives the July 2011 night his step-dad was murdered trying to protect him, had been "fantastic".
He added: "Even mothers and people who wouldn't normally listen to our music have contacted us saying how they liked it. One told us their son was in floods of tears listening to it.
"I had to pick Konan up after the incident. I had to motivate him, but it was most important how strong his mum was. If she hadn't got on with her life it would have been harder for Konan to cope but she was amazing."
Konan was celebrating his 24th birthday in Manchester on Tuesday when he found out about the nomination.
He said: "It's a big achievement. I have grown up with the MOBOs and watched them every year since I was really young.
"Everything I went through was for a reason and has given me character and made me humble.
"My mum rang to wish me happy birthday and I told her about the award. She was screaming and told me how proud she was.
"It's a new chapter now and we are making progression in the industry. We're the talk of the town and at number ten in the midweek album charts."
The MOBOs take place on Octobr 19 in Glasgow.
