On Feb. 12, the Polar Music Prize announced that its 2019 laureates will be rap icon Grandmaster Flash, classical violist and GRAMMY winner Anne-Sophie Mutter and music education charity the Playing For Change Foundation. In normal years, only two laureates are chosen with the previous exceptions of Keith Jarrett's solo award in 2003 and the previous year three laureates were named — Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog and Karlheinz Stockhausen — in 2001.
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"It is such an honor, because a lot of times in our culture, what we do as DJs gets overlooked," Grandmaster Flash said. "So for these people to say, let's give this to someone who doesn't necessarily use a microphone as their gift … for me to be picked out of so many people, I am so, so deeply honored." Indeed the award is seen as top-flight recognition for the art of turntablism, where fingers spin vinyl recordings into fresh musical creations.
In 1982 "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five featuring Melle Mel and Duke Bootee was released, one of hip-hop's foundational recordings. It was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2012. Grandmaster Flash's role in the rap movement began even earlier and is portrayed in the Netflix series "The Get Down," where the Grandmaster's part is played by Mamoudou Athie.
Multiple GRAMMY winner Anne-Sophie Mutter is one of the world's most accomplished classical violinists. "It is a huge honor to be in this illustrious group of musicians who have received the Polar Music Prize," she said. "I can't wait to come to Stockholm and meet the other recipients."
Since 2002 the Playing For Change Foundation has created and supported multiple music education programs around the world, especially in underserved communities.
"We started the project so that musicians that would not otherwise be seen or heard, would have the chance to express themselves and be recognised," said Whitney Kroenke, the organization's co-founder. "To be in the company of people that have made us all love music for so many years, is truly an honor."
The Polar Music Prize Awards ceremony and gala will be held on June 11 and broadcast on Swedish television. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will present the honors which also come with a cash prize worth approximately $110,000 in U.S. dollars. Last year's laureates were Metallica and The Afghanistan National Institute of Music.
