Grime artist Wiley forced to give up MBE for bringing honours system into disrepute

British grime artist Wiley, real name Richard Cowie, has forfeited his MBE for ‘bringing the honours system into disrepute’.

A list published on the Cabinet Office website said the award had been forfeited this month.

The musician, who is often referred to as the Godfather of Grime, had been honoured for his services to music in the December 2017 New Year Honours list.

At the time, the 45-year-old from Bow, east London, said the honour was like receiving ‘the school grade I wanted and didn’t get’.