Tinie Tempah on Mercury Prize nomination: 'Disc-Overy is for everybody'

Tinie Tempah has suggested that his debut album was nominated for the Mercury Prize because it appeals to a wide range of people.

The rapper, who will find out this evening whether his first album Disc-Overy will walk away with the coveted prize, insisted that his music resonates with the niche as well as the mainstream.

He told the Daily Star: "The album was like a taste platter. There's something on there for everybody.

"There's something for the trendy hipster kids, those influential in blog culture, people who want dance tunes or big pop radio hooks."

He added: "Dizzee Rascal is the main reason why I got into this initially. Seeing how he turned a small scene into popular chart success was inspiring."

Tinie Tempah will face competition from Adele, Katy B, PJ Harvey, Metronomy, Elbow, Everything Everything, James Blake, Gwilym Simcock, Ghostpoet, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins and Anna Calvi during tonight's ceremony at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

In what will be a first for the Mercury Prize ceremony, all the nominees will take to the stage to perform a track from their nominated album.

Watch the music video for Tinie Tempah's 'Written In The Stars' below: