During the Music Publishers' gala on Friday night, authors in the music industry were praised.

Due to the pandemic, both 2021 and 2020 prizes were awarded.

The song of the year 2021 was Save your tears with The Weeknd and the prize went to, among others, songwriter Max Martin.

The 2020 winner in the same category was the artist Dree Low's song Pippi.

On the first of November this year, the artist Salah "Dree Low" Abdulle was sentenced to one year in prison for robbing a store in the Järva area together with some others.


A surveillance film shows how the company picks up tobacco, sweets and drinks and then leaves the store.

Solna District Court believes that the conduct "was threatening and that they ignored calls to pay for the goods".


The court also states that Dree Low is connected to a criminal network with violent capital, which is important for assessing the threats and in the long run for him to be convicted of robbery.

"External consultants"

The music publishers' chief operating officer tells Kulturnyheterna that the price for 2020 was decided in the summer of that year, before the crime Dree Low was convicted of, but that they are prepared to think again in the future.

- The jury will have its jury meeting in the summer of 2020. We could not have a gala then or go out with winners.

What I can say is that we work with external consultants to review how we should feel in the future.

But as the decision was now, it was taken by the jury then, says Marit Woody to Kulturnyheterna.

An awakening

According to Marit Woody, the recent debate about gangster rap has made it possible to rethink in the future.

- Everyone in the music industry has had some kind of awakening.

What should that responsibility look like?

What we have done at the music publishers is not to take external consultants, it is not a simple question - what to include and exclude.

The verdict against Dre Low has not yet gained legal force.

In connection with the verdict, Dree Low has denied the crime and denied connections to the criminal network, and his lawyer has said that the verdict will be appealed.

The music publishers' prize has been awarded annually since 2003 and focuses on authors.

The prize consists of a figurine and a diploma, but no prize money.

SVT is looking for Dree Low through his legal representative.