A DRUMCHAPEL Foodbank worker has nabbed a top award for his other job – as Scotland’s best hip-hop artist.

Ryan McGeady, whose mum Liz founded the foodbank, was given the honour at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) last week.

Known as Kid Robotik, he told the Post he has now spent 13 years writing hip-hop – half his life – but was still shocked to win the solo artist prize.

It’s particularly in the last four years he has been pushing himself more to the front, inspired by the work of very non-hip-hop arists, Billie Holiday and Tom Waits.

“They taught me a lot about being creative and being myself and going against the grain,” said 26-year-old Ryan. “I have a lot to say in life and music. I was inspired by a lot of social issues growing up.

“I was always raised in a very politically aware family. When you come so close to it, it’s hard not to be something you talk about.”

Ryan’s mum, Liz Atkinson, helped set up the foodbank and the former Blairardie Primary and Knightswood Secondary pupil started volunteering there when he was unemployed.

Training volunteers, organising fundraising drives and raising awareness of the foodbank, Ryan said he finds it is becoming more of an issue in his music.

Until recently, Ryan has focused more on his own experiences of poverty, mental illness, drug addiction and the feeling of alienation while in his mid-20s.

He said: “It’s something I have not tackled directly yet but I want to make people realise going to a foodbank is not something they should be ashamed of.

“I was always taught to help people in need because everybody needs help sometimes. I got that definitely from mum and dad from a very early age.”

Ryan previously released The Family Album with the hip-hop collective Togofam, with proceeds going to Drumchapel Foodbank.

He said of his win: “It’s amazing. I really didn’t expect to win. To get that bit of recognition is something very important to me - I was over the money, and still am.”

Mum Liz added: “I am very proud of him."