The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B,

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '':wikt:soul, soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The ea ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use the ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

, and

African music Given the vastness of the African continent, its music is diverse, with regions and nations having many distinct musical traditions. African music includes the genres amapiano, Jùjú, Fuji, Afrobeat, Highlife, Makossa, Kizomba, and oth ...

. The MOBO Organisation was founded by Kanya King, and the first MOBO award was presented to Baby D, in the Best Dance Act category. The inaugural awards were broadcast by Carlton Television from London's Connaught Rooms. Across its 22-year history, the MOBOs have been broadcast on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced t ...

ITV2 ITV2 is a British free-to-air television channel owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998. For a number of years, it had the largest audience share after the five analogue terrestrial station ...

and on Channel 5 before returning to the BBC in 2020. In 2009, the ceremony was held for the first time in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

. Prior to that, it had been held in London. In 2011, the ceremony returned for a second time to Scotland. The awards then moved to

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

for the first time in 2015. The show returned to Leeds in 2017 when it was last held before going on hiatus. In 2020 it was confirmed it would be returning that year, however for the first time ever it would be streamed on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...

Ceremonies

The ceremony was first broadcast regionally on Carlton Television from 1996 to 1997, before airing nationwide on

from 1998 until 2003. From 2004 to 2014, they were aired by the BBC; beginning in 2006, the show aired live on

BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, cov ...

, and highlights aired on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's Flagship (broadcasting), flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News ...

. In 2014, the BBC dropped the MOBO Awards, and the ceremony moved to ITV under a three-year deal, airing on

with same-night highlights on ITV. In 2017, the ceremony moved to Channel 5 and BET. In 2018, the MOBO Organisation announced that the ceremony would take a one-year hiatus in order to plan a "bigger, revamped show" in 2019. However, the show did not materialise, with organisers now planning to hold the ceremony in 2020 instead; Kanya King stated that there would be "positive changes" to the show, and that they would be "returning with even more determination and energy to support and boost our culture wherever we can."

Table summary

Performers

In the course of its history, the MOBO Awards show has witnessed performances from UK and international talent. Over the years, artists have included

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

, E-17,

Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limite ...

Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...

Lisa Maffia Lisa Maffia (born 16 June 1979) is a British singer-songwriter, musician, rapper, actress, fashion designer, model and presenter, who originally came to the public's attention as the main female member of So Solid Crew. Whilst in So Solid Crew, ...

, Justin Timberlake,

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...

, Rosie Gaines,

Dizzee Rascal Dylan Kwabena Mills (born 18 September 1984), better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a British MC and rapper. A pioneer of grime music, his work has also incorporated elements of UK garage, bassline, British hip hop, and R&B. D ...

, Jay-Z,

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A m ...

Stefflon Don Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single "Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart. ...

Coolio Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known professionally as Coolio, was an American rapper. First rising to fame as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle, Coolio achieved mainstream success as a sol ...

Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** Fiel ...

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...

Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer and songwriter.

, and

Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...

. In 2000, Sade came out of retirement to perform at the Awards, her first performance in almost a decade.

History

Kanya King launched the MOBO awards in 1996, aiming to establish a platform for music that, according to King, encompasses urban, hip hop, R&B and reggae.

1996

*Best Album:

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in t ...

- ''

Timeless Timeless (or atemporal) or timelessness (or atemporality) may refer to: * Agelessness, the condition of being unaffected by the passage of time * Akal (Sikh term), timelessness in Sikhism * Eternity, timeless existence or infinite duration * Immo ...

'' *Best Single: Gabrielle - " Give Me a Little More Time" *Best Newcomer: Peace by Piece *Best Video:

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman - "

California Love "California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper-producer Dr. Dre and American singer Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first si ...

" *Best Hip-Hop Act:

Blak Twang Blak Twang (born Tony Olabode in England), who also uses the pseudonyms Taipanic and Tony Rotton, is a British rapper who grew up in Deptford, Lewisham, South-East London. Blak Twang is world-renowned for his live performances, and is also respe ...

*Best R&B Act: Mark Morrison *Best Reggae Act: Peter Hunnigale *Best Gospel Act:

New Colours ''New Colours'' is a 1971 album by UK pop group The New Seekers. It was their first album released on the Polydor label. Overview In the UK, The New Seekers had failed to gain mainstream success until mid-1971 when the single "Never Ending So ...

*Best Jazz Act: Courtney Pine *Best Dance Act: Baby D *Best Jungle Act:

*Best DJ: Trevor Nelson *Best International Act: Fugees *Best International Single: Fugees - " Killing Me Softly" *Outstanding Contribution to Black Music: Jazzie B *Lifetime Achievement Award:

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recor ...

1997

The 1997 award ceremony was held at London's New Connaught Rooms on 10 November. The gala included performances by Mary J. Blige and Eternal. *Best Dance Act: The Prodigy *Best R&B Act: Shola Ama *Best Hip Hop: Funky DL *Best International Hip Hop:

*Best Reggae Act: Finley Quaye *Best Jungle Act:

Roni Size Ryan Owen Granville Williams (born 29 October 1969), better known by his stage name Roni Size, is an English DJ and record producer. He came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and frontman of Roni Size & Reprazent, a drum and bass collective. ...

and

Reprazent Roni Size & Reprazent (stylised as Roni Size / Reprazent) are a British drum and bass group fronted by Roni Size. Their debut album ''New Forms'' won the Mercury Music Prize in 1997. Their follow-up album ''In the Møde'' featured artists inclu ...

*Best Single: Eternal *Best Video:

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...

*Best International Act:

Blackstreet Blackstreet (often stylized as BLACKstreet) is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by record producers Chauncey "Black" Hannibal, and Teddy "Street" Riley. The group has released four albums with Interscope Records until 2003. They achieved ...

*Best Album:

Jamiroquai Jamiroquai () are an English funk and acid jazz band from London. Formed in 1992, they are fronted by vocalist Jay Kay, and were prominent in the London-based funk and acid jazz movement of the 1990s. They built on their acid jazz sound in t ...

*Best Newcomer: Shola Ama *Best Unsigned Act:

Fola Sade Fola may refer to: *Fódla, (sometimes Fóla ''or'' Fola), a goddess in Irish mythology * LÉ Fola (CM12), a Ton-class minesweeper of the Irish Naval Service, named after the Irish goddess * CA Fola Esch, an athletics club from Esch-sur-Alzette, Lu ...

*Best International Reggae Act: Beenie Man *Best Producer: Sean Puffy Combs *Best Radio DJ: David Rodigan *Best Club DJ:

Metalheadz Metalheadz is a drum and bass record label based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1994 by Kemistry & Storm and Goldie. History Origins Goldie's early experiences of the rave scene, especially the club ''Rage'' had a profound effect on ...

*Best Jazz Act:

Sunship Ceri Evans, better known as Sunship, is an English record producer, DJ, remixer and jazz pianist. Evans' musical career began in 1981 as a member of the jazz-funk band Swamp Children who released the album ''So Hot'' on Factory Records in 1982 ...

*Best Gospel Act:

Beehive A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus ''Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional literature ...

*Best International Single: Rosie Gaines " Closer Than Close" *Outstanding Achievement:

Mick Hucknall Michael James Hucknall (born 8 June 1960) is an English singer and songwriter. Hucknall achieved international fame in the 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter of the soul-influenced pop band Simply Red, with whom he enjoyed a 25-year caree ...

*Lifetime Achievement:

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...

1998

The Malibu MOBO Awards show was held at

The Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no governm ...

and hosted by

Mel B Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...

and Bill Bellamy. It was broadcast nationally by

. Performers and presenters included footballer Sol Campbell, girl band All Saints, DJ Trevor Nelson, boxers

Lennox Lewis Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hol ...

and

Chris Eubank Christopher Livingstone Eubank (born 8 August 1966) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1998. He held the World Boxing Organization, WBO middleweight and super-middleweight titles between 1990 and 1995, and is ran ...

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks ...

, Chaka Khan,

, Another Level, and Martine McCutcheon. Contribution to Black Music went to Carl McIntosh and B.B. King won the Lifetime Achievement Award. * Best Dance Act:

Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...

* Best Reggae Act: Glamma Kid * Best Drum and Bass: 4 Hero * Best Hip Hop Act:

Pheobe 1 Phoebe or Phœbe may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and characters * Phoebe (given name), a list of people, mythological, biblical and fictional characters *Phoebe (Greek myth), several characters * Phoebe, an epithet of Artemis/ Diana and Selene/Luna, ...

* Best Unsigned Act: Alison Brown * Best Newcomer: Lynden David Hall * Best R&B Act: Beverley Knight * Best International Reggae: Beenie Man * Contribution to Music: Carl McIntosh * Best Video: All Saints * Best International Act: Puff Daddy and the Family * Best International Single: Pras feat ODB /

Mýa Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a VJ ...

* Best Single: Another Level * Best Album: Adam F * Outstanding Achievement:

Sean Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

* Lifetime Achievement:

BB King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...

1999

The 1999 Malibu MOBO Awards award ceremony was held at

, sponsored by Malibu and hosted by

and

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, ...

. International Hip-Hop Act Award went to Jay-Z, Best Album was awarded to Beverley Knight, International Act to

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

and Lifetime Achievement Award to

. Performers and presenters included

Des'ree Desirée Annette Weekes (born 30 November 1968), known by her stage name Des'ree (), is an English pop recording artist who rose to popularity during the 1990s. She is best known for her hits " Feel So High", " You Gotta Be", "Life", and " Ki ...

Dru Hill Dru Hill is an American R&B group, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 and is still active. Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B number-one hi ...

, Method Man & Redman, Tim Westwood,

Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...

Victoria Beckham Victoria Caroline Beckham (; born 17 April 1974) is an English fashion designer, singer, and television personality. She rose to prominence in the 1990s as a member of the girl group the Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Posh Spice. W ...

, Another Level,

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of '' isicathamiya'' and '' mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album ''Graceland'', and have won ...

, and girl band Eternal. * Best International R&B Act:

* Best Newcomer:

Kele Le Roc Kelly Biggs (born 5 October 1977 in East Ham, London), better known by her stage name Kele Le Roc, is a British R&B and UK garage singer. Career Biggs began singing at the age of three, and she attended Langdon Comprehensive School in East Ha ...

* Best International Act:

* Best Hip Hop Act: Roots Manuva * Best International Hip Hop Act:

Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

* Best Dance Act: Shanks & Bigfoot * Best Video: TLC - " No Scrubs" * Best Album: Beverley Knight - ''Prodigal Sista'' * Best DJ: Trevor Nelson * Best Single:

* Best Unsigned Act: Amoyé * Best International Single:

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

- " My Name Is" * Best Reggae Act: Mr Vegas * Contribution to Music:

Erskine Thompson Erskine (, sco, Erskin, gd, Arasgain) is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, situated in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lo ...

* Best R&B Act: Beverley Knight * Lifetime Achievement Award:

2000

The MOBO Awards 2000 ceremony took place at

Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace is a Grade II listed entertainment and sports venue in London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. It is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and the later Tottenham Wood Farm. Orig ...

, hosted by Trevor Nelson and Lisa Left Eye Lopes and sponsored by Mastercard. There show opened with a performance of

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money ar ...

by Jamelia featuring Beenie Man. Craig David performed an acoustic medley of Fill Me In, 7 Days and Nice & Slow by

, Sade exclusively performed By Your Side, Gabrielle performed Rise,

MJ Cole Matthew James Firth Coleman, better known by his stage name MJ Cole, is an English garage DJ, record producer and remixer. Career Born in London, England, in his youth, Cole was classically trained on the oboe and piano, and won scholarships ...

performed Crazy Love featuring

Elizabeth Troy Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

Donell Jones Donell Jones (born May 22, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is most notable for the hits " U Know What's Up", " Where I Wanna Be", and his cover of Stevie Wonder's " Knocks Me Off My Feet". Jones' first studio ...

performed U Know What's Up featuring ceremony host, Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes. The show closed with a performance of Who Let The Dogs Out by Baha Men. In addition to their performances, Craig David, Jamelia, Beenie Man, MJ Cole and Gabrielle also won awards. With Craig David receiving three awards in total. Award presenters included MOBO Award founder, Kanya King, Honeyz, Melanie Sykes amongst others. *Best Newcomer: Craig David *Best Video: Jamelia - Money *Best Hip Hop Act:

*Best Reggae Act: Beenie Man *Best Gospel Act: Mary Mary *Best Jazz Act: Ronny Jordan *Best World Music Act:

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound feature ...

*Best UK Garage Act: DJ Luck & MC Neat *Best Producer: MJ Cole *Best UK Radio DJ: Tim Westwood *Best UK Club: Steve Sutherland *MOBO Unsigned Award:

Cherise A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...

*Outstanding Contribution to Music:

Aswad Aswad are a British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid-1970s, having released a total of 21 albums. Their UK hit singles include the number one " Don't T ...

*Outstanding Achievement: L.A. Reid *Best UK Single: " Fill Me In" by Craig David *Best UK Album: '' Rise'' by Gabrielle

2001

2002

* Best R&B Act: Ashanti

2003

In 2003, the MOBO awards show moved to

and was hosted by Blu Cantrell and

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...

, with performances from

DMX Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...

, Lumidee, Wayne Wonder, George Benson, Lemar, Seal,

Mis-Teeq Mis-Teeq were a British girl group, consisting of Alesha Dixon, Su-Elise Nash and Sabrina Washington. They had two top-ten albums and seven consecutive top-ten singles, with chart-topping success on the UK Singles Chart as well as across Eu ...

and Redman, J'Nay John Adeleye, Big Brovaz,

The Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim H ...

and Kool and the Gang. Among the winners of the night were:

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

, Justin Timberlake, Big Brovaz and

, who was the only UK female artist to win an award.

2004

The ninth awards ceremony took place on 30 September 2004 at

and was broadcast by

received the icon award.

So Solid Crew So Solid Crew are a British UK garage and hip hop collective originating from the area on and surrounding the Winstanley and York Road Estates in Battersea, London which achieved wide success in the early 2000s. The group consisted of many ...

won the award in the

UK garage UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. I ...

Act category award beating

and

The Streets The Streets are an English music project led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner. The project has released six studio albums: '' Original Pirate Material'' (2002), ''A Grand Don't Come for Free'' (2004), '' The Hardest Way to ...

. Controversy surrounded the removal of

artists Vybz Kartel and Elephant Man from the "Best Reggae Act" category at the 2004 awards due to their

homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred or antipathy ...

and incitement to murder.

2005

The 2005 awards show saw one of the biggest line-ups in MOBO award history, including John Legend, Ms Dynamite, Lemar, Kano, Damien Marley, Public Enemy and

. The event was hosted by Gina Yashere and

Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles ...

, with guest presenters Chris Eubank,

, Josie Darby, Simon Webbe, Myleene Klass, Estelle, Tim Westwood, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Chuck D. Big winners on the night included Corrine Bailey-Rae, Lemar,

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...

Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles " Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...

and Beyoncé.

2006

In 2006 the awards ceremony was hosted by

and Gina Yashere at

. For the first time the World Music and Jazz categories were suspended.

Corinne Bailey Rae Corinne Jacqueline Bailey Rae (; born 26 February 1979) is an English singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 2006 single "Put Your Records On". Bailey Rae was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2006 in an annual BBC po ...

won the prize for Best UK Newcomer and

Jai Amore Julian "Jai Amore" Amoah (born 14 July 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. In 2006 he won the MOBO Award for Best Unsigned Act, gaining recognition when he opened the stage with at the Awards Ceremony at The Royal Albert ...

won Best Unsigned Act. British rapper Akala won Best Hip Hop Act, beating stiff competition from American acts such as

, and

The Game The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * ...

2007

The 2007 awards ceremony was broadcast live on

from the O2 Arena in London and hosted by Shaggy and Jamelia. The jazz category returned. Shaggy opened the evening with a medley. T-Pain performed on stage with

Yung Joc Jasiel Amon Robinson (born September 20, 1980), better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper. He is best known for his 2006 hit single " It's Goin' Down". and as a feature on T-Pain's US number-one single " Buy U a Drank (Shaw ...

, Craig David and Kano collaborated on stage;

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...

, Mutya Buena and

Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...

also performed.

performed two songs and accepted the award for Best UK Female.

N-Dubz N-Dubz are an English hip hop trio from Camden Town, London, consisting of cousins Dappy and Tulisa, and Fazer. After winning a MOBO Award for Best Newcomer in 2007, N-Dubz briefly signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around t ...

won Best Newcomer. England cricketer

Monty Panesar Mudhsuden Singh "Monty" Panesar (born 25 April 1982) is a former English international cricketer. A left-arm spinner, Panesar made his Test cricket debut in 2006 against India in Nagpur and One Day International debut for England in 2007. In E ...

and England footballer Micah Richards were among a line up of guests presenting individual awards which also included Sinitta and

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensemb ...

2008

*Best Album:

Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...

, '' Spirit'' *Best Song: Estelle, "

American Boy "American Boy” is a song by British singer and rapper Estelle featuring American rapper Kanye West from the former's second studio album ''Shine'' (2008). The song was written by the artists, alongside Ethan Hendrickson, will.i.am, John Leg ...

" *Best Uk Male::

*Best Uk Female: Estelle *Best Uk Newcomer:

Chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...

*Best Video: Leona Lewis, " Bleeding Love" *Best Hip Hop Act:

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

*Best R&B/Soul Act:

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...

*Best Reggae Act: Mavado *Best Gospel Act: Jahaziel *Best Jazz Act: YolanDa Brown *Best African Act: 9ice *Best International Act:

*Best Club DJ: Tim Westwood *Best Radio DJ: Tim Westwood *Be Mobo:

Ricky McCalla Ricky may refer to: Places *Říčky (Brno-Country District), a village and municipality in the Czech Republic *Říčky v Orlických horách, a village in the north of the Czech Republic *Rickmansworth, a town in England sometimes called "Ricky" ...

*Lifetime Achievement: Mary Wilson

2009

The 2009 awards event took place on 30 September at the SEC Centre in

, the first time the MOBO awards show took place outside London. A tribute performance was dedicated to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

, and the Young Soul Rebels performed their charity single "

I Got Soul "I Got Soul" is a 2009 charity single by charity group War Child UK, recorded by Young Soul Rebels. It was released on 19 October 2009. It is a cover of The Killers' "All These Things That I've Done". A spokesman for War Child UK said, "We'r ...

". Reggie Yates and

Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...

hosted the awards show, with

Peter Andre Peter Andre (born Peter James Andrea, 27 February 1973) is an English-Australian singer and television personality of Australian descent. Andre gained popularity as a singer, best known for his singles "Mysterious Girl" and " Flava". He is als ...

presenting backstage.

2010

The awards ceremony took place on 20 October 2010 in

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

. * Best Newcomer:

Tinie Tempah Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He has been signed to Parlophone Records since 2009, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his own entertainment compa ...

* Best UK Hip-Hop/Grime Act:

Professor Green Stephen Paul Manderson (born 27 November 1983), better known by his stage name Professor Green or simply Pro Green, is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, television personality and mental health activist from London. Growing up on ...

* Best African Act: K'Naan * Best Video:

ft.

Labrinth Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. After initially pursuing a career in music production, Simon Cowell signed him to his record lab ...

– Frisky * Best Reggae Act:

Gyptian Windel Beneto Edwards (born 25 October 1983), better known by his stage name Gyptian (), is a Jamaican reggae singer. He often appears with roots reggae songs within the reggae subgenre dancehall. Early life Born to a Seventh-day Adventist mo ...

* Best Jazz Act:

Empirical Empirical evidence for a proposition is evidence, i.e. what supports or counters this proposition, that is constituted by or accessible to sense experience or experimental procedure. Empirical evidence is of central importance to the sciences and ...

* Best Gospel Act: Guvna B * Best UK R&B/Soul Act: Plan B * Best International Act:

* Best UK Act: JLS * Best Song:

ft Mr Hudson - Playing With Fire * Best Album: JLS * Lifetime Achievement:

Billy Ocean Leslie Sebastian Charles, (born 21 January 1950), better known by his stage name Billy Ocean, is a British recording artist who had a string of R&B international pop hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular British R&B singer-son ...

2011

The awards show returned to Glasgow's SEC Centre on 5 October 2011, hosted by

Jason Derülo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer and songwriter.

and

Alesha Dixon Alesha Anjanette Dixon (born 7 October 1978) is an English singer, rapper, dancer, television personality, and author. She gained recognition in the early 2000s as a member of the R&B, garage and hip hop group Mis-Teeq. The group disbanded ...

won four awards, making her the biggest winner of the night.

Boyz II Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Natha ...

received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Other winners included

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...

and

Alborosie Alberto D'Ascola (; born 4 July 1977), better known by his stage name Alborosie, is an Italian reggae artist. He is sometimes called the "Italian Reggae Ambassador". Music career Early life (2001–2005) Born Alberto d’Ascola and raised in ...

was given an award and a special tribute, following her death in July 2011. * Best Gospel: Triple O * Best Jazz:

Kairos Quartet The Kairos Quartet is a Berlin-based string quartet founded in 1996. History The Kairos Quartet (initially "work in progress quartet") specialises in music from 1950 onwards. At the time of its foundation in 1996 Alborosie Alberto D'Ascola (; born 4 July 1977), better known by his stage name Alborosie, is an Italian reggae artist. He is sometimes called the "Italian Reggae Ambassador". Music career Early life (2001–2005) Born Alberto d’Ascola and raised in ...

* Best African Act: Wizkid * Best Song:

* Best R&B/Soul:

* Best Album:

* Best Hip Hop/Grime:

* Best Video:

Tinchy Stryder Kwasi Esono Danquah III ( ; born 14 September 1986), known by the stage name Tinchy Stryder, is a Ghanaian-British rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and investor. Stryder has released three solo studio albums, '' Star in the Hood'' ( ...

ft. Dappy * Best Newcomer:

* Best International:

2012

The 17th Awards show took place on 3 November 2012 at the Liverpool Arena. Presented by Miquita Oliver and Adam Deacon - with backstage support from Rickie and Melvin - the night saw

Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, '' I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, '' Trey Day'' ...

Conor Maynard Conor Paul Maynard (born 21 November 1992) is an English singer. Born and raised in Brighton, he signed a recording contract with Warner Music Group in 2011. Maynard rose to fame in 2012 when he was nominated for, and subsequently won, MTV's '' ...

, Emeli Sandé, Misha B, JLS,

Stooshe Stooshe () are a British girl group from London, consisting of three members Alexandra Buggs, Karis Anderson and Courtney Rumbold. Initially signed to Warner Music they released of their first single " Love Me", featuring US rapper Travie McCoy ...

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...

and Wiley perform.

Emeli Sandé Adele Emily Sandé, ( ; born 10 March 1987), known professionally as Emeli Sandé, is a Scottish singer and songwriter. Born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, and raised in Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, by an English mother and a Zambian fathe ...

won awards for Best Female, Best Album and Best R&B/Soul while Plan B took Best Male Act and Best Hip Hop/Grime. TLC were awarded Outstanding Contribution to Music, with

receiving the MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award. The full list of winners where: * Best Gospel:

Rachel Kerr Rachel Charmaine Kerr is a British singer/songwriter, celebrity vocal coach and entrepreneur from Walsall, England. She is also the CEO and founder of Singercise. She is a member of the Grammy Award Association and a BET Music Matters endorsed ...

* Best Jazz: Zoe Rahman * Best Reggae:

* Best African Act: D'Banj * Best Song:

ft. Tinie Tempah, "

Earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

" * Best R&B/Soul: Emeli Sandé * Best Album: Emeli Sandé * Best Hip Hop/Grime: Plan B * Best Video: JLS * Best Female Act: Emeli Sandé * Best Male Act: Plan B * Best Newcomer:

Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, " Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...

* Best International:

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents. ...

2013

The 18th Awards show took place on 19 October 2013 and was held at the

OVO Hydro The OVO Hydro is a multi-purpose indoor arena located within the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland, and is the largest entertainment venue in Scotland. The arena was initially named The Hydro after its main sponsor Scottish Hydro E ...

in Glasgow. It was hosted by Trevor Nelson and Sarah-Jane Crawford. Performances included

Iggy Azalea Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born 7 June 1990), known professionally as Iggy Azalea (), is an Australian rapper. At the age of 16, Azalea moved from Australia to the United States in order to pursue a career in music. Azalea earned public recognitio ...

Naughty Boy Shahid Khan ( ur, شاهد خان; born 1 January 1981), better known by his stage name Naughty Boy, is a British DJ, record producer, songwriter and musician. In 2012, Khan signed a three–year publishing deal with Sony ATV, as well as a re ...

Rudimental Rudimental are a British drum and bass band, signed to Asylum Records, Atlantic Records and Black Butter Records. The band consists of Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon "Locksmith" Rolle. They were nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2013, a ...

and Jahméne Douglas.

Winners

* Best Male Act: Wiley * Best Female Act:

Laura Mvula Laura Mvula ( Douglas; born 23 April 1986) is a British singer. A native of Birmingham, England, Mvula has gained experience as a young member or leader of a cappella, jazz/neo-soul and gospel groups and choirs. She was classically trained. In ...

* Best Song:

, " La La La" * Best Album:

, ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it ...

'' * Best Newcomer: Krept and Konan, ft. "Dizzy" Daniel Moorehead * Best R&B/Soul:

* Best UK Hip Hop/Grime:

* Best Video:

, " La La La" * Best Gospel:

Lurine Cato Lurine Lilian Cato, British gospel singer, songwriter and session vocalist, won the MOBO Award for Best Gospel Act in 2013 and was nominated in the same category in 2017. She was a finalist on the 12th Season of '' Britain's Got Talent 2018'' ...

* Best Jazz: Sons of Kemet * Best Reggae:

* Best African Act:

Fuse ODG Nana Richard Abiona (born 2 December 1988), better known by his stage name Fuse ODG, is a British singer, songwriter and rapper. He is best known for his singles " Antenna" and " Dangerous Love", and for featuring on Major Lazer's " Light It U ...

* Best International:

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...

2014

The 19th Awards show took place on 22 October 2014 and was held at The SSE Arena in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It was hosted by

and Sarah-Jane Crawford. It was broadcast live on

for the first time.

Performances

*Professor Green feat Tori Kelly - Lullaby *Jessie J feat Kid Ink - Bang Bang + Burnin' Up *Krept & Konan & The All Stars - Don't Waste My Time *Fekky & Meridan Dan - Still Sittin Here + German Whip *Candi Staton & Little Simz - You've Got The Love *Jeremih feat Krept & Konan - Don't Tell 'Em *Ella Eyre - Comeback *Nicole Scherzinger - On The Rocks *Gorgon City Feat. MNEK & Jess Glynne - Ready For Your Love + Right Here

Winners

* Best African Act:

* Best Album:

Sam Smith Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. After rising to prominence in October 2012 by featuring on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, they ...

, ''

In the Lonely Hour ''In the Lonely Hour'' is the debut album by English singer and songwriter Sam Smith. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2014 via Capitol UK and Method Records. In the United States, it was released on 17 June 2014 through Capito ...

'' * Best Female Act:

* Best Gospel Act: Living Faith Connection Choir * Best Grime Act:

Stormzy Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993), known professionally as Stormzy, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2014, he gained attention on the UK underground music scene through his ''Wicked Skengman'' series of f ...

* Best Hip Hop Act: Krept and Konan * Best International Artist: Beyoncé * Best Jazz Act:

Zara McFarlane Zara McFarlane is a British jazz/soul singer and songwriter, based in East London. In October 2014, McFarlane was awarded the title of "Best Jazz Act" at the MOBO Awards. She has had four albums released by Brownswood Recordings. Early life Zara ...

* Best Male Act:

* Best Newcomer:

Ella Eyre Ella McMahon (born 1 April 1994), known professionally as Ella Eyre, is a British singer and songwriter. She is known for her collaborations with Rudimental on their UK number-one single " Waiting All Night" (2013), which won the 2014 Brit Awa ...

* Best R&B/Soul Act:

* Best Reggae Act: Stylo G * Best Song:

, "

Stay with Me Stay with Me may refer to: Film and television * ''Stay with Me'' (2004 film), an Italian film * ''Stay with Me'' (2010 film), a Canadian drama film * ''Stay with Me'' (2018 film), a South Korean romantic drama film * ''Stay with Me'' (TV series), ...

" * Best Video:

Skepta Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (born 19 September 1982), known professionally as Skepta, is a British-Nigerian grime MC, rapper and record producer. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became foundin ...

ft. JME, " That's Not Me"

2015

The 20th Awards show took place on 4 November 2015 and was held at the First Direct Arena in

. The show was broadcast live on ITV2 and hosted by Sarah-Jane Crawford.

Performances

*Ella Eyre - "Even If" *Krept & Konan - "Do It for the Gang, Certified + Freak of the Week" *Lianne La Havas - "Unstoppable" *Naughty Boy - "Running Lose It All" *Rita Ora - "Body on Me + Poison" *Section Boyz - "Trapping Ain't Dead" *FKA twigs - "Figure 8 + In Time" *Fuse ODG - "Million Pound Girl (Badder Than Bad)" + "Dangerous Love" *Shakka - "Say Nada" *CeeLo Green - "Music to My Soul, Crazy" + "Forget You"

Winners

*Best Hip Hop Act: Krept and Konan *Best Gospel Act:

Faith Child Michael Oluwaseyi Ayo (born 5 March 1989), known by his stage name Faith Child, is a British Christian rap Christian hip hop (originally gospel rap, also known as Christian rap, gospel hip hop or holy hip hop) is a subgenre of contemporary C ...

*Best Grime Act:

*Best African Act:

*Best Newcomer: Section Boyz *Best Male Act:

*Best Song:

, " Shutdown" *Best Female Act:

*Paving the Way Award:

Lenny Henry Sir Lenworth George Henry (born 29 August 1958) is a British actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer. Henry gained success as a stand-up comedian and impressionist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in '' The Le ...

*Best R&B/Soul Act: Shakka *Best Jazz Act:

Binker and Moses Moses Boyd (born 30 April 1991) is a British jazz drummer, composer, record producer, bandleader and radio host. His debut solo studio album ''Dark Matter'' (2020) was nominated for the 2020 Mercury Prize. In 2014, Boyd and saxophonist Binker ...

*Best Reggae Act: Popcaan *Best Video:

FKA Twigs Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 17 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born and raised in Cheltenham, she became a backup dancer for numerous famous musicians af ...

- "

Pendulum A pendulum is a weight suspended from a wikt:pivot, pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, Mechanical equilibrium, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that ...

" *Best Album: Krept and Konan, '' The Long Way Home'' *Best International Album:

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...

, ''

If You're Reading This It's Too Late ''If You're Reading This It's Too Late'' is a commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on February 13, 2015, without prior announcement, by OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Th ...

'' *Outstanding Achievement:

CeeLo Green Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarl ...

2016

The 21st Awards show took place on 4 November 2016 and was held at the

. The show was broadcast live on ITV2 and hosted by Rickie Haywood Williams and

Melvin Odoom Melvin Odoom is a British radio DJ and television presenter. He is best known for presenting on BBC Radio 1 alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges. Education Odoom attended the University of Bedfordshire and studied a Media Perf ...

. Tinie Tempah was due to perform, but pulled out hours before the show. He was replaced by Professor Green. An error saw the wrong act given the award for Best Song. "Of the many worthy winners of best song, we deeply regret a mistake was made," said Mobo organisers, in a statement blaming a "production error".

Performances

*Laura Mvula - "Ready Or Not (Here I Come)" *Lady Leshurr - "Queen's Speech" + "Where Are You Now?" *Craig David - "Rewind + Fill Me In + 16 + When The Bassline Drops + Nothing Like This" *Chase & Status ft Tom Grennan & Frisco - "All Goes Wrong + Funny" *WSTRN - In2 *Clean Bandit ft Anne-Marie - "Rockabye" *Izzy Bizu - "Mad Behaviour" *Professor Green - "One Eye On The Door" *Popcaan ft Sneakbo - "Only Man She Wants + Too Cool" *Fekky ft Section Boyz - "Madting, Sadting"

Winners

*Best Male Act – Craig David *Best Female Act – Lady Leshurr *Best Newcomer – WSTRN *Best Album – Kano: Made In The Manor *Best Hip Hop Act – Section Boyz *Best Song – Abra Cadabra ft.

Krept & Konan Krept and Konan is a British hip hop duo from London, consisting of Casyo Valentine "Krept" Johnson BEM (born 4 February 1990, Gipsy Hill) and Karl Dominic "Konan" Wilson BEM (born 3 September 1989, Thornton Heath), the son of Delroy Wils ...

- "Robbery (remix)" *Best Video –

Nadia Rose Nadia Rose (born 11 June 1993) is a British rapper and songwriter from Croydon, London. Education Rose studied Music and Music Management at university. Career Rose released her debut EP ''Highly Flammable'' on 13 January 2017 following the ...

- SKWOD *Best R&B/Soul – Shakka *Best Grime Act (In Association with BBC Radio 1Xtra) - Chip *Best International Act -

*Best Jazz Act -

Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award. A native of Portland, Oregon, Spalding be ...

*Best Gospel Act - Guvna B *Best Reggae Act - Popcaan *Best African Act - Wizkid *Paving The Way - Nicola Adams MBE and Ms. Dynamite

2017

The MOBO Awards 2017 took place at Leeds First Direct Arena on 29 November. Stormzy won three awards while Stefflon Don's award made her the only female winner on the night. * Best Male Act -

* Best Female Act -

* Best Album:

–

Gang Signs & Prayer ''Gang Signs & Prayer'' is the debut studio album by British rapper Stormzy. It was released on 24 February 2017 independently through #Merky Records while being distributed by ADA of Warner Music Group. It is Stormzy's first major commercial re ...

* Best Newcomer -

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

* Best Song:

J Hus Momodou Lamin Jallow (born 27 May 1995), known professionally as J Hus, is a British rapper and singer who has been credited with pioneering the genre afroswing. He is currently signed to Black Butter Records. He gained popularity in 2015 fol ...

– " Did You See" * Best Video: Mist – Hot Property * Best Hip-hop Act - Giggs * Best Grime Act -

* Best R&B/soul Act - Craig David * Best International Act - Wizkid * Best African Act -

Davido David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...

* Best Reggae Act -

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Damian Marley is the youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marle ...

* Best Jazz Act - Moses Boyd * Best Gospel Act - Volney Morgan & New-Ye * Paving The Way -

Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.

2021

2022

MOBO UnSung Awards

MOBO UnSung is a biennial talent competition for unsigned acts, showcasing the next generation of urban artists. The 10 finalists (unusually increased to 11 in 2018 due to the high numbers of entrants), are narrowed down to a top 3, which the winner is then picked from.

2022

* Finalists – A30, Adreyn Cash, Crae Wolf, Genesis Elijah, JClarke, Jordan Adetunji, Mace The Great, Natalie Lindi, Sarah Ikumu, and Zitah. * Top 3 – TBC.

2018

* Finalists – Estée Blu, Fred Fredas, Fonzie, Graft, Harris Hameed, Ike Chuks, Jordz The Jay, Kris Evans, Marika, Sakyi 4, and Suelily. * Top 3 – Fred Fredas, Graft, and

Ike Chuks Diversity are a British street dance troupe formed in 2007 and based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' in 2009, beating Susan Boyle in the live final. Diversity consists of friends from Lond ...

. * Winner – Graft.

2016

* Finalists – Alika, Mullally, Mega Keggwa, Reekz MB, Juls,

Tion Wayne Dennis Junior Odunwo (born 1 September 1993), known professionally as Tion Wayne, is a British rapper and DJ from Edmonton, North London. He appeared on three top-10 singles on UK Singles Chart as a guest – NSG's "Options", "Keisha & Becky" ...

, Liz Lubega, WildBoyAce, Jay Alexzander, and U.G. * Top 3 – Alika, Mega Keggwa, and Mullally. * Winner – Alika.

2014

* Finalists – Basheba, Blizzard, Eyez, Geovarn,

Hayley May "Sorry (I Didn't Know)" is a song by UK garage duo Monsta Boy featuring Denzie on vocals. It was first released in 1999 on white label, then officially released as a single the following year via Locked On Records and XL Recordings. The song re ...

, J The Exodus, Mic Lowry, One 50, Tiana Major9 and YJ. * Top 3 –

Tiana Major9 Tiana Thomas-Ambersley (born 22 November 1995), known professionally as Tiana Major9, is a British singer-songwriter from London, England. She is currently signed to Motown and gained worldwide recognition with the Grammy nominated single "Col ...

, Mic Lowry, and YJ. * Winner – Mic Lowry.

2013

* Winner – In'Sight.

2012

* Winner – Esco Williams.

Criticism

The MOBOs have faced criticism for having become increasingly oriented towards "commercial" urban music, and having given nominations and awards to musicians who are not black. In 2003, a boycott effort emerged after the American pop musicians Justin Timberlake and

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...

won the awards for Best R&B Act and Best Video respectively. ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...

'' described the wins as being the result of the "white appropriation of black music". A MOBO spokesperson defended their presence, stating that the awards were designed to honour achievements in music of black origin, regardless of the ethnicity of their performers, and cited the increasing worldwide growth of urban music at the time. In 2006, DJ and music journalist Bigger wrote that the presentation had been "veering away from its concept of rewarding music of black origin" as early as its third edition, noting its increasing dominance by American acts at the expense of domestic acts. He argued that the show had become "little more than a pat on the back and a jolly boys' outing for major labels and American acts." In 2011, Lanre Bakare wrote in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' that the show was being affected by the music industry's dilution of the distinctive black music scene, promoting it to mainstream audiences as

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

(including "manufactured", U.S.-style hip-hop and R&B). In the column, it was noted that

had criticized the nominations of

and

Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...

for awards, while Charlie Dark of Attica Blues argued that the MOBOs needed to promote innovation in black music, and "shouldn't be an annual event where everyone pats themselves on the back for very small advances that they've made, when they are powerful enough to bring real change. If they don't adapt, artists who aren't interested in commercial pop and being put in musical boxes will just do their own thing." In 2020, English rock duo Nova Twins wrote an open letter on

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

addressed to the MOBOs concerning the lack of a Rock/Alternative category, despite the fact that many POC have contributed to the evolution of rock music, and still are to this day, and hoping "that a Rock/Alternative category will be added to the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards in 2021, recognising the POC contributors to the genre". The MOBOS later replied on Twitter that "the MOBO Awards Judging Panel have actually discussed this and ... will continue to review potential category expansions for future Award ceremonies."

References

External links

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Kanya King talks about setting up the MOBO awards
YouTube {{Music of the United Kingdom 1996 establishments in the United Kingdom Annual events in the United Kingdom Awards established in 1996 BBC Television shows Black British music British music awards Channel 4 original programming Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming ITV (TV network) original programming Lifetime achievement awards

Ceremonies

Table summary

Performers

History

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Winners

2014

Performances

Winners

2015

Performances

Winners

2016

Performances

Winners

2017

2021

2022

MOBO UnSung Awards

2022

2018

2016

2014

2013

2012

Criticism

See also

References

External links