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The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British
music award A music award is an award or prize given for skill or distinction in music. There are different awards in different countries, and different awards may focus on or exclude certain music. For example, some music awards are only for classical music ...
presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop,
grime Grime may refer to: * Dirt, in the form of black, ingrained dust * Grime (music genre), a genre of music * ''Grime'' (album), a 2001 album by Iniquity * ''Grime'' (video game), a 2021 Metroidvania video game * "Grime", a 2022 song by Dallas Woo ...
, 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 ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
,
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 ...
,
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 major ...
,
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 an ...
, 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 others. The ...
. The MOBO Organisation was founded by
Kanya King Kanya King, (born in Kilburn, London) is a British entrepreneur who is the founder of the MOBO Awards. Biography King was born in Kilburn, London, to an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, being the youngest of their nine children. Her father ...
, and the first MOBO award was presented to Baby D, in the Best Dance Act category. The inaugural awards were broadcast by
Carlton Television Carlton Television (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties from 9.25am every Monday to 5.15pm every Friday. The company is now managed with London Weekend Televi ...
from London's
Connaught Rooms The Freemasons' Tavern was established in 1775 at 61-65 Great Queen Street in the West End of London. It served as a meeting place for a variety of notable organisations from the 18th century until it was demolished in 1909 to make way for the ...
. 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 broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
,
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 stations, a ...
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 popul ...
. 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 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 third-largest settlement (by populati ...
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 platform, online video sharing and social media, 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 ...
.


Ceremonies

The ceremony was first broadcast regionally on
Carlton Television Carlton Television (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties from 9.25am every Monday to 5.15pm every Friday. The company is now managed with London Weekend Televi ...
from 1996 to 1997, before airing nationwide 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 ...
from 1998 until 2003. From 2004 to 2014, they were aired by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
; beginning in 2006, the show aired live on
BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air 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, covering all genres including animation, comedy, curre ...
, 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 network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
. In 2014, the BBC dropped the MOBO Awards, and the ceremony moved to ITV under a three-year deal, airing on
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 stations, a ...
with same-night highlights on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
. In 2017, the ceremony moved to Channel 5 and
BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
. 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 limited ...
,
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 cha ...
,
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 Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
,
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 "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
,
Rosie Gaines Rosie Gaines (born Rosemary Gaines; June 26, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Pittsburg, California. Gaines is a former band member of Prince's group, The New Power Generation. She duetted with singer Prince on th ...
,
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 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 of ...
,
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 membe ...
,
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 solo ...
, Usher,
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 " Ever ...
,
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 Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
came out of retirement to perform at the Awards, her first performance in almost a decade.


History

Kanya King Kanya King, (born in Kilburn, London) is a British entrepreneur who is the founder of the MOBO Awards. Biography King was born in Kilburn, London, to an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, being the youngest of their nine children. Her father ...
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'' *Best Single: Gabrielle - "
Give Me a Little More Time "Give Me a Little More Time" is a song by English singer and songwriter Gabrielle, recorded for her second studio album, '' Gabrielle'' (1996). Written by Gabrielle and Ben Barson with the Boilerhouse Boys, Ben Wolff, and Andrew Dean, it served ...
" *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 Li ...
featuring
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
and
Roger Troutman Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenc ...
- "
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 sin ...
" *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 resp ...
*Best R&B Act:
Mark Morrison Mark Morrison (born 3 May 1972) is a British R&B singer. His single, "Return of the Mack", became a No. 1 or top 10 hit in several European countries in 1996. The song peaked at No. 2 in the United States the following year. Career Mark Mo ...
*Best Reggae Act:
Peter Hunnigale Peter Hunnigale, also known as Mr. Honey Vibes (born 12 December 1960, South London, England) is a British reggae singer best known for his lovers rock releases. Biography Hunnigale started his career as bass guitarist with the Vibes Corner Coll ...
*Best Gospel Act: New Colours *Best Jazz Act:
Courtney Pine Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964), is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...
*Best Dance Act: Baby D *Best Jungle Act:
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 ...
*Best DJ:
Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
*Best International Act:
Fugees Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) is an American hip hop group formed in the early 1990s. Deriving its name from a shortening of the word "refugees", the group consists of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill. The group rose to fame with i ...
*Best International Single:
Fugees Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) is an American hip hop group formed in the early 1990s. Deriving its name from a shortening of the word "refugees", the group consists of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill. The group rose to fame with i ...
- " Killing Me Softly" *Outstanding Contribution to Black Music:
Jazzie B Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE, (born 26 January 1963) better known as Jazzie B, is a British DJ and music producer. He is the founder of Soul II Soul. Life and career Jazzie was born in London UK to parents of Antiguan descent in Hornsey, Londo ...
*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 recordi ...


1997

The 1997 award ceremony was held at London's New Connaught Rooms on 10 November. The gala included performances by
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
and
Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...
. *Best Dance Act:
The Prodigy The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboard player and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured dancer and singer Keith Flint and dancer and occasional l ...
*Best R&B Act:
Shola Ama Shola Ama (born 8 March 1979) is a British singer from London, who scored her biggest hits with "You Might Need Somebody" (1997), a cover of Randy Crawford's 1981 hit, " You're the One I Love" and "Still Believe" (1999) which was one of the fi ...
*Best Hip Hop: Funky DL *Best International Hip Hop:
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 solo ...
*Best Reggae Act:
Finley Quaye Finley Quaye (born 25 March 1974, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish musician. He won the 1997 MOBO Award for best reggae act, and the 1998 BRIT Award for Best Male Solo Artist. Life Finley Quaye is the son of vaudeville pianist Cab Kaye and t ...
*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 incl ...
*Best Single:
Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...
*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 Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...
*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 the ...
*Best Newcomer:
Shola Ama Shola Ama (born 8 March 1979) is a British singer from London, who scored her biggest hits with "You Might Need Somebody" (1997), a cover of Randy Crawford's 1981 hit, " You're the One I Love" and "Still Believe" (1999) which was one of the fi ...
*Best Unsigned Act: Fola Sade *Best International Reggae Act:
Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mus ...
*Best Producer: Sean Puffy Combs *Best Radio DJ:
David Rodigan David Michael "Ram Jam" Rodigan MBE OD (born 24 June 1951) is a British radio DJ who also performs as a disc jockey. Known for his selections of reggae and dancehall music, he has played on stations including Radio London, Capital 95.8, Ki ...
*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 *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 Rosie Gaines (born Rosemary Gaines; June 26, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Pittsburg, California. Gaines is a former band member of Prince's group, The New Power Generation. She duetted with singer Prince on th ...
" 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 career ...
*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 n ...


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 and
Bill Bellamy William Bellamy (born April 7, 1965) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' ''Def Comedy Jam'', where he is credited for creating or coining the phrase "booty call", descri ...
. It was broadcast nationally by
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 ...
. Performers and presenters included footballer
Sol Campbell Sulzeer Jeremiah Campbell (born 18 September 1974) is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of club Southend United. He previously managed Macclesfield Town from November 2018 to August ...
, girl band All Saints, DJ
Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
, boxers Lennox Lewis 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 WBO middleweight and super-middleweight titles between 1990 and 1995, and is ranked by BoxRec as the thir ...
, Puff Daddy,
Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Qu ...
,
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 ...
, Another Level, and
Martine McCutcheon Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama '' Bluebir ...
. Contribution to Black Music went to Carl McIntosh and
B.B. 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 ...
won the Lifetime Achievement Award. * Best Dance Act: Stardust * Best Reggae Act:
Glamma Kid Iyael Lyases Tafari Constable (born 14 March 1978, London Borough of Hackney, Hackney, London, England), better known as Glamma Kid, is a Deejay (Jamaican), toaster and former Royal Air Force trainee of part-Jamaican descent. He had two top 10 hi ...
* Best Drum and Bass:
4 Hero 4hero are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as ''4 Hero'' or ''4-Hero'', the name is stylised as ''4hero'' on their albums and ...
* Best Hip Hop Act: Pheobe 1 * Best Unsigned Act:
Alison Brown Alison Brown (born August 7, 1962) is an American banjo player, guitarist, composer, and producer. She has won and has been nominated for several Grammy awards and is often compared to another banjo prodigy, Béla Fleck, for her unique style o ...
* Best Newcomer:
Lynden David Hall Lynden David Hall (7 May 1974 – 14 February 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who emerged during the late 1990s as part of the neo soul movement. In 1999, he was the first UK performer ever voted "Best Male ...
* Best R&B Act:
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
* Best International Reggae:
Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mus ...
* Contribution to Music: Carl McIntosh * Best Video: All Saints * Best International Act:
Puff Daddy and the Family 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 ...
* Best International Single:
Pras Prakazrel Samuel Michel (; born October 19, 1972) is a Haitian-American rapper, producer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the hip hop group Fugees, alongside Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill. After the Fugees, he earned two ...
feat
ODB ODB may refer to: People * Ol' Dirty Bastard (1968–2004), American rapper and founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan * ODB (wrestler) (born 1978), Stage name of American professional wrestler Jessica Kresa * Original David Baker (born 1972), a monik ...
/
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 Adam Fenton (born 8 February 1972) is an English record producer and DJ who has worked across various genres. He is also the co-founder of the drum and bass label Breakbeat Kaos along with DJ Fresh. He found initial success with the 1990s drum ...
* 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, shim ...


1999

The 1999 Malibu MOBO Awards award ceremony 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 ...
, sponsored by Malibu and hosted by Mel B 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, a ...
. International Hip-Hop Act Award went to
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 of ...
, Best Album was awarded to
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
, 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
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 "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
. 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 " Kiss ...
,
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 hits ...
,
Method Man & Redman Method Man & Redman (also referred to as Meth & Red, Red & Mef, John Blaze and Funk Doc or Funk Doctor Spock and Johnny Blaze) are an American hip hop duo, composed of East Coast rappers Method Man (of Wu-Tang Clan) and Redman (of Def Squad) ...
,
Tim Westwood Timothy Westwood (born 3 October 1957) is a British DJ and presenter. He is often referred to by other DJs and artists appearing on his shows simply as Westwood. He was described by ''The Guardian'' in 2022 as "a veteran of the hip-hop scene ...
,
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 recordi ...
,
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, a C ...
,
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. Wi ...
,
Chris Eubank Christopher Livingstone Eubank (born 8 August 1966) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1998. He held the WBO middleweight and super-middleweight titles between 1990 and 1995, and is ranked by BoxRec as the thir ...
, 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 m ...
,
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 limited ...
, and girl band
Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...
. * Best International R&B Act:
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 limited ...
* 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 H ...
* Best International Act:
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. ...
* Best Hip Hop Act:
Roots Manuva Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva (born 9 September 1972), is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial succes ...
* Best International Hip Hop Act: Jay Z * Best Dance Act:
Shanks & Bigfoot Shanks & Bigfoot were a British duo of UK garage producers Steven Meade and Danny Langsman, known principally for their single " Sweet like Chocolate", which topped the UK Singles Chart in 1999. They were originally known as Doolally, recording ...
* Best Video:
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
- " No Scrubs" * Best Album:
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
- ''Prodigal Sista'' * Best DJ:
Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
* Best Single:
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 H ...
* 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 "My Name Is" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his second album ''The Slim Shady LP'' (1999). It is also the opening song and lead single of the album. The song samples British singer Labi Siffre's 1975 track "I Got The..." as a bass and g ...
" * Best Reggae Act:
Mr Vegas Clifford Smith (born December 29th, 1974), better known as Mr. Vegas, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. Biography Clifford Smith was born in Kingston in 1974.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough G ...
* 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 ...
* Best R&B Act:
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
* Lifetime Achievement Award:
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 "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...


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. Origi ...
, hosted by
Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
and
Lisa Left Eye Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group TLC (group), TLC, alongside Tionne Watkins, Tionne "T-Boz" ...
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 are as ...
by
Jamelia ' Jamelia Niela Davis (born 11 January 1981) is an English singer, songwriter and television presenter. She has released three studio albums, each of which has reached the Top 40 in the UK, which collectively have spawned eight UK top-ten singl ...
featuring
Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mus ...
.
Craig David Craig Ashley David (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta), Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger (UK band), Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, ' ...
performed an acoustic medley of
Fill Me In "Fill Me In" is the debut solo single of British singer Craig David. It was released on 3 April 2000 as the lead single from his debut studio album, '' Born to Do It'' (2000). The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 9 April 200 ...
,
7 Days Seven Days or 7 Days may refer to: * Week, an amount of time Film * ''7 Days'' (2010 film) (''Les 7 jours du talion''), Canadian thriller film * ''7 Days'' (2021 film), American romantic comedy film * ''Seven Days'' (1925 film), American silent ...
and
Nice & Slow "Nice & Slow" is a song from American singer-songwriter Usher's second album, ''My Way'' (1997). Released on January 6, 1998, the song became Usher's first number-one single on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in February 1998. The song was wr ...
by Usher,
Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
exclusively performed By Your Side, Gabrielle performed
Rise Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...
,
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,
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 alb ...
performed
U Know What's Up "U Know What's Up" is a song by American R&B singer Donell Jones. It was written by Edward "Eddie F." Ferrell, Darren Lighty, Clifton Lighty, Balewa Muhammad, Anthony Hamilton, Clifford Harris, and Veronica McKenzie for his second studio album, ...
featuring ceremony host, Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes. The show closed with a performance of
Who Let The Dogs Out "Who Let the Dogs Out" is a song performed by Bahamian junkanoo band Baha Men. Originally released by Anslem Douglas (titled "Doggie"), it was covered by producer Jonathan King who sang it under the name Fat Jakk and his Pack of Pets. He bro ...
by
Baha Men The Baha Men are a Bahamian junkanoo band formed in New Providence, Bahamas in 1977. They are best known for their Grammy Award-winning hit song "Who Let the Dogs Out". History Early years The Baha Men formed in 1977 as High Voltage, initia ...
. 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 Kanya King, (born in Kilburn, London) is a British entrepreneur who is the founder of the MOBO Awards. Biography King was born in Kilburn, London, to an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, being the youngest of their nine children. Her father ...
,
Honeyz The Honeyz are a British R&B girl group, composed of members Celena Cherry and Mariama Goodman. The group had five UK top 10 hits between 1998 and 2000, with "Finally Found" (1998), " End of the Line" (1998), " Love of a Lifetime" (1999), "Ne ...
,
Melanie Sykes Melanie Ann Sykes (born 7 August 1970) is an English television and radio presenter. She is best known for co-hosting '' Today with Des and Mel'' with Des O'Connor and '' Let's Do Lunch'' with Gino D'Acampo. She also co-hosted '' Going Out with ...
amongst others. *Best Newcomer: Craig David *Best Video: Jamelia - Money *Best Hip Hop Act:
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 ...
*Best Reggae Act: Beenie Man *Best Gospel Act: Mary Mary *Best Jazz Act:
Ronny Jordan Robert Laurence Albert Simpson, known professionally as Ronny Jordan (29 November 1962 – 13 January 2014) was a British guitarist and part of the acid jazz movement at the end of the twentieth century. Jordan described his music as "urban jaz ...
*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 featured ...
*Best UK Garage Act:
DJ Luck & MC Neat DJ Luck & MC Neat are a British musical duo, composed of Joel Samuels (a.k.a. DJ Luck) and Michael Rose (a.k.a. MC Neat) mainly performing a combination of house music and UK garage. They had three consecutive top 10 hits in the United Kingd ...
*Best Producer: MJ Cole *Best UK Radio DJ:
Tim Westwood Timothy Westwood (born 3 October 1957) is a British DJ and presenter. He is often referred to by other DJs and artists appearing on his shows simply as Westwood. He was described by ''The Guardian'' in 2022 as "a veteran of the hip-hop scene ...
*Best UK Club: Steve Sutherland *MOBO Unsigned Award: Cherise *Outstanding Contribution to Music: Aswad *Outstanding Achievement:
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
*Best UK Single: "
Fill Me In "Fill Me In" is the debut solo single of British singer Craig David. It was released on 3 April 2000 as the lead single from his debut studio album, '' Born to Do It'' (2000). The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 9 April 200 ...
" by Craig David *Best UK Album: ''
Rise Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...
'' by Gabrielle


2001


2002

* Best R&B Act: Ashanti


2003

In 2003, the MOBO awards show moved to
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 was hosted by
Blu Cantrell Blu Cantrell (born Tiffany Cobb; March 16, 1976) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter. Cantrell rose to fame in 2001, with the release of her debut single, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)", which peaked at number two on the US ''Billboa ...
and Lil' Kim, with performances from DMX (rapper), DMX, Lumidee, Wayne Wonder, George Benson, Lemar, Seal (musician), Seal, Mis-Teeq and Redman (rapper), Redman, J'Nay John Adeleye, Big Brovaz, The Black Eyed Peas and Kool and the Gang. Among the winners of the night were: 50 Cent,
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, Big Brovaz and
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, ...
, who was the only UK female artist to win an award.


2004

The ninth awards ceremony took place on 30 September 2004 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 was broadcast by
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
.
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 ...
received the icon award. So Solid Crew won the award in the UK garage Act category award beating
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 ...
and The Streets. Controversy surrounded the removal of
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 ...
artists Vybz Kartel and Elephant Man (musician), Elephant Man from the "Best Reggae Act" category at the 2004 awards due to their homophobia 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
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. ...
. The event was hosted by Gina Yashere and Akon 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 ...
, with guest presenters Chris Eubank,
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, ...
, Josie Darby, Simon Webbe, Myleene Klass, Estelle (musician), Estelle, Tim Westwood, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Chuck D. Big winners on the night included Corrine Bailey-Rae, Lemar, The Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Sean Paul and Beyoncé.


2006

In 2006 the awards ceremony was hosted by
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 solo ...
and Gina Yashere 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 ...
. For the first time the World Music and Jazz categories were suspended. Corinne Bailey Rae won the prize for Best UK Newcomer and Jai Amore won Best Unsigned Act. British rapper Akala (rapper), Akala won Best Hip Hop Act, beating stiff competition from American acts such as
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 ...
, 50 Cent, and The Game (rapper), The Game.


2007

The 2007 awards ceremony was broadcast live on
BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air 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, covering all genres including animation, comedy, curre ...
from the The O2 arena (London), O2 Arena in London and hosted by Shaggy (musician), Shaggy and
Jamelia ' Jamelia Niela Davis (born 11 January 1981) is an English singer, songwriter and television presenter. She has released three studio albums, each of which has reached the Top 40 in the UK, which collectively have spawned eight UK top-ten singl ...
. The jazz category returned. Shaggy opened the evening with a medley. T-Pain performed on stage with Yung Joc,
Craig David Craig Ashley David (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta), Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger (UK band), Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, ' ...
and Kano (rapper), Kano collaborated on stage; Ne-Yo, Mutya Buena and Robin Thicke also performed.
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 membe ...
performed two songs and accepted the award for Best UK Female. N-Dubz won Best Newcomer. England cricketer Monty Panesar and England footballer Micah Richards were among a line up of guests presenting individual awards which also included Sinitta and Quentin Tarantino.


2008

*Best Album: Leona Lewis, ''Spirit (Leona Lewis album), Spirit'' *Best Song: Estelle (musician), Estelle, "American Boy" *Best Uk Male::
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 ...
*Best Uk Female: Estelle *Best Uk Newcomer: Chip (rapper), Chipmunk *Best Video: Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love" *Best Hip Hop Act: Lil Wayne *Best R&B/Soul Act: Chris Brown *Best Reggae Act: Mavado (singer), Mavado *Best Gospel Act: Jahaziel (rapper), Jahaziel *Best Jazz Act: YolanDa Brown *Best African Act: 9ice *Best International Act: Chris Brown *Best Club DJ:
Tim Westwood Timothy Westwood (born 3 October 1957) is a British DJ and presenter. He is often referred to by other DJs and artists appearing on his shows simply as Westwood. He was described by ''The Guardian'' in 2022 as "a veteran of the hip-hop scene ...
*Best Radio DJ: Tim Westwood *Be Mobo: Ricky McCalla *Lifetime Achievement: Mary Wilson (singer), Mary Wilson


2009

The 2009 awards event took place on 30 September at the SEC Centre 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 popul ...
, the first time the MOBO awards show took place outside London. A tribute performance was dedicated to Michael Jackson, and the Young Soul Rebels performed their charity single "I Got Soul". Reggie Yates and Keri Hilson hosted the awards show, with Peter Andre presenting backstage.


2010

The awards ceremony took place on 20 October 2010 in Liverpool. * Best Newcomer: Tinie Tempah * Best UK Hip-Hop/Grime Act: Professor Green * Best African Act: K'Naan * Best Video: Tinie Tempah ft. Labrinth – Frisky * Best Reggae Act: Gyptian * Best Jazz Act: Empirical (jazz band), Empirical * Best Gospel Act: Guvna B * Best UK R&B/Soul Act: Plan B (musician), Plan B * Best International Act:
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 ...
* Best UK Act: JLS * Best Song: N-Dubz ft Mr Hudson - Playing With Fire * Best Album: JLS * Lifetime Achievement: Billy Ocean


2011

The awards show returned to Glasgow's SEC Centre on 5 October 2011, hosted by Jason Derülo and Alesha Dixon.
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 ...
won four awards, making her the biggest winner of the night. Boyz II Men received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Other winners included Rihanna, Tinie Tempah, Adele and Alborosie.
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 membe ...
was given an award and a special tribute, following her death in July 2011. * Best Gospel: Triple O * Best Jazz: Kairos Quartet * Best Reggae: Alborosie * Best African Act: Wizkid (musician), Wizkid * Best Song:
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 ...
* Best R&B/Soul: Adele * Best Album:
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 ...
* Best Hip Hop/Grime: Tinie Tempah * Best Video: Tinchy Stryder ft. Dappy * Best Newcomer:
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 ...
* Best International: Rihanna


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, Conor Maynard, Emeli Sandé, Misha B, JLS, Stooshe, Labrinth, Angel (British musician), Angel and Wiley (rapper), Wiley perform. Emeli Sandé won awards for Best Female, Best Album and Best R&B/Soul while Plan B (musician), Plan B took Best Male Act and Best Hip Hop/Grime.
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
were awarded Outstanding Contribution to Music, with
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 cha ...
receiving the MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award. The full list of winners where: * Best Gospel: Rachel Kerr * Best Jazz: Zoe Rahman * Best Reggae: Sean Paul * Best African Act: D'Banj * Best Song: Labrinth ft. Tinie Tempah, "Earthquake (Labrinth song), Earthquake" * 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 * Best International: Nicki Minaj


2013

The 18th Awards show took place on 19 October 2013 and was held at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. It was hosted by
Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
and Sarah-Jane Crawford. Performances included Tinie Tempah, Iggy Azalea, Naughty Boy, Rudimental and Jahméne Douglas.


Winners

* Best Male Act: Wiley (rapper), Wiley * Best Female Act: Laura Mvula * Best Song: Naughty Boy, "La La La (Naughty Boy song), La La La" * Best Album: Rudimental, ''Home (Rudimental album), Home'' * Best Newcomer: Krept and Konan, ft. "Dizzy" Daniel Moorehead * Best R&B/Soul: Laura Mvula * Best UK Hip Hop/Grime: Tinie Tempah * Best Video: Naughty Boy, "La La La (Naughty Boy song), La La La" * Best Gospel: Lurine Cato * Best Jazz: Sons of Kemet * Best Reggae: Sean Paul * Best African Act: Fuse ODG * Best International: Kendrick Lamar


2014

The 19th Awards show took place on 22 October 2014 and was held at Wembley arena, The SSE Arena in London. It was hosted by Mel B and Sarah-Jane Crawford. It was broadcast live on
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 stations, a ...
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: Fuse ODG * Best Album: Sam Smith (singer), Sam Smith, ''In the Lonely Hour'' * Best Female Act:
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 ...
* Best Gospel Act: Living Faith Connection Choir * Best Grime Act: Stormzy * Best Hip Hop Act: Krept and Konan * Best International Artist: Beyoncé * Best Jazz Act: Zara McFarlane * Best Male Act: Sam Smith (singer), Sam Smith * Best Newcomer: Ella Eyre * Best R&B/Soul Act: Sam Smith (singer), Sam Smith * Best Reggae Act: Stylo G * Best Song: Sam Smith (singer), Sam Smith, "Stay with Me (Sam Smith song), Stay with Me" * Best Video: Skepta ft. JME (rapper), JME, "That's Not Me (Skepta song), That's Not Me"


2015

The 20th Awards show took place on 4 November 2015 and was held at the First Direct Arena in
Leeds Leeds () is a 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 third-largest settlement (by populati ...
. 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 *Best Grime Act: Stormzy *Best African Act: Fuse ODG *Best Newcomer: Section Boyz *Best Male Act: Stormzy *Best Song: Skepta, "Shutdown (Skepta song), Shutdown" *Best Female Act: Ella Eyre *Paving the Way Award: Lenny Henry *Best R&B/Soul Act: Shakka (singer), Shakka *Best Jazz Act: Binker and Moses *Best Reggae Act: Popcaan *Best Video: FKA Twigs - "Pendulum (FKA twigs song), Pendulum" *Best Album: Krept and Konan, ''The Long Way Home (Krept and Konan album), The Long Way Home'' *Best International Album: Drake (rapper), Drake, ''If You're Reading This It's Too Late'' *Outstanding Achievement: CeeLo Green


2016

The 21st Awards show took place on 4 November 2016 and was held at the OVO Hydro 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 popul ...
. The show was broadcast live on ITV2 and hosted by Rickie Haywood Williams and Melvin Odoom. 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 Craig Ashley David (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta), Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger (UK band), Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, ' ...
*Best Female Act – Lady Leshurr *Best Newcomer – WSTRN *Best Album – Kano (rapper), Kano: Made In The Manor *Best Hip Hop Act – Section Boyz *Best Song – Abra Cadabra ft. Krept and Konan, Krept & Konan - "Robbery (remix)" *Best Video – Nadia Rose - SKWOD *Best R&B/Soul – Shakka (singer), Shakka *Best Grime Act (In Association with BBC Radio 1Xtra) - Chip (rapper), Chip *Best International Act - Drake (musician), Drake *Best Jazz Act - Esperanza Spalding *Best Gospel Act - Guvna B *Best Reggae Act - Popcaan *Best African Act - Wizkid (musician), Wizkid *Paving The Way - Nicola Adams, 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 - Stormzy * Best Female Act -
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 ...
* Best Album: Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer * Best Newcomer - Dave (rapper), Dave * Best Song: J Hus – "Did You See (J Hus song), Did You See" * Best Video: Mist – Hot Property * Best Hip-hop Act - Giggs (rapper), Giggs * Best Grime Act - Stormzy * Best R&B/soul Act -
Craig David Craig Ashley David (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta), Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger (UK band), Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, ' ...
* Best International Act - Wizkid (musician), Wizkid * Best African Act - Davido * Best Reggae Act - Damian Marley * Best Jazz Act - Moses Boyd * Best Gospel Act - Volney Morgan & New-Ye * Paving The Way - Idris Elba


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. * Winner – Graft (rapper), Graft.


2016

* Finalists – Alika, Mullally, Mega Keggwa, Reekz MB, Juls, Tion Wayne, 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, J The Exodus, Mic Lowry, One 50, Tiana Major9 and YJ. * Top 3 – Tiana Major9, 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 Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
and Christina Aguilera won the awards for Best R&B Act and Best Video respectively. ''The Independent'' described the wins as being the result of the "white Cultural appropriation, 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'' 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 (including "manufactured", U.S.-style hip-hop and R&B). In the column, it was noted that Labrinth had criticized the nominations of Conor Maynard and Ed Sheeran for awards, while Charlie Dark of Attica Blues (band), 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 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."


See also

*British Black music *Gospel Music#British black gospel, UK Gospel


References


External links

*
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