The UK’s most prestigious celebration of Black music and culture, the 26th MOBO was hosted yesterday by Babatúndé Aléshé and Indiyah Polack, with Zeze Millz as the roaming co-host. It was live-streamed from Sheffield to the world via MOBO’s YouTube channel. The evening featured show-stopping performances from legends and some of music’s hottest rising stars exclusive to the MOBO Awards. From UK rap to Afrobeats, Dancehall to Pop/R&B and Garage; the MOBO stage delivered back-to-back global viral hits and classics by Soul II Soul, Ghetts, Sugababes, Cristale, Byron Messia, King Promise and Camidoh, plus a 30 years of UK Garage set by DJ Spoony.
BBC One will broadcast the 26th MOBO Awards: Access All Areas on Friday 9 February at 11.30PM GMT. Presented by BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Target, this special will include highlights from the ceremony, exclusive behind-the-scenes action, performances and red-carpet interviews.
Central Cee scooped two top prizes – Best Male Act and Song of The Year (supported by BBC Radio 1Xtra) with Dave for ‘Sprinter’. This brings Central Cee’s total tally of MOBO wins up to six, tying with Stormzy as the most-awarded rappers in MOBO history. Central Cee previously bagged Best Newcomer and Best Drill Act in 2021, and Best Male Act and Video of The Year in 2022. The record-breaking song of the summer, ‘Sprinter’, debuted at No.1 on the UK Official Singles Chart in June with 13.4 million streams – the biggest week of streams for a rap single ever, according to Official Charts data. It also became the first UK rap song to spend 10 weeks at No.1.
Following a landmark year with her debut album “My 21st Century Blues”, RAYE continues her ascend winning MOBO Best Female Act (in association with SheaMoisture). This is RAYE’s first MOBO win after scoring three prestigious nominations this year. The critically-lauded album, featuring the massive hit ‘Escapism’. with 070 Shake, positions the British singer-songwriter as one of the country’s most vital music talents.
London rapper Potter Payper claimed the prestigious Album of The Year prize for Real Back In Style. After releasing a string of EPs and mixtapes over the past few years; Potter’s debut album entered the UK Albums Chart at No.2 to mass critical-acclaim, praising his disarmingly honest approach and authenticity. This is Potter Payper’s first MOBO Award win, after receiving seven nominations in total.
Little Simz won Best Hip Hop Act, her first MOBO win in this category after picking up Best Female Act in 2021 and Album of The Year in 2022 (as a joint win with Knucks). Her latest album No Thank You earned widespread critical praise, with the Daily Telegraph hailing it as the best UK rap album of 2022.
The enigmatic British R&B collective Sault were named Best R&B Act. After surprise-releasing five albums simultaneously and putting on one of the most buzzed-about live shows of 2023; the group have successfully captured intrigue and great musicality to become one of the most exciting acts of the new UK R&B age. Centred around producer Inflo – who won MOBO Best Producer (supported by Complex UK) tonight – Sault’s output spans the kaleidoscope of Black music history; traversing R&B, soul, house music, contemporary gospel, disco, Afro-legacy and Afro-future.
Genre-hopping critically-acclaimed jazz band Ezra Collective continued the winning streak of the past year by picking up MOBO Best Jazz Act tonight. This is the group’s second MOBO win in this category, following 2022’s prize. The quintet’s multi-award-winning album Where I’m Meant To Be features collaborations with Sampa The Great, Kojey Radical, Emeli Sandé and Nao. Known for fusing elements of Afrobeat, calypso, reggae, hip-hop and soul; Ezra Collective are breaking the genre’s sometimes elitist rules and creating their own movement.
Multi-hyphenate artist, Shygirl won Best Dance/Electronic Act (supported by BEMA & Mixmag). The DJ, singer, songwriter and rapper, known for pushing boundaries with her sound, has amassed a cult following which has seen her collaborate with the likes of Lady Gaga and FKA twigs. Five of the six Best Dance/Electronic Act nominees this year are women, highlighting the incredible female talent in a field that has traditionally been dominated by male DJs and producers.
Mancunian rapper and actor Bugzy Malone won Best Grime Act. As the first Grime artist from Manchester to achieve breakout success; Bugzy shows no sign of slowing down. He has scored five UK Top 10 albums and collaborations with everyone from Dizzee Rascal to Chip, Chase & Status to a new generation of rap stars like Aitch and ArrDee. He launched his latest single ‘Lean’ last year, which follows the Top 10 success of ‘Out of Nowhere’ with Sheffield artist TeeDee – Bugzy’s highest charting single to date.
Grime legend Ghetts was honoured with the MOBO Pioneer Award tonight, moments before performing his latest single ‘Double Standards’ (featuring Sampha), taken from his heavily-anticipated new album On Purpose, With Purpose. Dancehall’s golden boy Byron Messia opened the show with his inescapable viral hit ‘Talibans’. The inescapable summer smash earned the 23-year-old MOBO Best Caribbean Music Act nominee co-signs from Dave and Burna Boy. MOBO Impact Award recipients Sugababes performed a medley of their hits, ‘Overload’ / ‘Push The Button’ / ‘Freak Like Me’. Rising UK rap star Cristale brought a piece of London to the Sheffield stage, performing her new single ‘Antisocial’. DJ Spoony’s curated set celebrating 30 years of UK Garage was a thrilling throwback bonanza with appearances from Nay Nay (performing ‘Body Groove’), MC Creed, MC Ranking, MC Viper, MC Maxwell D, Sabrina Washington of Mis-Teeq (performing ‘Why?’), and So Solid Crew (MC Harvey, Kaish and Romeo) performing ‘21 Seconds’.
MOBO Founder & CEO, Kanya King CBE said:
“I’m still overjoyed by the celebration of black music and culture we witnessed last night at the 26th MOBO Awards in Sheffield. It’s become an instant classic in MOBO history. Since 1996, MOBO has been an unstoppable force, championing black culture, providing a platform for many unheard voices to be seen and heard, particularly in the city of Sheffield, leaving a legacy that will endure long after we are gone. Our hosts Indiyah, Babatunde and Zeze entertained us with such charisma, humour and passion. I also want to congratulate each and every winner, every nominee and performer, who all gave standout performances. You can watch it all again on YouTube and this Friday evening from the comfort of your sofa on BBC One, Access All Areas with DJ Target taking you behind the scenes. You don’t want to miss it!”
WINNERS
Best male act: Central Cee
Best female act: Raye
Album of the year: Potter Payper – Real Back in Style
Song of the year: Central Cee and Dave – Sprinter
Best newcomer: Tunde
Video of the year: Stormzy – Mel Made Me Do It (dir Klvdr)
Best R&B/soul act: Sault
Best hip-hop act: Little Simz
Best grime act: Bugzy Malone
Best drill act: K-Trap
Best international act (US): Drake and 21 Savage
Best performance in a TV show/film: Damson Idris as Franklin Saint, Snowfall
Best media personality: ShxtsnGigs
Best African music act: Asake
Best Caribbean music act: Valiant
Best jazz act: Ezra Collective
Best alternative music act: Skindred
Best electronic/dance act: Shygirl
Best producer: Inflo
Best gospel act: Limoblaze
Lifetime achievement award: Soul II Soul
Impact award: Sugababes
Paving the Way award: Jessica Ennis-Hill
Pioneer award: Ghetts
