Last night, the MOBO Awards took over London’s OVO Wembley Arena for their 25th anniversary edition, and they pulled out all the stops, with live performances, a few viral moments, and a couple of new categories to boot.
Livestreamed on YouTube (with a special broadcast to be shown on BBC One on December 7), the ceremony was hosted by YouTube stars Chunkz and Yung Filly with live performances from Nile Rodgers, Craig David, Kojey Radical, Tion Wayne, Fireboy DML, Cat Burns, FLO, Eliza Rose, Beenie Man and Emeli Sandé, who performed a special tribute for the late Jamal Edwards MBE.
Central Cee scooped two wins (Best Male Act and Best Video), Knucks and Little Simz shared the prize for Best Album, and Inflo—the producer behind Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and the enigmatic SAULT project—picked up the award for Best Producer. As for the new categories, new-gen junglist Nia Archives bagged the prize for Best Electronic/Dance Act while punk/rap duo Bob Vylan won the Best Alternative Act award. Grime legend D Double E picked up the award for Best Grime Act, while K-Trap won Best Drill Act.
Also celebrated last night were Craig David, who won the Outstanding Contribution Award, and Nile Rodgers, who was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. A special category, the fittingly-titled Paving The Way Award, was also created for Jamal Edwards MBE to celebrate the SBTV founder’s towering legacy.
You can see the full list of winners from this year’s MOBO Awards below.
Best Male Act
Central Cee
Best Female Act
PinkPantheress
Album Of The Year (Joint Winners)
Knucks – Alpha Place
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Song Of The Year – In Association With Lucozade
Dreya Mac, Felixthe1st & Finch Fetti – “Own Brand (Baddie)”
Best Newcomer – In Association With ASOS
Bru-C
Video Of The Year – In Association With McDonald’s McCrispy
Central Cee – “Doja”
Best R&B/Soul Act
Mahalia
Best Grime Act
D Double E
Best Hip-Hop Act – In Association With Mixtape Madness
D-Block Europe
Best Drill Act – Supported By TRENCH
K-Trap
Best International Act
Burna Boy
Best Performance In A TV Show/Film
Kane Robinson (Kano) as Sully – Top Boy
Best Media Personality
Nella Rose
Best Alternative Music Act – In Association With Marshall
Bob Vylan
Best Electronic/Dance Act – Supported By Mixmag
Nia Archives
Best African Music Act – Supported By Afrozons
Burna Boy
Best Gospel Act – Supported By Premier Gospel
Still Shadey
Best Jazz Act – Supported By Jazz FM
Ezra Collective
Best Caribbean Music Act
Skillibeng
Best Producer – Supported By Complex UK
Inflo
Lifetime Achievement Award
Nile Rodgers
Outstanding Contribution Award
Craig David
Paving The Way Award – Supported By BBC 1Xtra
Jamal Edwards MBE
