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For 26 years, the MOBO Awards have celebrated the best of Black British talent, giving out early gongs to future superstars like Stormzy and Dave while honouring the acts who’ve impacted British culture over time. 2024’s ceremony, held for the first time at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, does what the MOBOs do best, boasting performances from the Lifetime Achievement Award winners Soul II Soul, to upcoming rapper Cristale, and global talents Byron Messia and King Promise.
The first award of the night goes to Potter Payper’s ‘Real Back In Style’ for Album of the Year, a tough category as he went up against huge records like Raye’s ‘My 21st Century Blues’ and Stormzy’s ‘This Is What I Mean’, but the rapper’s long-awaited debut LP took the big one.
Following a true breakthrough year, Raye went home with a well-deserved Best Female Act award, while Central Cee capped off his with a Best Male Act gong and a Song of the Year award for the chart-topping, record-breaking Dave collaboration ‘Sprinter’. After picking up the Mercury Prize last year, Ezra Collective took Best Jazz Act, while Best R&B/Soul Act went to the enigmatic Sault, who sent Little Simz to collect their award on accounts that they didn’t want to reveal their identities.
Elsewhere, Little Simz collected her own award for Best Hip Hop Act, and Best Grime Act went to Manchester native Bugzy Malone, the latter noting in his acceptance speech, “When I first started out, no one in the north was making money”, and reiterating the importance of the show’s temporary move to the northern city.
It’s one of a few changes the MOBO Awards have made since revamping the ceremony for its 2021 comeback. The last event in 2022 saw the introduction of an award for Best Dance/Electronic Act – this year snagged by underground provocateur Shygirl – and Best Alternative Act, rallied for by rock duo Nova Twins, who presented this year’s award to heavy metal veterans Skindred.
“I’ve been watching the MOBOs for years and wondering why there’s no rock bands, why there’s no alternative,” said Skindred frontman Benji Webbe ahead of the show. “I think the MOBOs represents a lot more than people think, and the music that we make is definitely Black music as much as it is heavy metal music.”
“This really is such a monumental moment”
Aluna
Of the addition of the Best Dance/Electronic category, nominee Aluna said, “This really is such a monumental moment because a lot of us have been working for change across the board, and there’s so many key components that can really move the needle, and one of those is having the Dance/Electronic category at the MOBOs, and I really hope that all the other award ceremonies take note.”
Looking to both the future and the past, the MOBO Awards also honoured Sugababes with the Impact Award, having changed the course of British pop music twenty years ago and are still going strong with their original lineup, who performed a medley of early hits on the night.
Speaking immediately after their win, longest-standing member Keisha Buchanan said, “I think the goal really as an artist, people think it’s about the Number 1s, which we’ve had, but it’s actually about longevity. This is the stuff of dreams, to be able to have your music received so well all these years later. We’re so glad our music is timeless, and we’re so grateful people are still interested.”
Trailblazing grime artist Ghetts was also honoured with the Pioneer Award, shouting out those who came before him in his acceptance speech. In a chat after his win, he clarified, “The garage lot and the junglists, those are my elder statesmen; those exact artists had their own moment at the ceremony, as DJ Spoony rattled through a set of garage classics.
Giving a powerful performance of ‘Double Standards’, he addressed global conflicts as images of flags bordered the stage. It brought home what the MOBO Awards are truly about; pushing for change and giving a voice to those often overlooked by more mainstream ceremonies.
Extra goss from the red carpet
Flo give an update on their album progress
Stella: She’s hiding! But she’s sounding amazing.
Reneé: Too good! I’m sorry!
Stella: We had a session with Darkchild, and it was really cool to work with him, obviously he’s so talented.
Jorja: We do have a song coming – it is coming – soon!
Reneé: Very soon, we promise! There obviously will be a live show, tour, off the back of the new project, but we’re doing Coachella and Governor’s Ball this summer which will be lots of fun!
New music is coming from Nova Twins this year
Georgia: We’ve been hiding away writing our next album, so there’s gonna be new music [in 2024], which I’m really excited about. We’re gonna be back on the road.
Amy: Supporting Foo Fighters, and we’re really excited about it. Our minds have blown at that one.
Georgia: We manifested that one big time.
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