Mobo Awards announce 2016 nominees

Kano and Laura Mvula lead the way with four nominations a piece for this year's Mobo Awards

Feature by The Skinny | 21 Sep 2016
Kano Radio

This morning the nominations for this year’s Mobo awards were announced, with grime MC Kano leading the pack with four nominations, including Best Male, Best Song, Best Grime Act, and Best Album for Made in the Manor, his first in six years. The last time the London MC won a Mobo was for best newcomer in 2005.

If Kano is king of this year’s awards, Laura Mvula is its queen. The Birmingham soul artist also picked up nominations in four categories: Best Female, Best Album, Best R&B/Soul Act and Best Video. Mvula won Best Female at the 2013 Mobos, and she’s up against some strong competition this year in the form of Lady Leshurr, Little Simz, Katy B and Nao.

Mercury-winning MC Skepta will also be smiling this morning with his three nominations: Best Male, Best Grime Act and a Best Album nod for Konnichiwa. He’s joined in the Best Male category by comeback kid Craig David, who also competes for Best Song with When The Bassline Drops (featuring Big Narstie).

David, an old hand, won the Best Newcomer Mobo back in 2000 and the emerging talent up for this year’s Best Newcomer award will hope to have a similar impact. The Best Newcomer contenders are AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, Izzy Bizu, Nadia Rose, Ray Blk, 67, Avelino, Mostack, Kojey Radical and WSTRN. Also getting his debut nomination is Michael Kiwanuka, who’s been riding high this year with number one album Love & Hate. As well as Best Album, Kiwanuka’s up for Best R&B/Soul Act.

The Pre-Mobo Awards take place on 27 Oct at Cadogan Hall, London. Following the huge success of this inaugural pre-awards event last year, expect an even bigger celebration in the capital this time around. The Mobo Awards proper take place 4 Nov in Glasgow’s SSE Hydro, and will be broadcast live on ITV2 and repeated on ITV.

Arena tickets for the Mobo Awards are on general sale via mobo.com/tickets and thessehydro.com and vary from £25 to £45. VIP table tickets are available from mobo.com/viptickets

Full List of Nominations

Best Male Act
Craig David
Kano
Skepta
Stormzy
Tinie Tempah

Best Female Act
Katy B
Lady Leshurr
Laura Mvula
Little Simz
Nao

Best Newcomer
67
AJ Tracey
Anne-Marie
Avelino
Izzy Bizu
Kojey Radical
Mostack
Nadia Rose
Ray Blk
WSTRN

Best Album
Giggs – Landlord
Kano – Made In The Manor
Laura Mvula – The Dreaming Room
Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate
Skepta – Konnichiwa

Best Hip Hop Act
Fekky
Giggs
Little Simz
Section Boyz
Wretch 32

Best Song
Abra Cadabra Feat. Krept and Konan "Robbery (Remix)" (Produced by Yamaica)
Chase & Status Feat. Frisco “Funny” (Produced by Chase & Status)
Craig David Feat. Big Narstie “When The Bassline Drops” (Produced by White N3rd)
Ghetts – “You Dun Know Already” (Produced by Sir Spyro)
J.Hus "Friendly" (Produced by J5) 
Jorja Smith “Blue Lights”  (Produced by Joice)
Kano Feat. Giggs & Wiley “Three Wheel-Ups” (Produced by Swifta Beater)
Lethal Bizzle “Wobble” (Produced by Diztortion)
M.O “Who do you think Of” (Produced by Fred Gibson)
Naughty Boy Feat. Beyoncé & Arrow Benjamin “Runnin’” (Produced by Naughty Boy)
Tinie Tempah Feat. Zara Larsson “Girls Like” (Produced by KDA)
WSTRN “In 2” (Produced by PRGRSHN for PARALLEL)

Best Video
Bugzy Malone – Moving (Directed by Bugzy Malone)
Kojey Radical – Footsteps (Directed by The Rest)
Laura Mvula – Phenomenal Woman (Directed by Alex Southam)
M.I.A – Borders (Directed by M.I.A)
Nadia Rose – SKWOD (Directed by Reece Proctol)

Best R&B/Soul Act
James Blake
Laura Mvula
Michael Kiwanuka
Nao
Shakka

Best Grime Act
AJ Tracey
Chip
Kano
Skepta
Stormzy

Best International Act (This category will be reduced to 5 final nominees on 17 Oct)
Anderson .Paak
Beyoncé
Bryson Tiller
Chance The Rapper
DJ Khaled
Drake
Frank Ocean
Justin Bieber
Kanye West
Kaytranada
Major Lazer
PARTYNEXTDOOR
Rihanna
Tory Lanez
Travis Scott

Best Jazz Act
Bill Laurance
Cory Henry
Esperanza Spalding
Jacob Collier
Michael Janisch

Best Gospel Act
Andrew Bello
Guvna B
Sarah Teibo
S.O
Volney Morgan & New-Ye

Best Reggae Act
Alkaline
Kranium
Popcaan
Protoje
Spice

Best African Act (This category will be reduced to 5 final nominees on 17 Oct)
Eugy
Kwamz & Flava
Moelogo
Mr Eazi
Mr Silva
Olamide
Tekno Miles
Tiwa Savage
WizKid
Yemi Alade