Thirty years have passed since the MOBO Awards were first established, and founder Kanya King reflects on her pioneering vision and how MOBO transcended mere musical recognition. For contemporary audiences witnessing performances from artists like Olivia Dean, Myles Smith, and Aitch at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, the genesis of MOBO in 1996 might seem a distant memory. What is now celebrated as a vibrant tribute to music of Black origin emerged from a profound sense of “frustration,” as King, MOBO’s founder and chief executive, explains.
“I clearly saw the immense influence Black music and culture exerted on British society – it was fundamentally shaping everything – yet it failed to receive proper acknowledgment or respect from the mainstream industry,” King stated.