Chart topping UK rapper Dave is nominated for album of the year, song and video of the year, best male act and best hip-hop act and the 2021 MOBO awards.
Central Cee has four nominations, after his two hits , ‘Commitment Issues’ and ‘Obsessed With You’ impacted the UK charts.
Rappers Ghetts and Little Simz, soul singer Cleo Sol, and Arlo Parks, all nabbed four nominations.
The best male act nominees are all UK rappers – AJ Tracey, Central Cee, Ghetts, Headie One and Potter Payper join Dave for the line up
Shaybo, Bree Runway, Little Simz, Sol, Parks and Tiana Major9 round off the the best female act category.
New to the awards are separate categories for drill rap, grime and hip-hop.
The 2021 MOBO awards celebrates the best of African music, reggae, jazz, gospel and R&B/soul in distinct categories, plus actors, media personalities, producers and international acts.
The nominees for Best Reggae act are Lila Ike, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Sean Paul, Popcaan and Spice.
Skillibeng who has been touted by Music Executive Johny Wonder as “the bridge between hip hop and dancehall” was also nominated for Best International Act alongside Doja Cat, Drake, Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Polo G, Rema, Wizkid and Young Stoner Life (Young Thug & Gunna).
Noticeably absent from the reggae category are the roots artists from the genre.
However, She’s Royal singer Tarrus Riley is not bothered by the inclusion of Dancehall artists in a reggae category.
He told World Music Views,
“Dancehall is not really a genre, it is more than a genre, it is more of a culture, a way of life that has living, breathing things that are included in it. The music in Jamaica is known as reggae.”
He said assuredly.
In a year when not many hit reggae songs were releases the Powerful singer says,
“I do reggae songs because the genre need it, I could do other songs”.
Last year Buju Banton won the MOBO Award for Best Reggae Act.
The show was live streamed on the MOBO Awards Youtube channel and this year’s event is sponsored by YouTube Music.
CEO of Youtube Music Lyor Cohen said in a recent interview that the UK is making the most interesting music.
“If you cut a French person open, they bleed cinema. If you cut a person from the UK open, they bleed music. So why not be here? And the best music is coming out of the UK.” He said in justifying his move to establish YouTube Music in the UK.
The MOBO Awards will happen in Coventry, the UK’s City of Culture, on 5 December at Coventry Building Society Arena.
Dubbed The UK’s biggest celebration of Black music and culture, patrons will see a return to the live show format after last year’s live stream version.
2021 MOBO nominations in full
Best male act
AJ Tracey
Central Cee
Dave
Ghetts
Headie One
Potter Payper
Best female act
Arlo Parks
Bree Runway
Cleo Sol
Little Simz
Shaybo
Tiana Major9
Album of the year
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
Celeste – Not Your Muse
Cleo Sol – Mother
Dave – We’re All Alone in This Together
Ghetts – Conflict of Interest
Headie One – Edna
Song of the year
A1 x J1 – Latest Trends
Central Cee – Commitment Issues
Dave – Clash (feat Stormzy)
Enny – Peng Black Girls (feat Amia Brave)
Pa Salieu – My Family (feat BackRoad Gee)
Tion Wayne & Russ Millions – Body (remix feat ArrDee, Bugzy Malone, Buni, Darkoo, E1, ZT & Fivio Foreign)
Best newcomer
Arlo Parks
ArrDee
BackRoad Gee
Berwyn
Central Cee
Enny
Joy Crookes
Midas the Jagaban
PinkPantheress
Wes Nelson
Video of the year
Bree Runway – Hot Hot
Fredo – Money Talks (feat Dave)
Little Simz – Woman (feat Cleo Sol)
M1llionz – Lagga
Pa Salieu – My Family (feat BackRoad Gee)
Slowthai – Mazza (feat A$AP Rocky)
Best R&B/soul act
Bellah
Cleo Sol
Jorja Smith
Sault
Tiana Major9
Wstrn
Best grime act
Bugzy Malone
Chip
D Double E
Frisco
Ghetts
Skepta
Best hip-hop act
Dave
D-Block Europe
Fredo
Little Simz
Potter Payper
Slowthai
Best drill act
Central Cee
Digga D
Headie One
K Trap
Loski
M1llionz
Russ Millions
SR
Tion Wayne
Unknown T
Best international act
Doja Cat
Drake
Kanye West
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Polo G
Rema
Skillibeng
Wizkid
Young Stoner Life (Young Thug & Gunna)
Best performance in a TV show/film
Ashley Thomas – Them
Damson Idris – Snowfall
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas & the Black Messiah
Letitia Wright – Small Axe
Micheal Ward – Small Axe
Best media personality
Charlene White
Chunkz & Yung Filly
Harry Pinero
Henrie Kwushue
Julie Adenuga
Maya Jama
Mo Gilligan
Munya Chawawa
Nella Rose
Zeze Millz
Best gospel act
CalledOut Music
Cece Winans
Guvna B
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
SO
Best African music act
Ayra Starr
Burna Boy
Ckay
Davido
King Promise
NSG
Rema
Tems
Tiwa Savage
Wizkid
Best reggae act
Lila Ike
Popcaan
Sean Paul
Shenseea
Skillibeng
Spice
Best jazz act
Alfa Mist
Blue Lab Beats
Emma-Jean Thackray
Jacob Collier
Nubiyan Twist
Sons of Kemet
Best producer
Gotcha
Jae5
Juls
M1OnTheBeat
P2J
TSB
