The 2024 MOBO Award nominations were announced on Thursday December 14 and Little Simz and Stormzy lead the awards which celebrates Music Of Black Origin in the UK and elsewhere. Both artists are contenders for Album of the Year, with Stormzy’s “This Is What I Mean” and Little Simz’s surprise-released “No Thank You.”
They are also nominated in gendered Best Artist categories, with Stormzy receiving an additional nod for Video of the Year, and Little Simz named among the 10 nominees for Best Hip-Hop Act.
Valiant, Grammy winner Kabaka Pyramid, Destra, and Byron Messia got their first Mobo nominations for Best Caribbean Music Act joined by previous MOBO award winners Popcaan and Shenseea.
Messia had a successful year in music as his Taliban song took off in the UK and the US, peaking at No. 12 on the UK Singles chart spending 19 weeks on the chart. The single also peaked at No. 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100 after a remix with Burna Boy on Talibans 2.
Nicki Minaj whose Pink Friday 2 album is on pace to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart received a nomination for Best International Act (US) and Pop artist Raye, experiencing a career resurgence after being in label limbo for years, independently released her album “My 21st Century Blues.” The track “Escapism” reached No. 1, and Raye is nominated in the Artist, Album, and Song of the Year categories. J Hus, PinkPantheress, and Central Cee each received three nominations.
Jazz ensemble Ezra Collective, recent winners of the Mercury Prize, earned a nomination in the Album of the Year category. Potter Payper, whose album “Real Back in Style” reached No. 2 while he was incarcerated at Pentonville prison, also secured a nomination in the same category.
The Song of the Year category features four all-star collaborations: J Hus and Drake, Central Cee and Dave, PinkPantheress and Ice Spice, and Raye and 070 Shake. They face competition from Stormzy’s “Hide & Seek” and Jorja Smith’s summer anthem “Little Things.” Smith is also nominated for Best Female Act alongside Raye, PinkPantheress, and Little Simz, along with R&B singer Mahalia and girl group Flo.
In the Best Male Act category, Central Cee and Dave, despite their successful collaborative EP, are pitted against each other. The category is completed by J Hus, Stormzy, Nines (who has hinted at retirement), and D-Block Europe.
The 26th MOBO Awards will take place on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at Utilita Arena Sheffield in a ceremony that will feature two new awards: Mobo Impact and Mobo Pioneer, in addition to the existing honorary awards Paving the Way and lifetime achievement.
Highlights of the event will broadcasted on BBC One. Awards founder Kanya King expressed excitement about engaging with Sheffield’s rich underground scene through community outreach efforts saying, “What makes Sheffield unique is that there is a rich underground scene with talent yet to break through, and with the community outreach the Mobo awards always does, the hope is to engage with and elevate that underground scene.”
The nominations also included diverse categories such as Best Male Act, Best Female Act, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Newcomer, Video of the Year, and more. The event recognized outstanding talents across various genres, including R&B/soul, hip-hop, grime, drill, jazz, alternative music, electronic/dance, and gospel. Additionally, there were categories for Best Performance in a TV Show/Film, Best Media Personality, Best African Music Act, and Best Jazz Act, among others.
MOBO Awards Nominations 2024:
Best international act (US)
Doja Cat
Drake & 21 Savage
Travis Scott
Ice Spice
Latto
Lil Uzi Vert
Nicki Minaj
Sexyy Red
SZA
Victoria Monét
Best male act
Central Cee
Dave
D-Block Europe
J Hus
Nines
Stormzy
Best female act
Flo
Jorja Smith
Little Simz
Mahalia
PinkPantheress
Raye
Album of the year
Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be
J Hus – Beautiful and Brutal Yard
Little Simz – No Thank You
Potter Payper – Real Back in Style
Raye – My 21st Century Blues
Stormzy – This Is What We Mean
Song of the year
Central Cee & Dave – Sprinter
J Hus – Who Told You (ft Drake)
Jorja Smith – Little Things
PinkPantheress & Ice Spice – Boy’s a Liar Pt 2
Raye & 070 Shake – Escapism
Stormzy – Hide & Seek
Best newcomer
Ama Lou
AntsLive
Debbie
Jayo
Nippa
No Guidnce
Rimzee
Strandz
Tamera
Tunde
Video of the year
AntsLive – Number One Candidate (dir Tom Emmerson)
Enny – No More Naija Men (dir Otis Dominique)
Jords – Dirt in the Diamond EP1: Mobay ft Tay Iwar / Stay Close ft Kranium (dir Renee Maria Osubu)
Little Simz – Gorilla (dir Dave Meyers)
Stormzy – Mel Made Me Do It (dir Klvdr)
Tion Wayne – Healing (dir Wowa)
Best R&B/soul act
Bellah
Jaz Karis
Mahalia
Ragz Originale
Sampha
Sault
Best hip-hop act
Avelino
Clavish
Digga D
Enny
Fredo
Giggs
Little Simz
Loyle Carner
Nines
Potter Payper
Best grime act
Bugzy Malone
Duppy
Flowdan
Manga Saint Hilare
Novelist
P Money
Best drill act
Central Cee
Headie One
K-Trap
Kwengface
M24
Russ Millions
TeeZandos
Unknown T
Best performance in a TV show/film
Adjani Salmon – Dreaming Whilst Black
Damson Idris – Snowfall
Deja J Bowens – Champion
Idris Elba – Hijack
India Amarteifio – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
John Boyega – They Cloned Tyrone
Lashana Lynch – The Woman King
Best media personality
Alison Hammond
Amelia Dimoldenberg
Henrie Kwushue
Madame Joyce
Maya Jama
Pressed podcast
Remi Burgz
ShxtsnGigs
Specs Gonzalez
Zeze Millz
Best African music act
Adekunle Gold
Asake
Ayra Starr
Burna Boy
Davido
Libianca
Rema
Tyla
Uncle Waffles
Wizkid
Best Caribbean music act
Byron Messia
Destra
Kabaka Pyramid
Popcaan
Shenseea
Valiant
Best jazz act
Blue Lab Beats
Cktrl
Ezra Collective
Masego
Reuben James
Yazmin Lacey
Best alternative music act
Alt Blk Era
Arlo Parks
Deijuvhs
Kid Bookie
Skindred
Young Fathers
Best electronic/dance act
Aluna
Nia Archives
PinkPantheress
Salute
Shygirl
Tsha
Best producer
Info
Kyle Evans
M1onTheBeat
P2J
Steel Banglez
TSB
Best gospel act
Annatoria
CalledOut Music
Guvna B
Limoblaze
Tofunmi Adorna
Triple O
