By Sulaimon Ruqoyah
The organisers of Music of Black Origin (MOBO) has announced the 2020 awards nominations with the event set to be held live on December 7, 2020. The 90-minute ceremony will be broadcast live at 7pm on YouTube, and later at 10:45pm on BBC One.
The virtual ceremony will be hosted by DJ and TV presenter Maya Jama alongside vocalist and online entertainer Chunkz, both nominees in the public vote for Best Media Performance and feature performances from Headie One (with guest M Huncho), Ms Banks, Tiwa Savage and Kojey Radical, with likely more to be announced.
DJ Target’s 1Xtra show at 7pm will include performances and interviews from this year’s nominees. There will also be a special 1Xtra talks programme on Sunday 6 December which will look at the history of the awards since they started in 1996. There’ll be highlights and extra content on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
This year’s categories have also expanded beyond music with the introduction of two new categories: Best Media Personality and Best Performance In A TV Show/ Film.
The list for the show is led by West London Rapper Nines, who tops the chart with his album Crabs in a bucket in September. He picked up a whopping five nominations for Best Male Act, Album of The Year, Video of The Year, Best Hip Hop Act and Best Album.
Below is a complete list of the MOBO Awards nominees, 2020 edition.
Album of the year
J Hus – Big Conspiracy, Stormzy – Heavy Is the Head
Mahalia – Love and Compromise
Nines – Crabs in a Bucket
Lianne La Havas – Lianne La Havas
Best male act
Headie One
J Hus
Stormzy
Nines
AJ Tracey
Young T & Bugsey
Best female act
Lianne La Havas
Ms Banks
Tiana Major9
Mahalia
Darkoo
FKA twigs
Song of the year
Young T & Bugsey – Don’t Rush (feat Headie One)
Digga D – Woi
Darkoo – Gangsta (feat One Acen)
Tion Wayne – I Dunno (feat Stormzy & Dutchavelli)
Abra Cadabra – On Deck
Best newcomer
Aitch
Alicai Harley
Darkoo
Dutchavelli
Ivorian Doll
M1llionz
Miraa May
Pa Salieu
Shaybo
Tiana Major9
M Huncho
Loski
Video of the year
Bree Runway – Apeshit (directed by Will Hooper)
Nines – Clout (directed by Charlie Di Placido)
NSG – Lupita (directed by Kevin Hudson)
Jorja Smith – By Any Means (directed by Otis Dominique)
Knucks – Home (directed by Ray Fiasco)
Kojey Radical – 20/20 (directed by Charlie Di Placido)
Best R&B/soul act
Wstrn
Tiana Major9
Michael Kiwanuka
Mahalia
Lianne La Havas
Best hip-hop act
J Hus
Nines
Ms Banks
D-Block Europe
Krept & Konan
Potter Payper
Best grime act
Ghetts
P Money
Manga Saint Hilare
Capo Lee
JME
Best international act
Burna Boy
Drake
Koffee
Megan Thee Stallion
Pop Smoke
Popcaan
Roddy Ricch
Rema
Shenseaa
Summer Walker
HER
Lil Baby
Best album (1 September 2017 – 31 August 2019)
Dave – Psychodrama
Kano – Hoodies All Summer
Ella Mai – Ella Mai
Skepta – Ignorance Is Bliss
Nines – Crop Circle
Little Simz – Grey Area
Best African act
Burna Boy
Tiwa Savage
Davido
Fireboy DML
Rema
Master KG
Adekunle Gold
NSG
Afro B
Wizkid
Stonebwoy
Shatta Wale
Best reggae act
Popcaan
Koffee
Lila Iké
Buju Banton
Protoje
Best gospel act
Calledout Music
Noel Robinson
Guvna B
The Kingdom Choir
Shekinah
Best jazz act
Moses Boyd
Joe Armon-Jones
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes
Yazmin Lacey
Ego Ella May
Best producer
Jae5
808 Melo
Sir Spyro
TSB
Steel Banglez
M1 On The Beat
Best performance in a TV show/film
Kane Robinson as Scully – Top Boy
Michaela Coel as Arabella – I May Destroy You
Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong – Sex Education
Jessica Plummer as Chantelle – Eastenders
Michael Ward as Marco – Blue Story
Damson Idris as Franklin Saint – Snowfall
Best media personality
Munya Chawawa
Chunkz
Yung Filly
Mo Gilligan
Clara Amfo
Maya Jama
Henrie Kwushue
KSI
Harry Pinero
Zeze Millz
