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The Guardian - UK

National

Sam Jones

British is best as Mobo judges play it safe

The 10th Music of Black Origin awards has attempted to shake off the controversy about homophobia that dogged it last year by seeking safer ground with mainstream British soul artists

Last year's Mobos were widely condemned for ignoring new British talent and for offering a platform to two Jamaican singers, Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, dancehall reggae artists whose lyrics, campaigners say, incite violence against gay people.

Organisers had to withdraw their nominations after an outcry from gay rights campaigners.

This year, however, the award's organisers appear to have turned towards friendlier British acts such as the former reality TV star Lemar, and Joss Stone, both mainstream acts from the urban music genre.

The former Fame Academy pupil Lemar has been nominated for five awards - best album, best R&B act, best single, best video and best UK act - for which Joss Stone and the east London MC Kano are also in the running.

The British rappers Roots Manuva and Sway will be squaring up to their American rivals 50 Cent and the Game in the best hip-hop act category.

Nominations for the Mobos are decided by an academy of around 2,000 people. Blank forms are sent to DJs, music journalists, shopkeepers and music industry executives who suggest nominations.

The Mobo organisation then announces the academy's shortlist and invites the public to vote for the winners.

Kanya King, who founded the awards in 1996, ascribed the number of UK nominations to the determination of Britain's young urban music artists.

"A lot of the acts nominated are real entrepreneurs, they release their own records, promote their own concerts and generally support their own communities," she said.

"What's happening here is like what was happening in the US 20 years ago when Puff Daddy was selling thousands of mix tapes.

She added: "It's fabulous that people like Kano will be recognised in an awards ceremony like this. I'm very proud to see artists like Lemar and Kano flying the flag for Britain."

Ms King's enthusiasm is shared by Ivor Etienne, the programme controller at hip-hop and R&B station Choice FM.

"It's great that the UK is taking a lead this year and that Lemar's got so many nominations," he said. "It's good to see Sway up against 50 Cent, even though 50 Cent is huge. It'll be difficult, but I wish Sway all the best."

Mr Etienne was, however, surprised by the reggae category, which features Damian Marley, I-Wayne, Richie Spice, Sean Paul and Daddy Yankee.

"To be honest, I think they have gone for something more safe this year," he said.

"It looks as though Mobo may have taken it upon themselves - or been put under pressure - to look at the list and make sure that it didn't attract the adverse publicity of last year."

Chris Blenkarn, the deputy editor of Touch magazine, agreed, but offered another theory for the shift in the list. "The industry is probably trying to avoid risky artists," he said.

"But the other thing is that we're seeing reggae move away from dancehall and back to a more conscious, 70s style.

"It's as though reggae has had to prove itself again against dancehall. I-Wayne and Damian Marley certainly do a more conscious kind of roots reggae."

Ms King defended Mobo's handling of last year's homophobia controversy, saying "we felt we couldn't stick our heads in the sand and ignore things", but conceded that the adverse publicity may have affected this year's nominations.

"It could be that because of all the high-profile coverage last year, the industry has moved away from all that controversial stuff," she said.

Ms King also hit out at critics who say the Mobos should not include artists such as Joss Stone and Jamiroquai who, they argue, do not make real black music.

"I am sick of needing to talk about it," she said. "We have never said it's about artists of black origin, it's always been about music of black origin.

"We are an inclusive awards ceremony, not an exclusive one. That's why we don't have a best male and a best female category.

"Why can't we just celebrate the music?"

Elite of the young urban scene

Best album

Common: Be

Kano: Home Sweet Home

Lemar: Time to Grow

John Legend: Get Lifted

Mariah Carey: The Emancipation of Mimi

Best hip-hop act

50 Cent

Black Twang