The nominations for the Mobo awards 2015 have been announced, with grime’s recent renaissance celebrated at this year’s ceremony. Reflecting the British scene’s revival, grime artists have clocked up 27 nominations across all categories this year.
The Boy Better Know label co-founder JME leads the awards with four nominations: best album, best song, best male and best grime act in association with BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Competing with JME are rap duo Krept and Konan, who also receive four nominations: best male, best hip-hop act, best song and best album, for their debut The Long Way Home, which became the highest-charting UK hip-hop record when it debuted at No 2 in the official album charts.
Stormzy, who picked up the award for best grime act in 2014, is up for best male and best video this year. Alongside JME for best grime act are Skepta, Bugzy Malone and Lethal Bizzle. Best hip-hop act sees Krept and Konan competing against Akala, Nines, Little Simz and Lady Leshurr.
Experimental artist FKA twigs is up for three nominations this year: best female and best video for two of her videos – Pendulum and Glass & Patron.
Following the release of her second album, Blood, London singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas is vying for best album, best female and best R&B/soul act.
One of the founding members of grime, Wiley, will be the first recipient of the inaugural Mobo Paving the Way award, in which the MC is honoured with a paving stone to mark his legacy. Wiley has chosen to place this at Bow school in Tower Hamlets, east London, which he and his father attended.
This year marks 20 years of the Mobo awards. It takes place at First Direct Arena, Leeds, on 4 November, and will be broadcast live on ITV2.
