The MOBO Awards in association with Lucozade has announced its 2022 nominees ahead of the 25th anniversary celebration at OVO Arena Wembley on 30 November.
London rapper and producer Knucks leads this year’s list with five nominations. He has received one each for Album of the Year, Best Male Act and Best Hip Hop Act, and two in the Video of the category, for his own single Alpha House/Hide & Seek and as a feature artist on Kojey Radical’s Payback. Hot on his heels is Little Simz, who has received four MOBO nominations just one year after taking home the prize for Best Female Act. Little Simz is up for Album of the Year, Best Female Act, Best Hip Hop Act, and Video of the Year for Point and Kill featuring Obongjayar.
Central Cee has also picked up four MOBO nominations, for Best Male Act, Best Drill Act, Song of the Year, and Video of the Year for Doja. The 24-year old rising star won two MOBO Awards at the 2021 ceremony, for Best Newcomer and the inaugural MOBO for Best Drill Act.
This year, MOBO adds two new categories in acknowledgement of the breadth and depth of music of black origin: Best Alternative Music Act and Best Dance/Electronic Act. The Best Alternative Music Act category is in recognition of artists working primarily in indie, rock, punk or alternative; while the Best Dance/Electronic Act category recognises artists who perform music within the genres of jungle, drum & bass, house, techno, afro house, amapiano, dubstep, garage, disco, electro or dance-pop.
MOBO Founder Kanya King CBE says, ‘Today's announcement truly shows what a bumper year it has been for the scene. It’s a proud moment to see MOBO once again recognise and honour the luminaries and tip the stars of the future. This is what it means when we say "honouring the past, inspiring the future". Big congratulations to all our nominees and thanks to our headline partner Lucozade. A special mention to ASOS, Marshall and all our other partners who are coming on this journey with us. We are proud to announce the addition of two new categories to recognise the breadth of black culture’s impact on a variety of music genres and welcome more rising stars, ahead of what will be a truly unmissable celebration of our 25 years.’
The full list of nominees is available on the MOBO website.
