UK: The nominations for Britain's Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards are announced in London

Some of the newest sensations on the UK's R&B and Hip Hop scene attended the announcement of this year's nominations for the Mobo (Music of Black Origin) Awards on Tuesday in London (August 15). The 2006 11th annual Mobo's has seen the addition of four new categories - best UK female, best UK male, best international male and best international female. American R&B superstar, Beyonce Knowles, lead the way with four nominations. She is up against Janet Jackson, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keyes and Nelly Furtado for best international female artist. Her other nominations are for best song, best video and best R&B act. Best Group will be a contest between Black Eyed Peas, Gnarls Barkley, Outkast, Pussycat Dolls and The Streets. Despite the giant American names of R&B, Soul and Hip Hop dominating much of the attention for the awards, the Mobo's have become known for discovering, as well as showcasing, British talent in the genre. The nomination announcements were livened up with a performance by 'Fundamental 03', who have been nominated for Best UK Newcomer. Also in the running in that category are singer Corinne Bailey-Rae, controversial hip hop artist Plan B, Lady Sovereign, and Soundbwoy. "America is always going to be the biggest market, but British-- we've got our sound, we've got our own style and we're just as good," said comedian Gina Yashere, who will host this year's award ceremony. "It's just that we've always been looked at as the poor relation, but I think we're coming up now, we're making a name for ourselves and saying 'Well, actually we're not, we've got our own thing here, you come to us.' And it's nice to see British acts not trying to do American style, just trying-- talking about where they're from, talking about their lives in London and it's just nice to see." Mobo founder and organiser Kanya King talked about how the Mobo's provided a platform for upcoming British artists, citing the success of one of last year's winners, Sway, as an example. "Well last year, for example, at our nomination launch we had an artist called Sway, who did an impromptu performance, and i call him the modern day Keats, because he was so brilliant, and as a result of that he got major exposure in the press," King told Reuters Television. "He was up against a lot of American giants and he won an award and he didn't even have a major record deal - and that was like unheard of, and now he's been nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. So that's kind of a big deal and we thought if we can help provide an international platform for many more British artists, then that's a plight worth fighting." Sway, who has again been nominated for the 2006 Awards - this time for Best UK Male, agrees the Mobo's have brought him plenty of exposure. "Winning an award last year has made it fifty times harder for me this year. Everybody's got such high expectations man, know what I mean? Even getting the award last year made me work ten times harder throughout the year," he said. "And I'm wishing good luck to all the nominees, I'm praying hard to get the award because I worked hard for it. So, if I get it, I get it, if I don't I got to work another year, know what I mean?" The Award ceremony will be broadcast live from London's Royal Albert Hall on September 20.

ITN Source | August 17, 2006

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