R&B/Soul
MOBO mourns death of founder at 57
The MOBO Organisation has announced the death of its founder and CEO Kanya King CBE, who passed away on June 3 following a battle with colon cancer.
The MOBO Organisation is mourning the loss of its founder and chief executive Kanya King CBE, who has died at the age of 57.
In a statement, the organisation said she passed away peacefully on June 3, surrounded by family and close friends, describing her illness as “a courageous and characteristically determined battle” with colon cancer.
The tribute reflected on King’s role in establishing the MOBO Awards, recalling how she remortgaged her home three decades ago to create a platform for Black music at a time when she was repeatedly told the genre had no commercial future.
Her determination led to the first ceremony being broadcast just six weeks after she began work on it.
MOBO said King’s work went far beyond launching an awards show, calling the platform “an act of cultural justice” that helped legitimise and elevate Black music within the UK.
The organisation noted that artists who have appeared on the MOBO stage since 1996 “carry the imprint of Kanya King’s vision,” crediting her with opening doors for multiple generations of performers.
The statement also highlighted the global reach of the brand she built, describing MOBO as “a platform that has reached hundreds of millions of people around the world.”
It referenced King’s Ivors Academy Honour in 2025, which she accepted during what she publicly described as “a difficult week health‑wise,” and praised her refusal to slow down or accept limitations.
King’s own words from the 2025 ceremony in Newcastle were included in the tribute, in which she said: “I never allowed someone to define my limits. Not in life. Not in business.”
The organisation confirmed that the 2026 MOBO Awards, marking the event’s 30th anniversary year, will be dedicated to her memory.
The statement said every aspect of the ceremony would reflect her legacy.
In closing, MOBO described King as someone who left “the world… a profoundly better place,” adding that the organisation remains “endlessly grateful, proud and inspired” by her contribution to music and culture.
Over the years, the MOBOs have recognised a wide range of artists, including Olivia Dean, Stormzy, Little Simz, RAYE, Craig David, Soul II Soul, Ms. Dynamite, So Solid Crew, Amy Winehouse and Sade, and the ceremony is now regarded as a key fixture of the British music calendar alongside the BRIT Awards and The Ivors.
