Dave, the rapper who topped the charts this year with his emotionally rich second album We’re All Alone in This Together, leads the nominations at the 2021 Mobo awards, which acknowledge the best Black music in the UK, Africa, the Caribbean and beyond.
Dave is nominated for album, song and video of the year, plus best male act and best hip-hop act. Drill rapper Central Cee has four nominations, capping a breakthrough year in which he released two Top 10 hits, Commitment Issues and Obsessed With You.
Four artists score three nominations each: rappers Ghetts and Little Simz, soul singer Cleo Sol, and Arlo Parks, the singer-songwriter who won this year’s Mercury prize and the Brit award for breakthrough artist.
The UK’s rap scene is represented strongly elsewhere, with the best male act nominees all rappers – AJ Tracey, Central Cee, Ghetts, Headie One and Potter Payper join Dave – and Shaybo and rapper-singer Bree Runway appearing alongside Little Simz in the best female act category, alongside singers Sol, Parks and Tiana Major9.
For the first time there is a separate category celebrating drill rap alongside grime and hip-hop, in the year the genre scored its first UK No 1 single – the remix of Tion Wayne and Russ Millions’ Body, which is nominated for song of the year.
The event will also celebrate the best of African music, reggae, jazz, gospel and R&B/soul in distinct categories, plus actors, media personalities, producers and international acts. The ceremony will take place on Sunday 5 December.
2021 Mobo nominations in full
Best male act
AJ Tracey
Central Cee
Dave
Ghetts
Headie One
Potter Payper
Best female act
Arlo Parks
Bree Runway
Cleo Sol
Little Simz
Shaybo
Tiana Major9
Album of the year
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
Celeste – Not Your Muse
Cleo Sol – Mother
Dave – We’re All Alone in This Together
Ghetts – Conflict of Interest
Headie One – Edna
Song of the year
A1 x J1 – Latest Trends
Central Cee – Commitment Issues
Dave – Clash (feat Stormzy)
Enny – Peng Black Girls (feat Amia Brave)
Pa Salieu – My Family (feat BackRoad Gee)
Tion Wayne & Russ Millions – Body (remix feat ArrDee, Bugzy Malone, Buni, Darkoo, E1, ZT & Fivio Foreign)
Best newcomer
Arlo Parks
ArrDee
BackRoad Gee
Berwyn
Central Cee
Enny
Joy Crookes
Midas the Jagaban
PinkPantheress
Wes Nelson
Video of the year
Bree Runway – Hot Hot
Fredo – Money Talks (feat Dave)
Little Simz – Woman (feat Cleo Sol)
M1llionz – Lagga
Pa Salieu – My Family (feat BackRoad Gee)
Slowthai – Mazza (feat A$AP Rocky)
Best R&B/soul act
Bellah
Cleo Sol
Jorja Smith
Sault
Tiana Major9
Wstrn
Best grime act
Bugzy Malone
Chip
D Double E
Frisco
Ghetts
Skepta
Best hip-hop act
Dave
D-Block Europe
Fredo
Little Simz
Potter Payper
Slowthai
Best drill act
Central Cee
Digga D
Headie One
K Trap
Loski
M1llionz
Russ Millions
SR
Tion Wayne
Unknown T
Best international act
Doja Cat
Drake
Kanye West
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Polo G
Rema
Skillibeng
Wizkid
Young Stoner Life (Young Thug & Gunna)
Best performance in a TV show/film
Ashley Thomas – Them
Damson Idris – Snowfall
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas & the Black Messiah
Letitia Wright – Small Axe
Micheal Ward – Small Axe
Best media personality
Charlene White
Chunkz & Yung Filly
Harry Pinero
Henrie Kwushue
Julie Adenuga
Maya Jama
Mo Gilligan
Munya Chawawa
Nella Rose
Zeze Millz
Best gospel act
CalledOut Music
Cece Winans
Guvna B
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
SO
Best African music act
Ayra Starr
Burna Boy
Ckay
Davido
King Promise
NSG
Rema
Tems
Tiwa Savage
Wizkid
Best reggae act
Lila Ike
Popcaan
Sean Paul
Shenseea
Skillibeng
Spice
Best jazz act
Alfa Mist
Blue Lab Beats
Emma-Jean Thackray
Jacob Collier
Nubiyan Twist
Sons of Kemet
Best producer
Gotcha
Jae5
Juls
M1OnTheBeat
P2J
TSB
