Kanya King Dies: Founder Of The UK’s Mobo Awards Was 57

Kanya King, the founder of the UK’s popular Music of Black Origin awards show, colloquially known as the MOBOs, has died. She was 57.

King’s death was announced this morning by the MOBO Organisation with a post on Instagram. The statement said King died on June 3rd after a “courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon cancer.”

“She was surrounded by her family, close friends and love,” the statement read.

King launched the MOBOs in 1996 as an annual celebration of Black British music.  Over the years, the awards show has championed artists such as Stormzy, Sade, Destiny’s Child and Lauryn Hill. The MOBOs have also grown into a wider year-round organisation. This year’s edition was the show’s 30th anniversary.

“Thirty years ago, Kanya King remortgaged her home, alone, without institutional backing or industry support, to build a stage that would transform British music forever,” the statement continued.

“She was a single mother from a Kilburn council estate who was told that Black music was too niche, that there was no market and that the industry was not interested. Instead of arguing, she built. Six weeks later, the first MOBO Awards was broadcast to the nation, and nothing was ever the same again.”

The statement continued: “What Kanya created was never simply an awards ceremony. It was an act of cultural justice. MOBO did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it and transformed the cultural landscape of the UK.”

King had announced in December 2024 that she had stage four bowel cancer. She was present at this year’s MOBO awards in March and was honored on stage by Pharrell Williams, who received the Global Songwriter Award.

“This is a woman who never stops working,” Williams said. “When you love what you get to do, you’re never working, you’re just having the time of your life. And that’s the same energy that you can look in the mirror and stare cancer in the face like Kanya King and stand here tonight.”

King was awarded an MBE in 1999 and a CBE in 2018.

The MOBOs statement ended: “The world was a profoundly better place with Kanya King in it. The MOBO family is heartbroken, but endlessly grateful, proud and inspired by everything she gave to music, culture and future generations. Rest in power, Kanya. You built this. All of it.”