Kanya King obituary | Mobos

Kanya King, who has died aged 57 from colon cancer, was a co-founder of the Mobo awards, which were launched in the UK in 1996 to celebrate black music. As CEO of the Mobo Organisation, which administers the awards and its various groups, King has become one of the UK’s top black music artists, with the award credited by many black artists as raising their profile and expanding their careers – some have given Mobo name checks to their music.

A little big to begin with, first Moboswhich awarded best album to Goldie, best jazz song to Courtney Pine and international act to the Fugees, made an immediate impact. It was televised since Lionel Richie performed and Prime Minister Tony Blair was present at the premiere.

In a few years the event was regularly held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and traveling between Channel 4, BBC and ITV over the years, international shows affected 250 million, making the business a financial success and achieving its cultural goals.

Unlike other music industry awards, the Mobos can often target up-and-coming music – such as in 2014while Stormzy was named Best grime act shortly after his breakthrough the following year. King adds or removes teams from year to year to reflect trends, always eager to promote and recognize new talent and development.

Born in Kilburn, northwest London, Kanya was one of nine children of a Ghanaian father, Christian Ocloo, and an Irish mother, Mary (nee Folan). Her father died when she was 13, and when she was 16, a single mother with a son, she left South Kilburn school to work in a variety of jobs, including serving meals and washing dishes, as a game display at Hamleys toy shop and as a salesperson at the Ideal Home Exhibition.

Strong and focused, he also used his interest in music to become a part-time promoter of R&B and reggae gigs across London, investing some of his earnings to set up the short-lived Black Music Awards in 1992, his first attempt at a Mobo-like event.

At the time, King was also studying for a degree in English literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, but struggling to balance at home, work and university eventually led to him dropping out after failing to attend the required courses. Taking a job as a trainee researcher at ITV’s Carlton TV company, he was soon promoted to senior researcher, while continuing to promote the idea of ​​a red British awards ceremony that would promote Black music. He said: “I couldn’t understand why there was nothing in the world to celebrate the music I grew up with. “Finally, after talking to a lot of organizations and not feeling like anything could be done or that anyone would pay attention to the idea, I took action.”

With Andy Ruffell, a TV producer and public relations personality who became a co-founder of Mobos, King encouraged the search for investors. Unable to find a financial backer and now working in the hospitality industry, at the age of 27 he took another risk by repossessing his house, then persuaded his former employers, Carlton TV, to broadcast the event.

Organized in just six weeks and held at the Connaught Rooms in London, the Mobos were an instant hit, allowing King to expand his profile with spectacular visuals and an impressive array of artists invited to the event. They have also taken annual awards in places outside of London, including Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and Coventry.

While they had to reorganize the event in 2002 after losing business funding, and the event was not on the calendar in 2018 and 2019, the Mobos brought significant support from big name sponsors, including Mastercard, HSBC, Sony and Malibu. Although they were not without critics – some criticized them for being too commercial and for having artists, such as Ed Sheeran, without a clear connection to Black music – their success allowed King and his team to make additions to the main event that benefited from grassroots music.

Among the events that took place were Unsung, an arts development programme, Mobo Trust, a charity that provides education and training opportunities for young people, and House of Mobo, a music venue and bar in south London. With Ruffell he also founded DanceStar, an international dance and electronic music competition that first took place in London in 2000 and later expanded worldwide.

Although he was intelligent and courageous, Mr. King did not live up to the business ideas he pushed, and he was known for his warm, humble nature; something that makes him sought after as a consultant and public speaker at public, educational and corporate events. He has also consulted on a range of organisations, including the Creative Industries Council and the UK Music Diversity Taskforce.

He was made an MBE in 1999, up for a CBE in 2018. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, but managed to attend the Mobo 30th anniversary awards in March this year.

He is survived by his son, Jem.