Music Industry Mourns Death Of MOBO Awards Founder At 57

The MOBO Organisation has confirmed the passing of founder and CEO Kanya King CBE, who died peacefully on June 3 following what the organisation described as “a courageous and characteristically determined battle" with colon cancer.

In a statement, the organisation said the 57 year old trailblazer passed away surrounded by “her family, close friends and love,” and described her as one of the music industry's most passionate and influential advocates.

Paying tribute to her remarkable achievements, MOBO reflected on the extraordinary risk King took three decades ago to bring her vision to life. “Thirty years ago, Kanya King remortgaged her home, alone, without institutional backing, without industry support, to build a stage that would transform British music forever.”

The statement recalled how King was repeatedly told that Black music was “too niche,” yet rather than accepting those limitations, she moved forward with her plans. According to MOBO, the first awards ceremony was broadcast just six weeks later.

The organisation stressed that MOBO represented far more than an annual awards event. It described the platform as “an act of cultural justice” that “did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it.”

The tribute also highlighted the lasting impact of King's work on generations of musicians and creatives. “Every artist who has stood on the MOBO stage since 1996, every door that opened, every opportunity that followed, and every ceiling that was shattered carries the imprint of Kanya King’s vision.”

Reflecting on the scale of her influence, MOBO noted that King created “a platform that has reached hundreds of millions of people around the world.”

The organisation also remembered King receiving an Ivors Academy Honour in 2025 during what she openly described as “a difficult week health-wise.” Despite her circumstances, they noted that her determination never wavered. “She never stopped. She never asked for permission. She never accepted that the word ‘no’ was final.”

MOBO further shared King's own words from the 2025 ceremony in Newcastle, which took place months after she received her diagnosis: “I never allowed someone to define my limits. Not in life. Not in business. And I’m certainly not going to have that happen now.”

This year's 30th anniversary edition of the awards, held in March, has now taken on even greater significance and will stand as a lasting tribute to its founder.

MOBO said: “The 2026 MOBO Awards, held during the Organisation’s landmark 30th anniversary year, will be dedicated entirely to her memory. Every artist, every moment and every note will carry her legacy.”

The statement concluded with an emotional farewell: “The world was a profoundly better place with Kanya King in it. The MOBO family is heartbroken, but also endlessly grateful, proud and inspired by everything she gave to music, culture and the generations who will follow in her footsteps. Rest in power, Kanya. You built this. All of it.”

Throughout its history, the MOBO Awards have recognised and celebrated artists including Olivia Dean, Stormzy, Little Simz, RAYE, Craig David, Soul II Soul, Ms. Dynamite, So Solid Crew, Amy Winehouse and Sade.

Today, the MOBO Awards are widely regarded alongside the BRIT Awards and The Ivors as one of the defining institutions of British music and culture.