Summary

  • Little Simz has won the prize for Best Hip-Hop Act at the Mobo Awards, which were held this year in Sheffield

  • The rapper - who also won the 2022 Mercury Prize - has told the BBC she's "buzzing" and that she's enjoyed the best year of her career

  • Meanwhile, Raye bagged the Best Female trophy and Central Cee was named Best Male; he and Dave were also given the award for Best Song for their hit Sprinter

  • The inaugural Impact Award went to Sugababes, while Stormzy was given the prize for Best Video for Mel Made Me Do It

  • Veteran group Soul II Soul were given the Lifetime Achievement award and closed the ceremony with a flurry of their funk classics

  • Simz and fellow rapper Stormzy dominated this year's nominations going into the night - with each performer receiving four nods

  • Categories at the Mobos - which celebrate music of black origin - include genres like drill and jazz, as well as best African and Caribbean music acts

  1. That's a wrap for the 2024 Mobospublished at 23:08 GMT 7 February 2024

    Sam Hancock
    Live reporter

    That's all from us after an entertaining - and tense! - night of prizegiving in Sheffield.

    We're off to update our playlists, but not before leaving you with a link to this fresh Mobos report, which has just gone up from Newsbeat's Riyah Collins.

    Thanks for reading this coverage - which has been brought to you by Jacqui Howard, James FitzGerald and me in London - and Jack Gray and Jasmine Sandhar who've been dancing along at the ceremony itself.

  2. Oh what a nightpublished at 23:07 GMT 7 February 2024

    Jack Gray
    Reporting from the Mobos

    GhettsImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Grime star Ghetts received the Pioneer Award tonight

    Not even the very cold temperatures here in Sheffield could put a dampener on what was a great night.

    There was endless noise throughout from the crowd, who brought maximum energy at all times.

    And even though many of the big winners, such as Central Cee, Stormzy and Raye, couldn’t be here - the fans were more than happy to support those who could attend.

    All the cameras are being packed away as we speak, and the many celebs we have seen are heading to the after-party.

    For us, though, it's an early night - promise!

  3. Memorable Mobos momentspublished at 23:03 GMT 7 February 2024

    Mark Savage
    Music correspondent

    Tonight marked the 26th edition of the Mobo Awards - which were established in 1996 as a way of recognising the contributions of black musicians at a time when the main award ceremonies were dominated by the predominantly-white denizens of Britpop and classic rock.

    Since then, the stage has been graced by everyone from Destiny’s Child and Janet Jackson to Stormzy and Cardi B.

    Before we call it a night, let's remember some of the highlights from across the years:

    2021: Bree Runway arrives on the red carpet on the back of a motorbike. It then drove her straight to the stage for a performance of Hot Hot.

    2006: A very surprised Rihanna wins her first Mobo Award. “That was a tough category,” said the star as she picked up the Best R&B prize. “I saw Mary J Blige and Beyoncé and was like, ‘Noooo way’.”

    2009: Michael Jackson wins a posthumous lifetime achievement award. A bittersweet moment, as his brother Jermaine picked up the prize and sang Michael’s favourite song: Smile. Not a dry eye in the house.

    2014: Krept & Konan perform Don’t Waste My Time. Pure fire.

    1999: Tina Turner wins the lifetime achievement prize. “I’ve been in the business since 1960 and I’ve never had such an honour,” said the star, once again proving why a ceremony like the Mobos was vital.

  4. Little Simz, Raye and Stormzy among tonight's winnerspublished at 22:45 GMT 7 February 2024

    Little Simz collects her hip-hop trophy at the Mobo AwardsImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Little Simz collects her hip-hop trophy

    Thanks for joining our coverage of tonight's Mobo Awards, which celebrate music of black origin. Here's a quick look back at just some of the winners in Sheffield tonight:

    • The final prize of the night - Best Hip-Hop Act - went to Little Simz, who told the BBC she was "buzzing" and had enjoyed the best year of her career to date
    • It was another great night for Raye, who bagged the Best Female trophy just weeks after receiving a record-breaking number of Brit Award nominations
    • Central Cee was named Best Male; he and Dave were also given the award for Best Song for their hit Sprinter
    • Stormzy won Video of the Year for his visuals for Mel Made Me Do It, a song which celebrates his stylist. In a message sent from Australia, he said he was "so honoured"
    • Tunde was named Best Newcomer, and said in his acceptance speech that it had been a "tough few years with lockdown"
    • Meanwhile, the inaugural Impact Award went to Sugababes, while another veteran act, Soul II Soul, were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award
    Jazzie B from Soul II Soul sings at the Mobo AwardsImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jazzie B's group Soul II Soul were honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award

  5. Little Simz 'buzzing' after being crowned Best Hip-Hop Actpublished at 22:21 GMT 7 February 2024

    Jack Gray
    Reporting from the Mobos

    Little Simz smiles, holding her award up by her faceImage source, PA Media

    The Mobo Awards 2024 may have finished but I'm still catching up with winners backstage - and the one and only Little Simz just stopped to tell me how she's feeling after winning tonight's final prize.

    This has been the best year of my career, Little Simz says, adding that she's "buzzing".

    "I feel really positive and humbled by the support I’ve been getting", she says of the last 12 months.

    "[But] I never really do it for these things," she tells me, referring to the Mobo Award in her hands, "just to appreciate the music".

    Ever the artist, she says it's the music that drives her, and promises there's more to come in the months ahead.

  6. Soul II Soul’s enduring legacypublished at 22:15 GMT 7 February 2024

    Mark Savage
    Music correspondent

    Tonight's Mobo Awards have just been played out by Soul II Soul, who won the Lifetime Achievement prize a little earlier.

    You might know Soul II Soul for feelgood anthems like Back To Life, Get A Life and Keep On Movin’ - but their legacy is about so much more than those hits.

    In the late 1980s, they pioneered a new sound, a club-focused R&B pulse that fused London’s sound system scene with the lush grooves of 1970s soul.

    The success of their first album, Club Classics Vol 1, gave black British music its own identity at a time when, in the words of founder Jazzie B, “Black musicians were either trying to be American or trying to play down their Caribbean roots”.

    The importance of that shift is hard to overstate. Without Soul II Soul’s confidence and independence, there would be no Stormy, no Jorja Smith, no Little Simz.

    Their award tonight was long overdue.

  7. Nine awards in around nine secondspublished at 22:07 GMT 7 February 2024

    Jacqueline Howard
    Live reporter

    We hope you've got your laces tied because the Mobos just sprinted through the rest of tonight's awards, calling them out one after the other.

    There were no acceptance speeches in these categories, but here's who won each of the remaining awards:

    Best Male Act - Central Cee

    Best Jazz Act - Ezra Collective

    Best Performance in a TV Show or Film - Damson Idris as Franklin Saint in Snowfall

    Best Drill Act - K-Trap

    Best International Act (US) - Drake & 21 Savage

    Best Caribbean Music Act - Valiant

    Song of the Year - Central Cee & Dave for Sprinter

    Best Gospel Act - Limboblaze

    Best Producer - Info

  8. Little Simz gets the trophypublished at 21:59 GMT 7 February 2024
    Breaking

    Liltle Simz smiles as she speaks on stageImage source, Getty Images

    The British rapper is grinning as she accepts the Mobo for Best Hip-Hop Act.

    She says earlier tonight she was thinking back to 2014 when she performed at the Mobos and was nominated for Best Newcomer.

    "I didn't get it and I never let that discourage me," she says.

    "I worked tirelessly over the years, so to be here on this stage receiving this award, I'm so humbled and so grateful."

  9. Up now is Best Hip-Hop Act...published at 21:57 GMT 7 February 2024

    The nominees are:

    Avelino

    Clavish

    Digga D

    Enny

    Fredo

    Giggs

    Little Simz

    Loyle Carner

    Nines

    Potter Payper

    We'll bring you the winner in just a minute.

  10. Stormzy wins Video Of The Yearpublished at 21:56 GMT 7 February 2024
    Breaking

    The British rapper won for Mel Made Me Do It, beating the likes of:

    Antslive - Number One Candidate

    Enny - No More Naija Men

    Jords - Dirt In The Diamond Ep1: Mobay Feat. Tay Iwar / Stay Close Feat. Kranium

    Little Simz - Gorilla

    Tion Wayne - Healing

    Stormzy performing, wearing a black vestImage source, Getty Images

    Stormzy also wasn't able to make tonight's ceremony, but in a video message from his tour in Australia he says he's "so honoured".

    "That video was such a moment, it was a piece of art for everyone involved," he says before giving a special shout out to his stylist, Mel, who the song is about.

  11. Soul II Soul receive Lifetime Achievement awardpublished at 21:53 GMT 7 February 2024

    Jazzie B spins a DJ deck on stageImage source, Getty Images

    We're onto another award now - this time it's for Lifetime Achievement. And it's being awarded by singer and actor Beverley Knight MBE, who's a big name herself.

    The prize goes to Soul II Soul. Accepting the award onstage is the collective's founder Jazzie B, who tells the story of the group's first record deal.

    He says the late Mick Clark met them in the back room of a club and offered them £500. They took it, and used the money to record their first single.

    He had a message for the next generation, too:

    Quote Message

    Young people, believe that dreams do come true."

  12. Sugababes: 'The sisters are stronger together'published at 21:39 GMT 7 February 2024

    Jack Gray
    Reporting from the Mobos

    The three Sugababes pose with their awardImage source, Getty Images

    Back in the winners' room, I've been chatting to Impact Award winners the Sugababes.

    They tell me they're feeling "grateful and blessed" to be making music together again.

    "Sisterhood is a journey," they say.

    "There’s still a lot of misogyny in the music industry, so you’re stronger together [as sisters]".

  13. Grime legend Ghetts receives Pioneer Awardpublished at 21:38 GMT 7 February 2024

    We've been told by host Babatunde Aleshe that this prize, the Mobo Pioneer Award, is "one for the GOATs (greatest of all time)".

    Considering the winner, he may be right. Ghetts, who we caught up with earlier, has taken to the stage to accept the award.

    He dedicates it to his grandmother and parents - his mother and father join him on stage, smiling and clapping for their son.

    "This award is for a pioneer and I've stood on the shoulders of some giants," he says, before honouring some of the music stations who played grime music before others would.

    His parents leave the stage but Ghetts keeps hold of the microphone - he's now performing.

  14. Raye 'really annoyed' not to be at Mobospublished at 21:34 GMT 7 February 2024

    RayeImage source, Getty Images

    She's been named Best Female Act but Raye couldn't make the Sheffield ceremony as she's on tour in Australia.

    In a video message, she says: "I just want to say thank you so much."

    "This is a joke," she continues. "I'm really annoyed, sad and frustrated that I can't be there in person."

    Raye was at the last Mobo Awards in London, in 2022, and recalls sitting at the table hoping that "one day" she'd win an award herself.

    "This is that day," she says. "I'm so grateful - this is insane."

  15. Raye beats Little Simz and PinkPanthress to bag Best Female Actpublished at 21:26 GMT 7 February 2024
    Breaking

    She was up against:

    Flo, girl group

    Jorja Smith, singer

    Little Simz, rapper

    Mahalia, singer-songwriter and actress

    PinkPanthress, singer

  16. Raye eyes more awards after breaking Brits recordpublished at 21:25 GMT 7 February 2024

    Riyah Collins
    BBC Newsbeat

    RayeImage source, Getty Images

    It’s only been a couple of weeks since singer Raye received a record-breaking number of Brit Award nominations - and tonight she's up for three Mobos too.

    Last year was a big one for Raye, starting with a number one hit (Escapism, which is the song nominated tonight) after splitting from her label. Then came a Mercury Prize nomination and a Pyramid stage slot at Glastonbury.

    The London-based singer won't make the awards tonight, though, as she's performing alongside fellow nominee Stormzy at a festival in Australia.

    Will she be able to clinch the Best Female Act? Let's find out...

  17. 'It's been a tough few years' - Tundepublished at 21:25 GMT 7 February 2024

    Some more from Best Newcomer Tunde's speech now.

    He thanks "my family and my friends and my managers, everyone who has supported me through thick and thin".

    "It's been a tough few years with lockdown and then being away but I'm back now, new music on the way, new projects on the way," he says.

    Previous winners of this award include Dave, Krept & Konan, Rita Ora, So Solid Crew and Craig David - so Tunde will certainly be one to watch in the future.

  18. There we have it, Tunde named Best Newcomerpublished at 21:19 GMT 7 February 2024
    Breaking

    He's currently in the US, but Best Album winner Potter Payper - accepting the award on Tunde's behalf - reads out a speech for the Manchester rapper.

    In it, Tunde thanks his "mumsy".

  19. Who is the 2024 Best Newcomer?published at 21:15 GMT 7 February 2024

    That's the question - and we're about to have the answer.

    Before then, the nominees are:

    Ama

    Lou

    Antslive

    Debbie

    Jayo

    Nippa

    No Guidnce

    Rimzee

    Strandz

    Tamera

    Tunde

  20. Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill recognised by Mobospublished at 21:14 GMT 7 February 2024

    Ennis Hill holds up her award as she speaks on the Mobo stageImage source, Getty Images

    The next award is another that was announced in the lead up to tonight's ceremony.

    Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, born and raised in Sheffield, takes home the Paving the Way trophy.

    You'll likely remember Ennis-Hill from the London 2012 Olympics, at which she won gold in the heptathlon.

    Accepting the award, she says she feels inspired by all of the people in the room tonight.

    She also pays tribute to her city, saying: "This is where I found my love for sport, and I had no idea where it was going to take me, but I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and literally ran with it."

    Ennis-Hill waves the union jack at the 2012 OlympicsImage source, Getty Images