FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: MOBO Awards 2021 Nominees

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Cleo Sol is nominated in several categories, including Best Female Act

MOBO Awards 2021 Nominees

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EARLIER today…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dave has been nominated in multiple categories, including Album of the Year for We’re All Alone in This Together

the nominees for this year’s MOBO Awards were announced. It is a fantastic line-up of incredible Black talent. I am going to finish off with a Lockdown Playlist that includes material from the artists nominated. In addition to providing a rundown of which artists are nominated in each category, The Guardian gave a summary and overview of some of the talking points from the shortlisted names:  

Dave, the rapper who topped the charts this year with his emotionally rich sophomore 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”.

To acknowledge and nod to the incredible acts who are in the running for MOBOs on 5th December, below is a selection of songs from the nominees. I am excited to see who wins Album of the Year and Song of the Year; such is the calibre of the music included! What I know, from looking at the award categories, is that, within, we have some artists who are going to be…

 IN THIS PHOTO: As one of Britain’s greatest young artists, Little Simz is predicted to win big at the MOBO Awards/PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki King

FUTURE legends.