2010 MOBO Awards

Written by richclark

So this years MOBO awards, the 15th anniversary, took place in Liverpool this year. This has traditionally been seen as the pinnacle awards for the UK urban music scene. However, I have personally been a little disenchanted over the past few years. This is a personal feeling and one that isn’t shared with the majority of people in the UK, as their popularity grows.

Popularity

The rise of the MOBO Awards popularity and its breakthrough in to an accepted mainstream event, could even be part of the reason. Anyway as urban music in the UK receives a decent boost over the past year or so, its worth seeing how the awards panned out.

Liverpool

So as far as I am aware, this years show was the first to move out of London. The show was hosted by TV Presenter and Radio 1 host Reggie Yates along with singer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon. I was pleasantly surprised by the hosting of the pair, with quite a good chemistry that got better as the show went on. Reggie however is a much obvious natural at this stuff than Alesha.

So whilst the hosts were good, the talent on display was of a high standard, the move to Liverpool didn’t help with my sceptism of the awards. At one point Reggie was doing a link and he was surrounded by a harem of WAG type blonde bimbos. Whilst some readers may approve, not really what an urban music award ceremony is about for me.

Anyway, who were the winners and losers on the night?

JLS and Tinie Tempah were the biggest winners on a night when nobody really dominated. The other notable award was the Best International Act, where Eminem ran out winner.

BEST NEWCOMER

Tinie Tempah (Winner)
Professor Green
Scorcher
Labrinth
Devlin

BEST UK HIP HOP / GRIME ACT

Giggs
Professor Green (Winner)
Skepta
Akala
Wiley

BEST AFRICAN ACT

JJC
K’Naan (Winner)
Mulatu Astatke
P-Square
Tinny

BEST VIDEO in association with MTV Base

Mark Ronson & The Business INTL ft. Q-Tip & MNDR – Bang, Bang, Bang
Tinie Tempah ft. Labrinth – Frisky (Winner)
Tinchy Stryder – You’re Not Alone
Alesha Dixon – Drummer Boy
Dizzee Rascal – Dirtee Disco

BEST REGGAE ACT

Damian Marley
Mavado
Gyptian (Winner)
Vybz Kartel
Gappy Ranks

BEST JAZZ ACT

Robert Glasper
Brad Mehldau
Empirical (Winner)
Phronesis
John McLaughlin

BEST GOSPEL ACT

Faith Child
Guvna B (Winner)
Rachel Kerr
Jake Isaac
Beverley Trotman

BEST UK R&B / SOUL ACT

Sade
Natalie Williams
Corinne Bailey Rae
McLean
Plan B (Winner)
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

Drake
Eminem (Winner)
Jason Derulo
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna

BEST UK ACT

Jay Sean
JLS (Winner)
N-Dubz
Taio Cruz
Tinie Tempah

BEST SONG in association with PRS for Music

Taio Cruz ft Ke$ha – Dirty Picture
Tinie Tempah – Pass Out
N-Dubz ft Mr Hudson – Playing With Fire (Winner)
Mark Ronson & The Business INTL ft Q-Tip & MNDR – Bang, Bang, Bang
Professor Green ft Ed Drewett – I Need You Tonight

BEST ALBUM