Main Performers | Dallas Austin, Janet Jackson, Natalie Imbruglia, Padma Lakshmi, Shobna Gulati, Estelle, Mark Lewis Francis, Marlon Devonish - award presenters
Kanya King, Brandy, Mary J Blige, Anita Baker, Estelle, Jamelia, Jay Sean, Mario Winans - vocals |
Set List | Awards: Best R&B Act - Usher, Best Hop Hop Act - Kanye West, Best Album - Kanye West (College Dropout), Best Single - Jamelia (Thank You), Best Video - Jamelia (See It In a Boy's Eyes), Best UK Newcomer - Estelle, Best UK Act of the Year - Jamelia and Dizzee Rascal, Best UK Radio DJ - Jigs (Choice FM), Best UK Club DJ - Manny Norte, Best Producer - Kanye West, Best Reggae Act - Sean Paul, Best Collaboration - 2Play feat. Raghav and Jucxi (So Confused), Best Jazz - Jame Cullum, Best Ringtone - Mario Winans (I Don't Wanna Know), Best World Music Act - Bebel Gilberto, Top Gospel Act - Raymond & Co., MOBO Icon - Janet Jackson, MOBO Lifetime Achievement - Anita Baker |
Performance Notes | The MOBO Awards returned to the Hall for the second consecutive year for its ninth annual ceremony.
The event was recorded and broadcast by the BBC.
Guests included DJ Jazzy Jeff, Sean Paul (singer), Lemar (singer), Nate James (singer), Jo Fenn (athlete), Jamie Cullum (singer, pianist), Kelly Holmes (athlete), Adrain Lester (actor), Laila Rouass (actress), Natahasa Bedingfiled (singer), Caroline Chikezie (singer), Fearne Cotton (presenter), Shobna Gulati (actress), Bebel Gilberto (singer), Lulu (singer), Mylene Klass (presenter), Aihwarya Rai (actress), Natasha Kaplinsky (presenter), Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (socialite), Raphael Saadiq (singer), Jamie Scott (singer), Kanye West (singer), Jermain Dofoe (footballer), Rhian Benson (singer), Caroline Chikezie (actress), Rageh Omar (presenter), Colin Salmon (actor), Jo Whiley (presenter). A red carpet was staged in the West Car Park.
Kanye West received a record for the MOBOs of seven nominations for one artist.
The Black Music Council held a protest of 60 people with drums outside the Hall angry that two Jamaican reggae artists, Vybz Kartel and Elephant Man, were excluded fromt he nominations for Best Reggae Act over homophobic lyrics. In another protest, the British soul singer Beverley Knight claimed she was snubbing the ceremony in protest at the Mobos' failure to recognise British talent, claiming that "every award could end up in American hands", despite the fact that four awards were specifically limited to the UK. Further controversy was caused by the MOBOs' decision to give an award for the best mobile phone ringtone of the year. The rise in popularity of ringtones among teenagers had been linked to declining record sales: accounting for 10% of the world music market. |
Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/2004/146) |