Born in London in 1969, King battled adversity from a young age, feeling written off by society when she became a mother at 16. As she told the Evening Standard in 2017 “That put a fire in my belly and gave me the motivation to say ‘Why should I not have ambition, little is expected of me?’.” Fuelled by her ambitions to see under-represented black musicians in genres like R&B and hip-hop receive their fair plaudits at award ceremonies, she tirelessly worked to bring the music industry to the table.

When it all came together after months of phone calls from her bedroom, the first MOBOs ceremony was televised and held in London’s Connaught Hotel in 1996. The inaugural event presented Lionel Ritchie with a lifetime achievement award with Tina Turner alongside him onstage, while future Prime Minister Tony Blair was in the crowd with his wife Cherie. When interviewed at the event, Blair emphasised the importance of the MOBOs and the focus on music of black origin, while making it about the music and not skin colour. King agreed, telling BBC News in 2001 “We’ve always said it’s about the music… an event that celebrates music of black origin doesn’t seek to separate artists according to skin colour.”

From there, the awards became a giant entity in the UK music sphere, bringing all of the biggest names in black music and culture together The MOBOs have spear-headed the rise of whole genres like grime and UK drill rap, with artists like Stormzy, Dave, and Krept and Konan receiving international acclaim through the awards. This year, UK Music presented research that black music was the single-biggest driving force in the British music industry, accounting for 80% of the market. King was presented with a CBE in 2018 for contributions to music and culture, and has been noted in many lists of the most influential women in the UK.

In 2024, King was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, writing at the time “While this journey will undoubtedly be challenging, I’ve always believed in finding meaning through adversity.” She made her last public appearance on the red carpet at this year’s MOBOs ceremony in March, the 30th edition of the event. The night saw Olivia Dean take both Best Album and Best Song prizes, as well as Pharell Williams claiming a Global Songwriter awards. Williams addressed King’s determination during her treatment in his speech, saying “when you love what you get to do, you’re never working, you’re just having the time of your life.”

It is with immeasurable sorrow that the MOBO Organisation announces the passing of its Founder and CEO, Kanya King CBE.

Kanya passed away peacefully on 3 June 2026 after a courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon cancer. She was surrounded by her family,… pic.twitter.com/tkuT1dnBa8

— MOBO Awards (@MOBOAwards) June 5, 2026

Kanya King sadly died this Wednesday, as announced by the MOBOs official social media accounts. The statement reads “Kanya passed away peacefully on 3 June 2026 after a courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon cancer. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and love.”

Since the news broke, mourners from across the music industry and beyond have offered their condolences at the loss of such a powerful figure. Mis-teeq singer and TV personality Alesha Dixon wrote that King was “an incredible woman” who “helped so many people, your impact is immeasurable!” Singer Craig David posted “Kanya, your legacy will live on forever through every single one of us you touched with your beautiful heart.”

JLS singer Marvin Humes said “Kanya was a massive supporter of me and JLS. She was an amazing woman who created an unmatchable legacy.” JLS bandmate Oritse Williams posted “The world knows you as a pioneer and entrepreneur, but to many of us you were our big sister, mentor and friend, always encouraging, always supporting and always looking for ways to lift others up.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Oritse Williams (@oritsemusic)

Outside of music, tribute also came from TV presenter Judi Love, who wrote “Queen built a whole legacy for us. Rest Well.” while actor Sir Idris Elba posted the message “You inspired me. Your dedication is unmatched. I will miss you, we will all miss you.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan labelled her a “true pioneer”, adding “she changed the face of culture and music – opening doors and creating opportunities for so many others. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also wrote that she “changed British music for the better through the MOBO Awards.”

King’s family issued a statement – “She faced every moment of her illness as she faced every moment of her life: with courage, with faith, with humour, and with an absolute refusal to be diminished. Through the Mobos, she gave “an entire generation of black British artists the right to be seen, to be celebrated, and to be heard on their own terms.” “Kanya leaves behind 30 years of music of joy, of resistance, of proof – proof that one woman, with vision, nerve, and love, can move an entire culture.”

In a post on Instagram, she said the diagnosis was something she “never saw coming” and that she’s “still processing this unexpected reality.” She wrote that “this diagnosis has tested me in ways I never imagined, but it has also given me a renewed sense of purpose”, reminding us that “life isn’t just about how long you live; it’s about how deeply you live.”

Speaking to a friend in her video, she confidently told them that she believes “these things happen for a reason. I’ve overcome so many things in my life, this is another thing that I’ll overcome.” She also encouraged others to be alert and aware of their wellbeing – “Be proactive, be the CEO of your own health”, recommending getting tests, namely FIT (fecal immunochemical tests) and being vigilant if something doesn’t feel right.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kanya King CBE (@kanyakingcbe)

Kanya, the founder and CEO of the MOBO awards, was recently awarded the 2024 LIVEtime Achievement honour at the music industry’s LIVE Awards, recognising her incredible contribution to the industry and culture since the 90’s.

While working as a TV researcher after studying at Goldsmiths University, she realised there was no British awards ceremony celebrating black music and its influence. Setting out to make her own, she struggled to find financial backing – determined to make it a reality, she re-mortgaged her house to fund the TV production. She then persuaded Carlton TV to broadcast the first ceremony in 1996 at London’s Connaught Rooms, managing and organising the event within just six weeks.

The MOBO’s have been a driving force in shining a spotlight on British music that might not receive the recognition it deserves elsewhere – celebrating and giving categories to genres like Jungle, Garage, Grime and Drill.

Their shows have been star-studded spectacles before, welcoming appearances from international stars throughout the years like Lauryn Hill, Damien Marley and 50 Cent. They’ve also helped to platform talent on their rise to fame, giving the Best Newcomer accolade to artists like Akala, Kano, Ms Dynamite before their mainstream breakthroughs, and giving Stormzy the award for Best Grime Act in 2014 when he was on the cusp of stardom.

As well as the groundbreaking awards ceremony, the MOBO’s organization does charitable work through the MOBO Trust, advancing education in the performing arts for young people with diverse backgrounds. The organization also runs programmes to provide opportunities to emerging talent to aid their creative development, as well as providing grants to support the careers of talented artists.

In another Instagram post, the MOBO’s shared the news of Kanya’s diagnosis and commended her resilience and wished her well. They said she “remains unshakeably determined and full of purpose”, setting her sights on being at the next awards “to celebrate the achievements of our community.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOBO Awards (@moboawards)

Next year’s MOBO Awards nominees have been announced recently with an exciting shortlist: grime legends like Bashy and Ghetts, R&B stars including Jorja Smith and Sampha, electronic acts like Nia Archives and alternative rockers such as Hak Baker and Bob Vylan. The awards will be hosted in Newcastle for the first time, at the Utilita Arena on the 18^th February, 2025.

To vote for your favourite nominees, click here.