The MOBO Awards have announced their 2021 nominees, ahead of the Awards’ return as a live show extravaganza on Sunday 5th December at Coventry’s Building Society Arena. 

Undeniably a pivotal voice in the contemporary landscape of UK music, Dave leads the 2021 MOBO Awards nominations. The 23-year-old South London MC has picked up a staggering five nominations: Best Male Act, Best Hip Hop Act, Album of The Year for the critically-acclaimed ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’, Song Of The Year – in association with Coventry Building Society for ‘Clash’ featuring Stormzy and Video Of The Year for his Fredo collaboration ‘Money Talks’.

Awe-inspiring Little Simz receives the acknowledgment she deserves for her recent album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’. The dexterous MC receives the recognition deserving of her stature as Simz scores a hat trick of nominations: Best Female Act, Best Hip Hop Act and Video of The Year for ‘Woman’.

In a move that shows that MOBO is forever one step ahead their contemporaries, this year marks the arrival of the inaugural award for Best Drill Act – recognising the cultural and urgent force that the genre has become over the last few years. The crop of MCs who make up the first-ever round of nominees in this category include ‘King Of Drill’ Headie One who is also one of this year’s most nominated, in addition to Tion Wayne, Unknown T, Digga D, M1llionz and more.

Coventry rapper Pa Salieu scores two MOBO nominations in the year the Awards is hosted in his home city. The hotly-tipped rising star is up for Song of The Year – in association with Coventry Building Society and Video of The Year for ‘My Family’ featuring BackRoad Gee.

Wizkid and Tems earn Best African Act nominations, suitably following this year’s global smash ‘Essence’. The category also includes rising stars Ayra Starr and Ckay,in addition to mainstays like Burna Boy, Rema and Davido,showing the ongoing integration of African music into the mainstream.