Central Cee has made history at the Mobo Awards by winning the best male act award for the third time, a feat no other artist has achieved. This marked his seventh trophy, putting him on par with Stormzy as the most decorated rapper in the history of the awards.
Although Central Cee was not present at the ceremony to accept his award in person, host Eddie Kadi collected it on his behalf, joking about sharing everything except royalties.
The event in Newcastle also saw Bashy take home the awards for the best album and best hip-hop act after a 15-year hiatus from the music scene. Darkoo was recognized as the best female act, beating out tough competition from Raye and Jorja Smith.
Darkoo, in her acceptance speech, humorously mentioned attempting to use Chat GPT to write her speech but opting to freestyle instead. She thanked her family for their unwavering support, expressing gratitude for their belief in her over the past year.
Ayra Starr, another standout artist of the night, made history as the first African woman to win the Best International Act award. Vybz Kartel, the Jamaican dancehall artist, received the Mobo Impact Award and shared his inspiring journey from jail to performing at the Wireless festival this summer.
The ceremony featured electrifying performances from Nova Twins, Spice, Krept And Konan, and award winners Odeal, Darkoo, and Bashy. Bashy, in particular, expressed his gratitude for winning the best hip-hop act and album of the year for “Being Poor Is Expensive” after a long and challenging journey in the music industry.
The evening also saw Mobos founder Kanya King being honored with a surprise award for paving the way. Kanya, who is battling stage four bowel cancer, received a standing ovation from the crowd and expressed her determination to be present at next year’s 30th-anniversary celebration.
