Joy Crookes, Arlo Parks and more nominated for MOBO Awards 2021

The 2021 nominations for the MOBO Awards – the UK's "most prestigious celebration of Black music and culture" – have been announced, with Dave, Central Cee, Little Simz, Ghetts and Arlo Parks leading the race, and Bangladeshi-Irish Londoner Joy Crookes shortlisted for Best Newcomer.

The Awards are set to return as a live show on Sunday, December 5, at Coventry Building Society Arena.

The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the MOBO Awards' YouTube channel.

BBC One will broadcast a special behind-the-scenes show, including exclusive backstage content. BBC Radio 1Xtra, meanwhile, will be covering the awards starting on Monday, December 6.

“The past 20 months have been extremely challenging for artists everywhere but as always we are seeing creatives rise up and adapt, even in a global pandemic," says Kanya King, Founder and CEO of MOBO Group. "This year’s crop of MOBO nominees have not only shown resilience but incredible talent and range. We could not be prouder to celebrate their achievements across the 18 categories that span genres, as well as excellence in TV, film and media. Congratulations and best of luck to all of our nominees. Here’s to a big night on 5th December in Coventry!"

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 Headie One, Tion Wayne, Unknown T, Digga D, M1llionz and more.

See the full list of nominations below:

BEST MALE ACT

• AJ TRACEY
• CENTRAL CEE
• DAVE
• GHETTS
• HEADIE ONE
• POTTER PAYPER

BEST FEMALE ACT

• ARLO PARKS
• BREE RUNWAY
• CLEO SOL
• LITTLE SIMZ
• SHAYBO
• TIANA MAJOR9

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• ARLO PARKS – “COLLAPSED IN SUNBEAMS”
• CELESTE – “NOT YOUR MUSE”
• CLEO SOL – “MOTHER”
• DAVE – “WE’RE ALL ALONE IN THIS TOGETHER”
• GHETTS – “CONFLICT OF INTEREST”
• HEADIE ONE – “EDNA”

SONG OF THE YEAR

• A1 X J1 – ‘LATEST TRENDS’
• CENTRAL CEE – ‘COMMITMENT ISSUES’
• DAVE FEAT. STORMZY - ‘CLASH’
• ENNY FEAT. AMIA BRAVE – ‘PENG BLACK GIRLS’
• PA SALIEU FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – ‘MY FAMILY’
• TION WAYNE & RUSS MILLIONS FEAT. ARRDEE, BUGZY MALONE, BUNI, DARKOO, E1 (3X3), FIVIO FOREIGN & ZT (3X3) – ‘BODY (REMIX)’

BEST NEWCOMER

• ARLO PARKS
• ARRDEE
• BACKROAD GEE
• BERWYN
• CENTRAL CEE
• ENNY
• JOY CROOKES
• MIDAS THE JAGABAN
• PINKPANTHERESS
• WES NELSON

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• BREE RUNWAY – ‘HOT HOT’ (DIRECTED BY JOCELYN ANQUETIL)
• FREDO FEAT. DAVE - ‘MONEY TALKS’ (DIRECTED BY EDEM WORNOO)
• LITTLE SIMZ FEAT. CLEO SOL – ‘WOMAN’ (DIRECTED BY LITTLE SIMZ)
• M1LLIONZ – ‘LAGGA’ (DIRECTED BY TEEEEZY C)
• PA SALIEU FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – ‘MY FAMILY’ (DIRECTED BY FEMI LADI)
• SLOWTHAI FEAT. A$AP ROCKY – ‘MAZZA’ (DIRECTED BY THE REST)

BEST R&B/SOUL ACT

• BELLAH
• CLEO SOL
• JORJA SMITH
• SAULT
• TIANA MAJOR9
• WSTRN

BEST GRIME ACT

• BUGZY MALONE
• CHIP
• D DOUBLE E
• FRISCO
• GHETTS
• SKEPTA

BEST HIP HOP ACT

• DAVE
• D-BLOCK EUROPE
• FREDO
• LITTLE SIMZ
• POTTER PAYPER
• SLOWTHAI

BEST DRILL ACT

• CENTRAL CEE
• DIGGA D
• HEADIE ONE
• K TRAP
• LOSKI
• M1LLIONZ
• RUSS MILLIONS
• SR
• TION WAYNE
• UNKNOWN T

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

• DOJA CAT
• DRAKE
• KANYE WEST
• LIL NAS X
• MEGAN THEE STALLION
• POLO G
• REMA
• SKILLIBENG
• WIZKID
• YOUNG STONER LIFE (YOUNG THUG & GUNNA)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM

• ASHLEY THOMAS AS HENRY IN ‘THEM’
• DAMSON IDRIS AS FRANKLIN SAINT IN ‘SNOWFALL’
• DANIEL KALUUYA AS FRED HAMPTON IN ‘JUDAS & THE BLACK MESSIAH’
• LETITIA WRIGHT AS ALTHEIA JONES-LECOINTE IN ‘SMALL AXE’
• MICHEAL WARD AS FRANKLYN IN ‘SMALL AXE’

BEST MEDIA PERSONALITY

• CHARLENE WHITE
• CHUNKZ & YUNG FILLY
• HARRY PINERO
• HENRIE KWUSHUE
• JULIE ADENUGA
• MAYA JAMA
• MO GILLIGAN
• MUNYA CHAWAWA
• NELLA ROSE
• ZEZE MILLZ

BEST GOSPEL ACT

• CALLEDOUT MUSIC
• CECE WINANS
• GUVNA B
• KIRK FRANKLIN
• MAVERICK CITY MUSIC
• S.O.

BEST AFRICAN MUSIC ACT

• AYRA STARR
• BURNA BOY
• CKAY
• DAVIDO
• KING PROMISE
• NSG
• REMA
• TEMS
• TIWA SAVAGE
• WIZKID

BEST REGGAE ACT

• LILA IKE
• POPCAAN
• SEAN PAUL
• SHENSEEA
• SKILLIBENG
• SPICE

BEST JAZZ ACT

• ALFA MIST
• BLUE LAB BEATS
• EMMA-JEAN THACKRAY
• JACOB COLLIER
• NUBIYAN TWIST
• SONS OF KEMET

BEST PRODUCER

• GOTCHA
• JAE 5
• JULS
• M1ONTHEBEAT
• P2J
• TSB