The news was announced by the MOBO Organisation, which described King as “one of the most fearless champions” of music and culture. Tributes have begun to emerge from across the music industry, with artists, broadcasters and industry leaders recognising her role in creating opportunities for Black British talent and transforming the UK’s cultural landscape.
King founded the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards in 1996 after identifying a lack of recognition for Black artists within mainstream music awards. What began as a bold idea developed into one of Britain’s most recognised music institutions, celebrating artists across genres including R&B, soul, reggae, hip-hop, grime, gospel and Afrobeats.
Born in Kilburn, north-west London, to a Ghanaian father and Irish mother, King was working as a television researcher when she began developing plans for the awards. To fund the inaugural event, she famously remortgaged her home, believing there was a need for a platform dedicated to recognising the contribution of Black music to British culture.
The first MOBO Awards were held in London in 1996 and broadcast nationally on television. Over the following three decades, the awards helped showcase both emerging and established artists, becoming an important fixture in the British music calendar.
The organisation played a significant role in recognising genres and artists that were often overlooked elsewhere. From the rise of UK garage and grime to the growth of Afrobeats and contemporary Black British music, MOBO became an important platform for celebrating talent and achievement.
In a statement announcing King’s death, the MOBO Organisation said her vision had helped amplify and legitimise Black music within the mainstream music industry. The organisation described her work as extending beyond an awards ceremony, highlighting her wider commitment to creating opportunities and opening doors for future generations.
King’s contribution to British culture was recognised with an MBE in 1999 and a CBE in 2018 for services to music and culture.
In 2024, she publicly revealed that she had been diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer and subsequently used her profile to encourage greater awareness of the disease and the importance of early diagnosis.
The death of Kanya King marks the loss of a pioneering entrepreneur whose work helped shape the modern British music industry. Through the MOBO Awards, she created a platform that has celebrated Black music and culture for three decades and supported generations of artists across the United Kingdom.
Further tributes are expected in the coming days as the music industry reflects on her contribution to British cultural life.
Kanya King CBE was 57.