KINGSTON, Jamaica – Vybz Kartel accepted the MOBO Influence Award on the 2025 staging of the Music of Black Origin (MOBO), which was held in New Citadel, England on Tuesday evening.
The lanky deejay who had earlier carried out his RIAA gold-certified single Fever throughout Queen of the Dancehall, Spice’s set, thanked his household, his supervisor Linton “TJ’ White, his followers in England, the MOBO organisation and his fiancé Sidem throughout his acceptance speech.
“First, I gotta say God is the best. As a result of take into consideration this, (I) received locked up and did 13 years in jail. In the meantime, I’m doing 13 years in jail, I’m recognized with Graves illness. So I’m combating to be free and I’m combating my sickness. I’m combating to maintain my household collectively; that is my son right here, Likkle Vybz,” mentioned Kartel to thunderous applause from the viewers.
Kartel continued, “I’m combating to maintain the followers happy with good music. And look how God nice. Nominated for a Grammy Award with an album (that) received launched from jail, received engaged to my fiancé who’s from England, and now I’m right here. I walked the purple carpet on the MOBOs. So now, that taught me to consider in three issues now greater than ever. Religion, change and forgiveness.”
Spice offered Kartel with the honorary MOBO affect award, which in recent times has been awarded to pop trio Sugababes and boxer Frank Bruno.
In recent times the MOBOs has broadened its classes to recognise the contributions made by Black artistes to the U.Ok’s rock scene and its membership tradition.
The ceremony honours homegrown and worldwide artistes from numerous scenes together with hip-hop, R&B, grime, jazz, and Afrobeats.
Earlier on Tuesday, Shenseea was named winner within the Greatest Caribbean Music Act class, beating Valiant, Skillibeng, Popcaan, Valiant and YG Marley. That is Shenseea’s second MOBO Award, having gained the now defunct Greatest Reggae Act award in 2021.
First held in 1996, the MOBOs have been based by Kanya King and Andy Ruffell to offer illustration for Black artistes at a devoted ceremony. The awards have been held yearly up till 2017. Following a short hiatus, they returned in 2021 and 2022 however took a fallow 12 months in 2023 and resumed as soon as once more in 2024.
The ceremony was hosted by comic Eddie Kadi and Love Island star Indiyah Polack and broadcast reside on YouTube. Highlights from the ceremony will air on BBC One on Friday, February 21.
