MOBO Awards founder, Kanya King CBE, dead at 57
5 June 2026, 12:01 | Updated: 5 June 2026, 12:09
Kanya King has passed away after a private battle with colon cancer. She was known as one of the most defining voices in championing Black British music as the CEO and founder of the MOBOs. Here are all the details.
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Kanya King CBE, the founder of the Black British music awards, The MOBOs, has died at age 57 after a battle with colon cancer.
The pioneer and entrepreneur launched the MOBO awards 30 years ago, remortgaging her own home to provide for the cause, without any initial support from other institutions.
Over the three decades, the award show has become a staple in the community spotlighting Black British talents from across the country and world in a way that no other organisation does.
The news shared on June 5th by the MOBO Organisation revealed that Kanya passed away peacefully on June 3rd after a courageous battle with colon cancer.
Her family and close friends supported her in her final moments.
This comes after she shared the news of her health struggles in December 2024.
The MOBO CEO was nothing short of a legend, a single mother from a Kilburn council estate, who was determined to find a space for Black music that other institutions had dismissed for being too niche.
The platform she built spotlighted and launched artists like So Solid Crew, Central Cee, Stormzy, and more.
The MOBO Organisation’s statement said: “The world was a profoundly better place with Kanya King in it. The MOBO family is heartbroken, but also endlessly grateful, proud, and inspired by everything she gave to music, culture, and the generations who will follow in her footsteps. Rest in power, Kanya.”
The industry will not be the same since the passing of Kanya King, but the awards show will continue her mission in the years to come.
