Kanya King: Founder of the MOBO Awards Who Championed Black Music Dies a

Kanya King was a British businesswoman best known as the founder of the MOBO Awards, which celebrate music of Black origin. Born on February 12, 1969, in Kilburn, London, the youngest of nine children of an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father, she turned a bold idea into one of the most recognized awards in British music.

King founded the MOBO Awards in 1996 and organized the first ceremony in just seven weeks, funding it with a remortgage on her home. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1999, named to the BBC 100 Women list in 2013 and promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2018 for her services to music and culture.

King had a son when she was 16. She was diagnosed with stage IV bowel cancer in December 2024 and died on June 3, 2026, at age 57. Remembered as a visionary who opened doors for generations of artists, she was honored by Pharrell Williams on the MOBO stage in 2026.

Achievements: Founded the MOBO Awards (1996), appointed MBE (1999), named to the BBC 100 Women list (2013), promoted to CBE (2018).

Birth: February 12, 1969 - Kilburn, London, England.

Profession: Businesswoman and music industry entrepreneur.

Interesting Facts: King pitched the idea for the MOBO Awards to the head of London Weekend Television after a chance meeting at an Arsenal football event.