June 5 (THEWILL) — Kanya King CBE, founder of the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards, has died at the age of 57.
The MOBO Organization confirmed on Friday, June 5, 2026, that she died on Wednesday, June 3, following a “courageous and determined battle with colon cancer.” She was surrounded by family and close friends.
King launched the MOBO Awards in 1996 to celebrate Black music in the UK.
She is credited with helping promote artists such as Stormzy, Amy Winehouse, and Craig David.
She started the awards after remortgaging her home, following rejections from parts of the music industry that dismissed Black music as “too niche.”
Her family said she faced illness “with courage, with faith, with humour, and with an absolute refusal to be diminished.”
“She leaves behind 30 years of music of joy, of resistance, of proof – proof that one woman, with vision, nerve, and love, can move an entire culture,” the family said.
Tributes have been paid by figures across music and politics. Singer Alesha Dixon called her an “incredible woman,” while rapper Stormzy and actor Idris Elba also shared tributes online. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said she was “a true pioneer who changed the face of culture and music.”
King received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1999 and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2018.
She had previously announced her stage four bowel cancer diagnosis in December 2024.
The MOBO Organization said her legacy “transformed the cultural landscape of the UK” and confirmed that upcoming MOBO events will honour her memory.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
