Concert News
MORE PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2026 MOBO AWARDS IN MANCHESTER NEXT MONTH
The 2026 MOBO Awards is proud to announce more performers taking to the stage at the ceremony in Manchester’s Co-op Live on 26 March.
Fitting for a show to mark MOBO’s milestone 30th anniversary, there will be a special performance for ‘MOBO Salutes: Grime 25’, featuring Wiley, Chip, Nolay, Scorcher, D Double E and curated by DJ Target. They join the already announced performers Olivia Dean, FLO and Tiwa Savage for what’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting nights in music, bringing together homegrown and global stars across generations in a way only MOBO can!
The 2026 MOBO Awards is hosted by global hip-hop icon Eve and comedian and broadcaster Eddie Kadi. Expect more performers, special honourees, broadcast details and the MOBO Fringe programme to be announced soon for Europe’s biggest and most influential celebration of Black music and culture. Tickets are available now via mobo.com/tickets.
Kanya King CBE, Founder and CEO of the MOBO Group, said: “Celebrating Grime on the MOBO stage feels incredibly meaningful. It’s one of the most important cultural movements this country has produced, and its rise reflects MOBO’s own journey – championing homegrown sounds, elevating new voices and helping take underground culture into the mainstream.
MOBO has always stood for community as much as celebration, which is why partnerships like our work with Prostate Cancer UK are so important. Using this platform to raise awareness and drive change is a responsibility we take seriously.”
For a landmark moment in UK music history, MOBO is bringing together a special medley performance curated by DJ Target to celebrate Grime music, as the genre approaches its 25th anniversary. The medley will feature Grime OGs Wiley, Chip, Nolay, Scorcher and D Double E.
Often hailed as ‘The Godfather of Grime’, Wiley, is a British Grime MC, songwriter and record producer who has pioneered the world of underground music through his numerous hits and collaborations. He shot to fame from the material released with his crew Roll Deep, which included DJ Target, Dizzee Rascal, Tinchy Stryder, Skepta and JME. Wiley has achieved 11 UK Top 40 singles, 6 Top 10’s including the No.1 hit ‘Heatwave’. He was the first ever recipient of MOBO Paving The Way Award back in 2015 and he is nominated this year for Best Grime Act supported by TRENCH.
North London Grime legend Chip broke through as one of the youngest MCs from the genre to catapult from the underground scene to mainstream success, winning his first MOBO Award at age 16 in 2008 before signing a major label deal that spawned the UK No.1 hit, ‘Oopsy Daisy’, the following year. Inspired by Wiley and Dizzee Rascal, from the age of 14 he started competing at rap battles in local youth clubs. The same competitive spirit propelled him to conquer the charts and develop into an agile artist – bridging the worlds of Grime, mainstream hip-hop, Drill and R&B. In 2025, Chip dropped his album Grime Scene Saviour, which kickstarted with sold-out explosive raves at Outernet and White City Exhibition, with the who’s who of the genre taking to the mic. It cemented a moment in time of another cultural crescendo for Grime. Chip is nominated for Best Grime Act supported by TRENCH.
Nolay is an unstoppable force in Grime, hailed by The FADER as “one of the most formidable lyricists in Grime and the UK rap scene”. The South London MC has earned her place as a respected figurehead in the scene for her unapologetically forward flows and relentless fight for women to have a space within the homegrown rap scene. She got her start writing poetry before snatching attention from major labels in the 2000s with the Grime collective Unorthodox. In recent years she has also pivoted to acting, playing ‘Mandy’ in the Netflix crime drama series Top Boy.
The four time MOBO-nominated and multi-talented North London MC Scorcher is one of Grime’s pioneers, riding the wave of a major resurgence. He broke out in 2004 as a member of the foundational crew Cold Blooded, and later formed The Movement, the monumental Grime supergroup. Scorcher, renowned for his relentless work rate, won his first MOBO Award last year for Best Grime Act, which continued his momentum and fuelled a powerhouse year with a string of viral mixtape and single releases, and a spot on Complex UK’s Best British Rappers of 2025 list. Scorcher is up for Best Grime Act supported by TRENCH this year.
As one of Grime’s pre-eminent MCs, D Double E has been an influential voice in shaping the scene. Cutting his teeth MCing to UK Garage and Jungle beats in the early 2000s; the lyrical trailblazer rapidly rose through the world of pirate radio before joining the Nasty Crew with the likes of Kano and Ghetts, and later forming the Newham Generals. As he began to branch out on his own, his East London patois and whip-smart wordplay made him an instantly recognisable and consistent voice in the scene. D Double E won MOBO’s Best Grime Act in 2022. He is most certainly your favourite MC’s favourite MC for a reason, with a string of collaborations, mixtapes and singles over the years. He released his latest EP, King of Reloads last year.
MOBO is delighted to welcome a new sponsor for the 2026 MOBO Awards. Huda Beauty comes on board as the Official Makeup Partner and sponsor of the Best R&B/Soul Act category, celebrating creativity, confidence and self-expression across culture and media. This year’s Best R&B/Soul Act category will also be presented in association with Huda Beauty.
They join previously announced partners and sponsors Amazon Music, Prostate Cancer UK, got2b and Vevo. Amazon Music is the sponsor of Album of the Year. Prostate Cancer UK continues its vital role as the Official Men’s Health Charity Partner and sponsor of the Best Male Act category, raising essential awareness of the higher risk of prostate cancer among Black men and campaigning to address health inequalities across the UK. Meanwhile, got2b returns as the Official Hairstyling Partner and sponsor of the Best Female Act category, championing individuality, self-expression and creativity on one of the biggest nights in music and culture. Vevo also joins as a partner this year, sponsoring Video of the Year and supporting the category’s focus on visual excellence.
Ahead of the ceremony, MOBO is also collaborating with Manchester City Council to deliver the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long celebration of music, culture, and creativity in the lead-up to the Awards. The free programme will feature industry panels, talent showcases, live performances and creative workshops spanning music, tech, and the arts, creating opportunities for the next generation while spotlighting Manchester’s vibrant local scene.
As part of MOBO Fringe, MOBO recently announced the MOBO Fringe: Manchester Talent Programme supported by PPL, a new initiative designed to champion 10 emerging artists from Greater Manchester. The programme will deliver education workshops, industry insight and live performance opportunities during MOBO Fringe week, creating a platform for local talent to shine. Applications are now open and close on 27 February at 6pm GMT, with artists invited to apply at mobo.com/fringe.
The MOBO Fringe Festival is a vital part of the MOBO Organisations ongoing commitment to celebrating music, arts, and culture while championing local creatives. Building on the success of MOBO Fringe 2025 in Newcastle, which drew thousands of attendees and delivered an estimated £1 million+ in combined economic and social impact for the city and wider North East region, the Manchester programme promises an exciting, citywide celebration designed to energise the city, empower communities and inspire audiences nationwide.
Since 2009, the MOBO Awards has proudly paved the way by taking its celebrations to cities across the UK, shining a spotlight on Black music and culture while championing local talent and communities. From London to Liverpool, Leeds to Glasgow, Coventry to Sheffield and Newcastle, MOBO has transformed cities, stages and arenas into cultural hotspots. Now, as the MOBO Organisation steps into its 30th anniversary year, it’s bringing the MOBO magic to Manchester, a city globally renowned for its musical movements, creative spirit and cultural influence.