Kanya King breathes her last at 57 after prolonged illness
MOBO Awards founder transforms the Britain’s musical landscape over the last 30 years
Kanya King, the founder of the MOBOs Awards, breathed her last at 57 after prolonged illness.
The news of the death was announced on June 5, more than a year after Kanya was diagnosed with colon cancer.
In a statement issued via BBC, the MOBOs founder said, “It is with immeasurable sorrow that the MOBO Organisation announces the passing of its Founder and CEO, Kanya King CBE.”
“Kanya passed away peacefully on June 3, 2026 after a courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon cancer. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and love. The music world has lost one of its most fearless champions,” they wrote in a statement.
It further mentioned that the “2026 MOBO Awards, held during the Organisation’s landmark 30th anniversary year, will be dedicated entirely to her memory.”
“The music world has last one of its most fearless champions… Every artist, every moment and every note will carry her legacy,” said the statement.
Reflecting on Kanya’s legacy, the press statement further said, “What she created was never simply an awards ceremony. It was an act of cultural justice.”
“Mobo did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it,” added the statement.
