A memorial stone honouring MOBO Awards founder Kanya King will be laid at her former school in north-west London, marking 30 years since the first ceremony she created.
The “Paving the Way” stone will be unveiled at Queens Park Community School on 18 November, exactly three decades after the first MOBO Awards ceremony in 1996. The stone recognises Ms King’s deep roots in the community and her lasting influence on British music and culture.
Ms King died this summer at the age of 57 after a battle with colon cancer. Her legacy includes bringing black music and culture into the mainstream in the UK and building the MOBO Awards — Music of Black Origin — into a widely respected national institution.
The unveiling is part of a series of events throughout November celebrating three decades of the organisation’s contribution to black music and culture.
A special BBC programme, “MOBO 30: Iconic Moments”, will air on 11 November. Presented by DJ Target, it will look back at some of the most memorable performances, milestones and moments from the awards since their inception in 1996.
Further celebrations include a temporary display at the V&A East Storehouse, which opens on 18 November. The display will feature items from the MOBO archive and will remain on view until summer 2027, to coincide with the closing of the V&A East Museum’s inaugural exhibition, “The Music Is Black: A British Story”.
Queens Park Community School, where the stone will be laid, is the school Ms King attended before going on to launch the awards that would reshape how black music is recognised in Britain. The stone places her story back where it began, in the community she grew up in.
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