Jamelia scoops Mobo awards

Jamelia was crowned queen of the Mobos tonight as she scooped three awards.

Thu, 30 Sep, 2004 - 22:42

Jamelia was crowned queen of the Mobos tonight as she scooped three awards.

The 23-year-old won best single for Thank You and best video for See It In A Boy’s Eyes.

And she shared the UK act of the year award with Dizzee Rascal.

Her triple win provided a welcome good news story for the Mobo (Music of Black Origin) awards after weeks of controversy.

A row erupted when two Jamaican reggae stars, Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, were included on the nominations list despite many of their songs featuring homophobic lyrics.

But her triple win was marred by protests outside the ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

A group calling themselves the Black Music Council turned out in support of two the reggae artists, who were dropped from the nominations list after a campaign by gay rights group OutRage!

As stars including Janet Jackson, Brandy and Lemar arrived on the red carpet, they were booed by the group of around 30 protesters who waved placards reading: “Defend reggae music” and “Enraged by OutRage!”

The issue was only one of several crises faced by Mobo organisers this year.

Host Pharrell Williams dropped out with days to go, citing “scheduling problems”. Mos Def was drafted in as a last-minute replacement.

And a string of big-name stars, including Beyonce, Usher and Outkast, all passed up the chance to appear at the event at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

However, the organisers did manage to land Janet Jackson, who presented the lifetime achievement award to Anita Baker and was herself inducted into the Mobo Hall of Fame.

The last time Jackson appeared at a high profile event was the US Super Bowl, when she flashed her breast on prime-time TV. US network CBS was fined a record £306,000 for indecency.

Jamelia’s success helped stifle criticism of the awards as being biased towards US acts.

The only other Brit to win a major award was Jamie Cullum, who was named best jazz act. Seventeen-year-old Joss Stone, nominated for UK act of the year and best album, left empty-handed.

US star Kanye West won three awards, taking home best hip hop act, best producer and best album for College Dropout.

Jamaican dancehall star Sean Paul won best reggae act and Usher was named best R&B act.

Jamelia’s treble win caps an amazing comeback year for the Birmingham-born singer.

She burst on to the music scene five years ago, scoring a string of top 40 hits and landing her first Mobo aged 19.

But she fell pregnant with daughter Teja, now three, and put her career on hold to become a full-time mum.

In September last year, she stormed into the charts again with Superstar.

The follow-up single, Thank You, is an account of domestic violence.

It is based on her stormy relationship with former partner Terry Wallen, Teja’s father.

He has said: “I’m not disputing that the song is about me but not all of what she’s saying is the truth.”

Presenters at the ceremony included Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai, Strictly Come Dancing winner Natasha Kaplinsky and double Olympic winner Kelly Holmes.

Holmes wore £500,000 of diamond and gold jewellery from Boodle and Dunthorne and an orange leather dress by designer Scott Henshall.

Full list of winners:

:: Best R&B Act – Usher

:: Best Hip Hop Act – Kanye West

:: Best Video – Jamelia, See It In A Boy’s Eyes

:: Best Single – Jamelia, Thank You

:: Best Album – Kanye West, College Dropout

:: Best Jazz Act – Jamie Cullum

:: Best Reggae Act – Sean Paul

:: Best Collaboration – 2Play ft. Raghav and Jucxi – So Confused

:: Best Producer – Kanye West

:: Best World Music Act – Bebel Gilberto