MOBO's underfire

For lack of soul category

23 Aug 2007 - There has been criticism after last night's MOBO nominations, for the award's lack of a soul category.

The editor of black music monthly Echoes, Chris Wells, has said that despite what the MOBO's may think there is more to current black music than hip hop, R&B and pop.

The MOBO's already had to bring back its jazz category, which was dropped but returned under protest from artists and punters alike. 

Chris Wells said: "Usher, Ciara, Christina Aguilera and Beyonce clearly do not make the same kind of music as Jill Scott, Angie Stone, D’Angelo and Anthony Hamilton. Last year they even nominated Anthony Hamilton in the Reggae section."

Wells also pointed out the current successes of UK soul artists such as Beverley Knight, nominated for Best UK Female in the awards, Joss Stone and Corinne Bailey Rae and Britain’s indie soul scene including Omar and Incognito. Wells made the point that Amy Winhouse is nominated for Best R&B, he says that she is taking the place of a deserving R&B artist, when she should be in the soul category.

"We have to get away from regarding soul as an old style of music, " says Wells, "When a newspaper gives away a soul cd with it free, it's always Sexual Healing and Otis Redding... It's never the new stuff"

When we caught up with Beverley, she didn't want to be drawn into a row about the categorisation choices:

"To be honest, its nice to even be recognised in any shape or form at the moment! The whole of black inspired music outside of the Mobo's is quiet - the notable exception is Amy Winehouse whose made huge strides over the last 12 months.

"But the one thing that The MOBO Awards exemplifies is that there's clearly talent out there, but there's not enough of it hitting the mainstream often enough. That's my big point."

"If soul is so successful... and it is, it deserves its own genre" - Chris Wells, Echoes Magazine

MOBO have given us an official statement:

"Soul music is derivative of gospel and rhythm & blues. There are both R'n'B and Gospel categories in this years nominations.

The MOBOs have credited the artists Corrinne Bailey Rae, Beverley Knight, Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone with nominations in this years list. Just because there is not a specific category entitled 'soul' it does not mean soulful artists are not being represented. Corinne and Beverley have both won awards in previous years.

These artists talents have been celebrated by us from the beginning of their careers."



Ruth Barnes