Central Cee and Jorja Smith among Mobo nominees

He has yet to release his debut album, but Central Cee could become the first musician to win best male artist at the Mobo Awards three times.

The West London rapper is currently tied with Stormzy, who also has two wins, but picked up his third consecutive nomination when the 2025 shortlist was announced on Wednesday morning.

He's up against stars including Bashy, Sampha and D-Block Europe for the award, which he last won in February. The musician is also nominated for best drill act and song of the year, for the Top 10 hit Band4Band.

Other triple nominees include R&B singers Jorja Smith and Cleo Sol. Winners will be announced next February.

Established in 1996, the Mobos celebrate black music in the UK and beyond.

Among this year's nominees is jungle artist Nia Archives, who's up for best female and best electronic act, following the success of her debut album, Silence Is Loud.

"It just feels surreal," she told the BBC, "but it's nice to be recognised for what I'm doing."

"I think it's a really good time for black British musicians, producers and creatives. So it's really cool for the Mobos to celebrate that."

Pop star Raye, who has already enjoyed a record-breaking year, caps her achievements with a second consecutive nomination for best female.

She won the prize at the most recent ceremony, in Sheffield, but was unable to attend due to touring commitments in Australia.

Her competition includes street soul singer Jorja Smith and R&B vocalist Cleo Sol - best known for her work with the soul collective Sault.

Both are also up for album of the year, recognising their nuanced, mature takes on British soul: Cleo Sol for Gold and Jorja Smith for Falling Or Flying.

Actor Ashley Thomas is also recognised in the best album category, after breaking a 15-year hiatus to return to his rap alter-ego, Bashy.

His record, Being Poor Is Expensive, is an emotionally gripping account of his childhood, which also earns the musician nominations for best male and best hip-hop act.

The album of the year nominations are rounded out by Ghetts' similarly autobiographical On Purpose, With Purpose; Sampha's Lahai, a musing on fatherhood inspired by his young daughter; and West London rapper Skrapz's densely-packed Reflections - his first ever top 10 release.

Former winners Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar are among the nominees for best international act, but the category is more notable for its promotion of African artists.

Tyla, the South African star whose slinky seduction anthem Water became a global smash last year, is a front-runner for the prize, alongside Nigerian singers Tems and Ayra Starr - who became the first Afrobeats artist to play Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage earlier this summer.

They're joined on the shortlist by Nigerian rapper and singer Asake, as well as US musicians Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion and Glorilla.

They'll find out who has won in a star-studded ceremony at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on 18 February 2025.

Nia Archives said it was important that big events like the Mobos were held outside London, recalling how she had been inspired by watching Lethal Bizzle "from the nosebleed seats" when the ceremony came to her hometown, Leeds, in 2015.

"When you have those outreach moments to regional towns and cities like Leeds and Bradford, it's really inspiring as a young person.

"It's really cool that that the Mobos decided to do that and it was really impactful for me at that age."

Best male act

• Bashy
• Central Cee
• D-Block Europe
• Ghetts
• Nemzzz
• Sampha

Best female act

• Cleo Sol
• Darkoo
• Jorja Smith
• Little Simz
• Nia Archives
• Raye

Album of the year

• Bashy - Being Poor Is Expensive
• Cleo Sol - Gold
• Ghetts - On Purpose, With Purpose
• Jorja Smith - Falling Or Flying
• Sampha - Lahai
• Skrapz - Reflection

Song of the year

• Central Cee Feat. Lil Baby - Band4band
• Chase & Status, Stormzy - Backbone
• Darkoo Feat. Dess Dior - Favourite Girl
• Jordan Adetunji - Kehlani
• Leostaytrill - Pink Lemonade
• Odeal - Soh-Soh

Best newcomer

• Chy Cartier
• Elmiene
• Fimiguerrero
• Flowerovlove
• Jordan Adetunji
• Len
• Leostaytrill
• Myles Smith
• Odeal
• Pozer

Video of the year

• Meekz - Mini Me's
• Mnelia - My Man
• Raye - Genesis
• Sampha - Only
• Skepta - Gas Me Up (Diligent)
• Unknown T Feat. Loyle Carner - Hocus Pocus

Best R&B/soul act

• Cleo Sol
• Elmiene
• Flo
• Jaz Karis
• Jorja Smith
• Nippa
• Odeal
• Sasha Keable
• Shae Universe
• Sinead Harnett

Best grime act

• Chip
• D Double E
• Duppy
• Kruz Leone
• Manga Saint Hilare
• Scorcher

Best hip hop act

• Bashy
• Cristale
• Headie One
• Nines
• Potter Payper
• Skrapz

Best drill act

• 163Margs
• Central Cee
• Headie One
• Kairo Keyz
• K-Trap
• Pozer

Best international act

• Asake
• Ayra Starr
• Beyonce
• Glorilla
• Kendrick Lamar
• Latto
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Nicki Minaj
• Tems
• Tyla

Best performance in a TV show/film

• Angela Wynter As Yolande Trueman In Eastenders
• Caroline Chikezie As Noma In Power Book Ii: Ghost
• Diane Parish As Denise Fox In Eastenders
• Dionne Brown As Queenie In Queenie
• Ghetts As Krazy In Supacell
• Jacob Anderson As Louis In Interview With The Vampire
• Jasmine Jobson As Jaq In Top Boy
• Josh Tedeku As Tazer In Supacell
• Kingsley Ben-Adir As Bob Marley In Bob Marley: One Love
• Tosin Cole As Michael In Supacell

Best media personality

• 90's Baby Show
• AJ Odudu
• Chuckie Online
• Craig Mitch
• Henrie Kwushue
• Madame Joyce
• Micah Richards
• Specs Gonzalez
• The Receipts Podcast
• Zeze Millz

Best African music act

• Asake (Nigeria)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Bnxn & Ruger (Nigeria)
• King Promise (Ghana)
• Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Tems (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (South Africa)

Best Caribbean music act

• Popcaan
• Shenseea
• Skillibeng
• Spice
• Valiant
• Yg Marley

Best jazz act

• Amy Gadiaga
• Blue Lab Beats
• Ego Ella May
• Ezra Collective
• Kokoroko
• Yussef Dayes

Best alternative music act

• Alt Blk Era
• Bob Vylan
• Hak Baker
• Kid Bookie
• Native James
• Spider

Best electronic/dance act

• Eliza Rose
• Nia Archives
• Pinkpantheress
• Salute
• Shygirl
• Tsha

Best producer

• Ceebeaats
• Inflo
• Juls
• M1OnTheBeat
• P2J
• Sammy Soso

Best gospel act

• Annatoria
• Imrhan
• Limoblaze
• Reblah
• Still Shadey
• Volney Morgan & New Ye