Publication Date: 12 SEPTEMBER 2008
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MOBO Awards return - with the usual sting in the tail...
MOBO 2008 GOSPEL NOMINATION LIST
Ekklesia, GreenJade, Jahaziel (UK) Kirk Franklin, Tye Tribbett (US)
THE GOOD NEWS:
UK acts have been nominated again in 2008's
MOBO AWARDS (Music Of Black Origin) gospel category.
MOBO has again returned to including US artists in the field, and
(in what suggests their advisers probably don't have their ear
close enough to the ground) miss out both SAMMY G and GUVNA B
- to name the most obvious two best-selling acts of 2008 (check
the stats - and that's just for UKGShop.com alone).
In a rather interesting turn of events, GREENJADE have withdrawn
from the running, graciously suggesting that anyone intending to
vote for them should vote for JAHAZIEL instead.
Says WIZDOM of the group:
MOBO has again returned to including US artists in the field, and
(in what suggests their advisers probably don't have their ear
close enough to the ground) miss out both SAMMY G and GUVNA B
- to name the most obvious two best-selling acts of 2008 (check
the stats - and that's just for UKGShop.com alone).
In a rather interesting turn of events, GREENJADE have withdrawn
from the running, graciously suggesting that anyone intending to
vote for them should vote for JAHAZIEL instead.
Says WIZDOM of the group:
THE NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS:
EKKLESIA
GREENJADE
GREENJADE
JAHAZIEL
'We are absolutely honoured to be nominated, and be
recognised by MOBO.
However for vital reasons based around our schools work
- and with a great deal of disappointment in view of the
brilliant work that MOBO does - we regretfully have to
decline our nomination this time...'
We commend the work of MOBO and suggest that for as many
as were looking to vote for us cast their vote for JAHAZIEL...'
recognised by MOBO.
However for vital reasons based around our schools work
- and with a great deal of disappointment in view of the
brilliant work that MOBO does - we regretfully have to
decline our nomination this time...'
We commend the work of MOBO and suggest that for as many
as were looking to vote for us cast their vote for JAHAZIEL...'
FIRST THOUGHTS...
My views are somewhat mixed.
On the plus side MOBO have seen it fit to include gospel again in
their music nomination categories (don't forget specialist genres
have had mixed fortunes with MOBO: just ask the Jazz and Soul lot
about previous nominations - or lack thereof...)
But has MOBO again returned to courting the Americans in the
gospel category as well (after last year's all-UK affair)?
Well, as you keep breathing the rarified air found atop your high
horse, remember MOBO is still a business, and in this business
the Americans totally rule.
Or if they don't, they sure do have a large stake in the company.
On the plus side MOBO have seen it fit to include gospel again in
their music nomination categories (don't forget specialist genres
have had mixed fortunes with MOBO: just ask the Jazz and Soul lot
about previous nominations - or lack thereof...)
But has MOBO again returned to courting the Americans in the
gospel category as well (after last year's all-UK affair)?
Well, as you keep breathing the rarified air found atop your high
horse, remember MOBO is still a business, and in this business
the Americans totally rule.
Or if they don't, they sure do have a large stake in the company.
THE BIG PICTURE...
Plus: lift your eyes from the narrow gospel category and have a
look around you: even though she isn't promoted as a gospel
artist, YOLANDA BROWN is nominated in the Jazz category,
alongside UK veteran COURTNEY PINE and GUY PARKER
(Wikipedia tells me he's from the UK too) and TONY KOFI, who
also seems to be UK-based.
LIZZ WRIGHT seems to be from the US, but I could be wrong.
One begins to wonder why MOBO couldn't have applied the same
thinking to Gospel, especially in a year like this where high-grade
releases have been obviously present (the aforementioned
SAMMY G and GUVNA B, plus MUYIWA come to mind...)
Still we haven't done too badly. MOBO has kept the UK/USA
proportions fairly even across the categories where they have
look around you: even though she isn't promoted as a gospel
artist, YOLANDA BROWN is nominated in the Jazz category,
alongside UK veteran COURTNEY PINE and GUY PARKER
(Wikipedia tells me he's from the UK too) and TONY KOFI, who
also seems to be UK-based.
LIZZ WRIGHT seems to be from the US, but I could be wrong.
One begins to wonder why MOBO couldn't have applied the same
thinking to Gospel, especially in a year like this where high-grade
releases have been obviously present (the aforementioned
SAMMY G and GUVNA B, plus MUYIWA come to mind...)
Still we haven't done too badly. MOBO has kept the UK/USA
proportions fairly even across the categories where they have
decided to open nominations up to international acts: for example
JAY SEAN and ESTELLE represent the UK alongside CHRIS
BROWN, NE-YO and USHER in RnB.
On reflection things aren't as bad as my headline might have
initially suggested. Sorry, MOBO.
However, I still look forward to the day when we don't feel we
have to prop up what we do with a nod to US acts (small number
or otherwise)....
But until you lot start investing in the UK scene (gospel or
otherwise), such that promoters like MOBO don't feel they have
to look outside to make sure their accountants remain happy,
then I guess this is the price we have to pay.
JAY SEAN and ESTELLE represent the UK alongside CHRIS
BROWN, NE-YO and USHER in RnB.
On reflection things aren't as bad as my headline might have
initially suggested. Sorry, MOBO.
However, I still look forward to the day when we don't feel we
have to prop up what we do with a nod to US acts (small number
or otherwise)....
But until you lot start investing in the UK scene (gospel or
otherwise), such that promoters like MOBO don't feel they have
to look outside to make sure their accountants remain happy,
then I guess this is the price we have to pay.
Then - just to go off on a tangent here - there's that whole thing
about why exactly we Christians do this music thing: for the glory
of the MOBO win (which - let's not kid ourselves - is rather cool)...
Or for the glory of the One who truly deserves it...?
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UKGospel.com
about why exactly we Christians do this music thing: for the glory
of the MOBO win (which - let's not kid ourselves - is rather cool)...
Or for the glory of the One who truly deserves it...?
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UKGospel.com
LINKS/CREDITS
> MOBO website > EKKLESIA MySpace > GREENJADE MySpace
> SAMMY G MySpace > GUVNA B MySpace > MUYIWA MySpace
> YOLANDA BROWN website
> UKGShop.com - buy music from all these artists now!
> UKGShop.com stats - what's selling on the world's 100% UK music site?
> MOBO 2007 feature
> SAMMY G MySpace > GUVNA B MySpace > MUYIWA MySpace
> YOLANDA BROWN website
> UKGShop.com - buy music from all these artists now!
> UKGShop.com stats - what's selling on the world's 100% UK music site?
> MOBO 2007 feature
> JOIN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TOPIC ON FACEBOOK
PHOTO CREDITS
EKKLESIA courtesy of EKKLESIA
GREENJADE courtesy of GREENJADE
JAHAZIEL courtesy of UB1 MUSIC
EKKLESIA courtesy of EKKLESIA
GREENJADE courtesy of GREENJADE
JAHAZIEL courtesy of UB1 MUSIC
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