The late Kanya King will be honored with a stone to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the MOBO Awards music ceremony.
Set to be placed in London at her former school, Queens Park Community School, the stone is titled “The Paving the Way” stone as a nod to King’s role in drawing attention to music made by Black musicians in the U.K. It is named after the MOBO Paving the Way Award, an award which celebrates pioneers in music and culture. Previous winners include King, Nicola Adams, Idris Elba and Denise Lewis.
The stone will officially be unveiled on Nov. 18 at the north-west London school.
Other commemorations for King include a BBC program celebrating the history of the awards program she founded and the MOBO Awards music ceremony. DJ Target will host it and re-live pivotal moments in the awards music ceremony’s history.
A temporary exhibit will also debut at the V&A East Storehouse. Set to launch on the same day as the stone’s debut, the exhibit will feature memorabilia from the MOBO archive. It is set to be on display until summer 2027.
“Thirty years ago, Kanya had a vision to create a space where Black music and culture could be celebrated and given the recognition it deserved. What she built went far beyond an awards ceremony,” said the MOBO Organization. “She created a movement that has opened doors, challenged perceptions and helped shape the careers of generations of artists.”
Born to a Ghanaian father and an Irish mother, King was raised in Kilburn, North London. From a young age, she provided for her family while studying English Literature at Goldsmiths College. While working as a TV researcher, she came up with the idea of creating an awards show that celebrates music created and championed by Black musicians, including hip-hop, reggae, soul, jazz, gospel and R&B. After selling the idea to the leader of London Weekend Television and remortgaging her home to help fund it, King held the first iteration of the MOBO awards ceremony seven weeks later.
After the launch of the MOBO Awards, the show helped bring numerous sub-genres to the forefront of the U.K. music scene, including Grime. It also helped support the careers of artists such as Stormzy, Skepta, Craig David, Amy Winehouse, Emile Sande and Tinie Tempah.
For her impact, King was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1999 and was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2018. The London Evening Standard and Music Week also recognized her as one of the most influential people in business and in London. In 2025, she was awarded an Ivors Academy Honor.
On June 3 of this year, King passed away at the age of 57.
Thirty years after she first created the MOBO awards, the organization is looking ahead to continue to support King’s goal.
“Kanya always believed in creating opportunities for the next generation, and that’s something we’re more committed to than ever,” said the MOBO Organization. “Her vision remains at the heart of everything we do, and we’re excited to carry that forward for the next 30 years and beyond.”
