Kanye West Rules Britain's Mobo Awards

By Rachelle Bowden in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 25, 2004 3:58PM

Chicago rapper & producer Kanye West has received a record number of nominations for Britain's Music of Black Origin (Mobo) awards. Finalists for the awards were announced late yesterday and Kanye was nominated in 7 categories, best video, best collaboration (twice), best single, best album, best producer, and best hip-hop act. The awards show is in its 9th year and is the largest urban awards show in Europe, which makes it ironic that it is dominated by American acts such as Kanye, as well as Alicia Keys, Outkast, & Brandy. Even the host, Pharrell Williams, is American.

In other Chicago hip hop news, R. Kelly released his new double album yesterday, Happy People/U Saved Me. The album has been getting so-so reviews and Chicagoist is hoping for at least one good single.. come on R., you can do that for us, right?

What we're really excited about is that R. Kelly and Jay-Z, who Chicagoist met in a club in NY, have announced a new 40-city tour starting September 30 in Chicago.

No news on when R. Kelly will go on trial for the 14 counts of child pornography he faces.