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The Golden Globe-winning actor and DJ will be honoured at this year’s MOBO Awards for his achievements in the arts and contribution to British culture
Idris Elba’s ‘Paving The Way’ paving stone will be embedded at a location in London, where he grew up
Previous recipients of the MOBO ‘Paving The Way’ Award include Wiley, Ms Dynamite, Sir Lenny Henry and Nicola Adams
Ray BLK and Not3s confirmed to perform
The MOBO Awards takes place at First Direct Arena in Leeds this Wednesday 29 November
TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER – British actor and Hollywood star Idris Elba OBE will be honoured with MOBO ‘Paving The Way’ Award for his trailblazing achievements in the arts and his significant contribution to British culture. The internationally renowned screen and television actor will receive this prestigious award tomorrow night at the 22nd annual MOBO Awards at First Direct Arena, Leeds.
All recipients of MOBO’s ‘Paving The Way’ Award, pay tribute to the area and place that inspired, influenced and encouraged them in their chosen careers paths, by later a commemorative paving stone. Idris Elba will be presented with his special paving stone, which will be inscribed with his own words and embedded at a place of his choosing that has a special place in his heart. Further details of the paving stone unveiling to follow.
The ‘Paving The Way’ Award is an initiative first created in 2015 to celebrate and honour trailblazers who are creating a path of excellence for future generations of talent to follow, spanning across music, entertainment, culture and sports.
Idris Elba OBE said “I feel incredibly humbled to receive this honour. I have always felt a need to shine a light and pay a lasting tribute to the place that helped shape me in Hackney. Thank you MOBO for finally giving me that opportunity with Paving The Way. As someone who once faced homelessness, I know how important it is to have access to something better, to feel inspired and reach for your dreams. I’m blessed to have this chance to lay a paving stone in the place that I hold so dear and leave a legacy for future generations.”
Idris Elba has been nominated four times for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, winning the prestigious accolade in 2011 for this role in Luther. He earned critical praise for his portrayal of the revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, with Variety dubbing it “a towering performance, a Mandela for the ages”. Idris has also been nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award and won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in 2015’s Beasts of No Nation. In 2016, the internationally renowned screen and television star was named in the TIME 100’s Most Influential People In The World list. Idris Elba also successfully juggles his acting pursuits with a soaring DJ career, having performed sets at Glastonbury, Creamfields, Ibiza Rocks and has collaborated with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mr Hudson and Maverick Sabre.
MOBO Best Newcomer and Best Song nominee Not3s will make his debut TV performance at the MOBO Awards stage. The East London rapper, who broke through with a viral single ‘Addison Lee’ – has also been earmarked for the BBC Sound of 2018 long list. Also joining Cardi B, Krept & Konan, Stefflon Don, Yungen, Yxng Bane, Mr Eazi, Davido, Tokio Myers and the B Positive Choir on the line up is Ray BLK. The R&B/hip hop sensation is nominated for Best Female Act after receiving a nod for Best Newcomer at last year’s MOBO Awards. Since then, Ray has gone on to win the BBC Sound of 2017 and play sold-out venues around the UK and gigs in North America.
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Editor’s notes
The MOBO Awards were established in 1996 by Kanya King MBE to motivate, elevate and celebrate the outstanding achievements of artists in under-served musical genres, from soul, RnB and reggae to hip hop, grime, gospel and afrobeats. Now in its 22nd year, MOBO is a pioneer in its field and not just an event, but a movement. Over the years, MOBO has become much more than just an awards ceremony, it is now an iconic, year-round, agenda-setting global brand that successfully champions diversity and inclusion in music and broader cultural arenas. It strives to support emerging and independent talent and has provided an early platform for some of the nation’s most-loved artists, from Amy Winehouse and Emeli Sande, to Laura Mvula, Sam Smith, Adele and Skepta. MOBO pursues its purpose to create more opportunities and access for diverse talent across the creative industries in film, TV, fashion, art, sport and media. A drive to deliver social and cultural change is embedded in the organisation’s DNA. With an ongoing successful talent development programme, a number of Executive Fellowships in the creative workplace and a host of annual training and educational opportunities for young people, MOBO influences the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. In 2016, the charitable foundation MOBO Trust was established to support young people realise their potential in a wide range of disciplines within the creative sector. The MOBO Help Musicians Fund is the first scheme to be announced by the MOBO Trust, offering grants to support high potential artists at the very start of their careers in music http://beta.mobo.com/help-musicians-fund.
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