So called best hip-hop act	50 Cent
So called best album	50 Cent 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
So called best single:	50 Cent 'In Da Club'
So called best R&B act:	Justin Timberlake
So called best UK act:	Punjabi MC and Big Brovas
So called best video:	Christina Aguilera
So called best UK radio DJ:	Tim Westwood
So called fashion icon award:	L'il Kim

 

The night was certainly one to remember for Ligali. Almost within 5 minutes of our arrival at the scene of the crime, the ever-ready police were on our case with two officers escorting us away. Apparently, we were not allowed to use our megaphone because we were ‘too loud’. We were then told that we were creating a disturbance (that is generally what protest is about!) and that we would have to move or be moved. We stated to the police that they were perfectly entitled to do whatever they felt necessary within reason and continued our protest regardless of their empty threats. Funnily enough, we never heard from them again.

Megaphone or no megaphone, we were determined to get our views across. And we did. Fortunately for Money of Bloodied Origin Founder, Kanya King, we arrived after she had entered the building and she was spared task of being asked to spell the words ‘responsibility’, which, we might add, none of the other guests in attendance could spell either.

Predictably, the so-called stars and numerous attendees found it hard to look in our direction, no doubt troubled by their own consciences. Attendees included Harvey from So Solid, Sugababes, Big Brovaz, Misteeq, Lil Kim, Michelle from Destiny's Child and the triple award winner himself, 50 Cent. In fairness, we should mention that the young sista from the Sugababes did read our posters and attempted to come over to us but she was ushered inside by her ‘urban’ management.

On a positive note, the event proved, unexpectedly, to be a successful promotional and recruitment drive for us with several people showing much support for the cause and for what Ligali stands for. Many of the young people we spoke to, were disillusioned by the fact that many of the stars they had come to see, paid them no attention, preferring instead to talk to at length to the press about their forthcoming albums (bought by the very fans they had no time to speak to). As one young sista, who came from Birmingham to see So Solid’s Harvey and Lil Kim, said ‘basically, I’ve trekked down here for nothing’. Yup, that’s about the size of it sis.

They were even more disappointed when we pointed out that when the MOBO awards started in 1996, the ceremony predominantly celebrated British artists - which many of the young people we spoke to aspired to be - and tickets to the event cost in the region of £10. No doubt their disappointment will be further compounded when they discover that the auditorium was only 2 thirds full. Greed is a funny thing.

Speaking of which, we can not fail to dedicate a few words to the MOBO main sponsors, Masser Card. It is no coincidence that the decline in artist and show quality and the increase in prices of tickets to the MOBO awards coincide with the introduction of sponsors. While we understand that the MOBO needs money to run itself, we find it unacceptable that standards are compromised and morals abandoned for the sake of the following the cash carrot.

Unfortunately for the MOBO’s, some of us have a conscience and sense of responsibility and will NOT compromise when the progression of our community is in jeopardy. As such, we will demonstrate at the MOBO awards every year and take any action necessary until they accept that they are part of the on-going cycle of blame that pushes responsibility around the circle of perpetrators. It is no longer acceptable to point the finger in the direction of others in the music industry. Each and every individual, record label and company involved in promoting and therefore endorsing artists who embrace negativity in their music must all assume a measure of responsibility or be forced into doing so. The British artists needs more support and along with the Record Labels, Record shops, the media, DJ’s and radio stations, the MOBO’s are part of the reason why this support is so seriously lacking; they are the public face of the betrayal of the British music scene and the continued denigration of our community.

A sista, who we suppose to be Vannessa Amadi from the MOBO organisation, took a copy of our protest material. While we suspect that this may be more for strategic purposes than in an attempt to understand and take seriously our community’s issues, we still live in hope that MOBO will have a good read of our declaration and respond with positive action.

On a final note, we would like to thank all those who came down to the protest, and those who were with us in spirit and offered words of support.

Click here to see the protest pictures.

5 things you probably didn’t know about MOBO

1. The acronym MOBO once meant Music of Black Origin now means ‘all types of music from urban culture’.
2. The MOBO awards had 40 corporate partners this year.
3. The Lifetime achievement award has NEVER gone to a British artist.
4. It has been 4 years since a British artist won the Best Hip Hop Act award.
5. In 1996, 10 British artists won a MOBO award. In 2002, this number was reduced to 3.

 

2 things you probably didn’t know about 50 Cent
(courtesy of Hip Hop Magazine, The Source)

Myth: 50 Cent's refers to doing a 'three to nine [year] stretch in prison.
Fact: Curtis Jackson was a small time criminal spared jail for a drug related crime because it was his first offense. Instead he spent 7 months in 'shock incarceration' boot camp for non violent offenders. Typical methods of discipline is scrubbing bathroom floors with a toothbrush.

Myth: 50 Cent's hints the man who shot him nine times paid with his life for the attack'
Fact: Whilst the man who allegedly shot Jackson was murdered a few weeks after the incident, The Source says there is no proof that he was the same person who actually attacked the rapper.

Click here to read the real deal about the fake wannabe thug

Click here to read about our letter to sponsors campaign

Choice FM - Geoff Schumann - MOBO / 50 Cent (27/09/2003)

BBC LDN - Valley Fontaine - MOBO Protest (27/09/2003)

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What the papers said...

The Times say Outrage were there protesting, the Independent say not. They are right, Outrage did not appear. Yet Ligali was there and no one mentioned us despite our being filmed or doing interviews with ACTV, Channel 5 and Channel 4.

What will Monday's New Nation and Voice say?

 

Paper	The Evening Standard
Headline	The big Sistaz act / Gruesome Side of rap revived (Wembly Concert)*
Text	“..notorious New York rapper 50 Cent arrived flanked by minders and wearing a bandana. His violent lyrics, boosted by claims of a gangster past, nine-year prison sentence and a series of gunshot wounds, have made him the leading figure on the rap scene.” “Jackson [50 cent] is well aware that his status as a walking target is his chief selling point, and he plays on it mercilessly. Merchandise stalls decorated with bullet holes.”* “Another video montage made sure we saw the connection between Jackson and murdered rappers Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. An early death has always stimulated record sales, but 50 Cent’s eagerness to exploit the link while still alive is repulsive.”*

 

Paper	The Guardian
Headline	Triple success for Mobo winner
Text	“The American rapper 50 Cent, who was delayed at Heathrow immigration this week and questioned about US gang violence, has swept the board at the Music of Black Origin awards.” “50 Cent, who claims to have been shot nine times and regularly wears a bulletproof vest, was discovered and signed by Eminem after a troubled early life in New York.” “The Mobos, in their seventh year, have been called "a showcase of the primacy of the black experience in youth culture".”

Paper	The Times
Headline	White US artists win black British music awards
Text	“YOU don’t have to be white to win at the Music of Black Origin Awards, but it seems to help. Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera took the top prizes at the event, designed to promote black British musical talent.” “Aguilera, whose fame rests on her provocative image as much as her vocal prowess, took the Best Video award for Dirrty” “Gay rights activists protested outside the venue against the nomination of three reggae artists whom they accused of inciting homophobic violence with their lyrics.”

Paper	The Independent
Headline	A night of triumph for Timberlake and Aguilera as white acts walk off with prizes at music awards
Text	“The white appropriation of black music led to Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera walking away with top honours at Britain's premier urban music awards” “These successes are likely to stoke further controversy among some parts of the black community, which feels that black talent is losing out to white artists.” “The star [50 Cents], real name Curtis Jackson, arrived in Britain this week but was held by immigration officials over alleged links with gang violence in the US.” “They were co-hosted by the singer Blu Cantrell and the rap star L'il Kim, whose trashy sexy style won her the fashion icon award.” “OutRage, the gay rights protest group which last year picketed the event to protest at the homophobic lyrics of some black artists, spurned this year's ceremony”

Paper	Daily Star
Headline	U.S. Rapper is Star of the sow
Text	Last night’s mastercard MOBO Awards should have been renamed the 50 Cent Awards. Hot has discovered that the date and entire schedule were fixed in order that the American rapper could attend. “Last night’s MOBO’s celebrating ‘music of black origin’ made history as three winners – Justin, Christina and DJ Tim Westwood – are white.”

 

Paper	The Mirror
Headline	U.S. Rapper is Star of the sow
Text	“HE was recently caught up in a shooting drama in New Jersey which police say may have been another attempt on his life.” “The 26-year-old rapper hired ex-SAS men to guard him at last night's Mobo Awards” “With money no object, aides drafted in the toughest men they could find to look after the star, who has been shot nine times and never goes out without his bullet-proof vest” “MOBO chiefs spent a fraught evening trying to ensure that 50 Cent and the awards presenter Lil' Kim were as far apart as possible… We didn't want to give them a chance to continue their argument here."

 

Paper	The Sun
Headline	CENTre of attention/Kim has lots of front
Text	It has been a frantic 24 hours for the rapper after he was held and quizzed by immigration officials after landing at Heathrow on Wednesday. “LIL’ KIM was named Fashion Icon. But perhaps that should have been Breast Dressed Hostess, judging by the dress she’s seen wearing here”

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We convened at the MOBO awards ceremony 2003 to voice our objection to ALL those in the so-called music industry who continue to make money from the continued and sustained exploitation of our community.

Negative Representation
We object to the music and media industry’s support, promotion and awarding of artists who;

• promote the ownership of illegal firearms.
  
• promote the ideology of shooting others for money, ‘respect’, personal enjoyment or drugs.
  
• have previously engaged in criminal activity and refuse to show remorse for their crimes or tell their story as a warning to others, preferring to use their status to approve, glamorise and encourage illegal behaviour.
  
• make public statements outside or within their music stating their intention to commit a criminal offence.
  
• make comments likely to incite a minor to commit a criminal offence
  
• consistently record music with violent, misogynistic, and offensive content.

We are also here to state that the continued devaluation and disrespect shown towards women in our community is utterly unacceptable. The vast majority of ‘urban’ music videos broadcasted on such mediums as MTV Base continue to promote sexist and deeply misogynistic values. Women are portrayed as inanimate objects, who exist purely for the purpose of male sexual gratification and domination.

Not only does this seriously devalue and undermine the perception of women in society, but also it has a damaging effect on young women in our community.