Mobo Awards 2015: Krept & Konan front of pack with four nominations including best album

Krept and Konan talk to IBTimes UK — UK rap duo Krept & Konan spoke to the IBTimes UK in June 2015 about their debut album The Long Way Home IBTimes UK

After storming the charts with their debut album The Long Way Home, UK grime act Krept & Konan have bagged four nominations at the 2015 Mobo awards. The Freak of the Week hitmakers are leading the way with nods in categories including best album, best male, best hip hop act and best song.

Competing with the South London pair is Boy Better Know label co-founder JME, who has also bagged an impressive four nominations: best album, best song, best male and best grime act in association with BBC Radio 1Xtra. Both acts will go head to head with Mark Ronson – who has enjoyed global success for Uptown Funk, his collaboration with Bruno Mars – for the best male honour.

Flying the flag for the ladies is Rita Ora, who is up for best music video for Body on Me, her racy collaboration with Chris Brown.

Speaking of the recognition, Casyo "Krept" Johnson said: "It means a lot to be nominated because I grew up watching the Mobos on TV. To get four nominations and lead this year's awards is crazy."

It has been a stellar year for the duo, who joined Kanye West on stage at the 2015 Brit Awards and also hit the studio with former One Direction pop star Zayn Malik. Speaking to the IBTimes UK's A-List back in June, Karl "Konan" Wilson, 25, revealed that their collaboration with Malik was simply a "muck around". "We've done a little cover with [Malik] and we shot a video but it just didn't end up coming out because it didn't get finished," he said.

The 2015 Mobo Awards is set to takes place at First Direct Arena, Leeds, on 4 November, and will be broadcast live on ITV2. Fans can vote for their favourite acts from 9am on 1 October. This year marks the 20 years of the event, which recognises artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music.

Sarah-Jane Crawford, who will host the ceremony, said: "This is one of the strongest nominees lists I've seen. That is testament to the artists themselves because you can't put a strong nominees list together if the music's not there, and this year the music has been there."