Glasgow Is Not 'Too White' To Host MOBO Awards

The founder of The MOBO Awards have hit back at claims that tonight's host city, Glasgow, is too “white” to host the ceremony.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, former panellist Paul MacKenzie questioned the choice of venue saying that Glasgow “is not a multicultural city, it’s a very white city.”

He continued: “I was in Glasgow two months ago I was playing spot the black person there, it is not a multicultural town, and for an event which is initially a black event with a complete multicultural umbrella it really belongs in a multicultural town.”   

However, founder of the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards, Kanya King defended the decision to host the bash at the Glasgow SECC tonight.

She said: "Glasgow is full of great music. Glasgow is sexy. We have got all the coolest stars coming here. There is real passion for music here.

"We are going to show them sexy, we are going to show them cool, we are going to show them passion."

Laura McCrum who runs the website Urban Scot strongly disagreed with MacKenzie's claims too, saying: “I was born in Scotland and grew up here, and will forever love Scotland, however yeah it’s a fact I was the only black kid in my class as I was growing up.

“However, I did find many other young people who loved music of black origin, who were into the same things as me, from a variety of backgrounds, it’s not because they were black.”

High profile acts including Eminem, Jay-Z, Dizzee Rascal, Lady GaGa, Beyonce and Akon will not appear at the event despite being nominated.