The 2008 MOBO Awards

The MOBO Awards celebrate the cream of British and International urban music, attracting big names from R&B, hip-hop, soul and beyond. Since 1996, The MOBOs (Music Of Black Origin) have celebrated artists of any race or nationality, performing music of a black origin. This year's show was presented by Mel B and the Rev Run of Run DMC.

On the night, Estelle and "X Factor" star Leona Lewis were the big winners, each picking up two awards - Estelle won Best Song and Best Female, while Leona picked up Best Album and Best Video. Dizzee Rascal beat off strong competition to be named Best Male, for a second year in a row, and Chris Brown picked up Best International Act.

Here, We7 looks back at some of this year's nominees.

And where better to start, than with Estelle? She was nominated for five awards, including Best R&B/Soul Act and Best UK Female. After a shaky start with her first album, The 18th Day, the West Londoner relocated to New York, signed to John Legend's Homeschool label and released the phenomenal American Boy, which featured rap-superstar Kanye West. The single went straight to No.1 in the UK, and also launched her career stateside. Her second album, Shine, followed shortly afterwards and went straight into the Top 10 in the UK, and earned her a Nationwide Mercury Prize nomination. "Shine" is a mixture of flavours - reggae, neo-soul and pop with an American flavour on it - little wonder, considering her collaborators on the album included urban music luminaries Wyclef Jean, John Legend and will.i.am.

Nominated alongside Estelle in the category of Best UK Female was Leona Lewis. After releasing her debut album, Spirit, last year, the former receptionist from Hackney has taken the world by storm, conquering America (Bleeding Love hit No.1 stateside) and performing at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics with Led Zeppelin axe man Jimmy Page.

Grime superstars Dizzee Rascal and Wiley (rapper, producer, MC legend) went head-to-head - each bagged three nominations, for Best UK Male, Best Song and Best Rap Act. 2008 has been an eventful year for Dizzee - he released Dance Wiv Me on his new independent label Dirtee Skank. "Dance Wiv Me", which featured superstar producer Calvin Harris, and Wiley's monster hit Wearin' My Rolex became the summer anthems. Flo Rida, hip hop's freshest sensation, also earned a nomination in the Best Song category, thanks to his hit Low.

What albums have been big in urban music this year? Well, Alicia Keys and Usher struck gold with As I Am and Here I Stand respectively. Both were nominated in the category of Best Album, along with Estelle (for "Shine") and eventual winner Leona Lewis.

Newcomer Ironik earned a deserved Best Newcomer nomination. A former pirate radio DJ, Ironik's professional career started at the tender age of 13, when he began DJ-ing regularly at his uncle's "Twice As Nice" events. Could Ironik take on the mantle from James Brown as the "Hardest Working Man In Show Business"? A gruelling tour schedule that has seen him play over 200 gigs in the last year would suggest so. Ironik looks set to become the next superstar of urban music.

2008 has been a great year for urban music artists from the UK. With plenty of fresh talent, such as Ironik and Wiley breaking into the mainstream, plus Estelle and Leona Lewis shaping up to become global stars, British urban music has never been in better shape.