A good writer always makes the reader know exactly how the author feels. Pick up a good novel and you feel that you are part of that story. Read a well-written review and you feel like you were actually there at the scene of the event. Well, here's my attempt at trying to make you understand exactly how I feel. Imagine attending a top awards party, returning home at 4am and waking three hours later to write the report. Or to put it in a short simple term, bloody knackered!

The official MOBO party location was kept underwraps until the awards had started (although we knew about it 48 hours in advance - naturally!). Performers were told that the party was 'happening' at the SE1 Club when they left the stage to avoid the continue reputation of previous MOBO parties. HOME in Leciester Square lost it's license because of a sheer quantity of drugs at a MOBO party, The Elysium had trouble last year when trouble broke out which then erupted to violence, this year the club was denied a policy to stage an unofficial aftershow.

There were two main parties this year, the Official one at SE1 and a party at trendy nightclub, Tantra off Regent Street. There was a carefully planned security system at the first aftershow with police outnumbering Security guards. The road was closed off and there was little chance of any violence kicking off. We had full access to the party, although it took us an hour to realize it!

Once passed through the metal detector and our guns were confiscated (Joking!) we ended up in what can only be described as a shabby bricked area which had been given the Linda Barker treatment to look like a posh building consisting of four interlocking rooms. The dancefloor wasn't much to look at, the furniture wouldn't had looked out of place in a Jumble sale and the bar prices were painful to read. £2 just for a can of Coke? This was meant to be a showbiz party not your standard club night! Photographers from a teen magazine and OK weren't kept busy thanks to the complete lack of celebrity attendance and our £5 spent at the bar was the only thing persuading us to finish our drinks before we went to the second party. Until.we noticed a black screen plastered with security around it. On closer inspection there was a very small entrance to the left. This was the VIP area and our wristbands alloewed us access - well course they did, we are ABLE2UK for goodness sake!.

Once inside we were treated to a large room graced with white sofas, white walls and white, well the whole room was white. Probably so the guests were easy to spot!! (think about it.) The best thing was the booze, completly free - because the plebs next door were paying double the price for cans of Coke! So we were quite happy and contented for the rest of the evening. At midnight we left the party and made our way to the West End for the second party, it seemed that the night was going to be troublefree and at last, the MOBO's was becoming a peaceful occasion. Unfortunly this wasn't to be...

Tantra is a small club and normally quite difficult to spot from the outside, however there was a crowd ten rows thick of invited guest huddled outside the small barrier. The guest list had closed 2 hours ago and this caused attitude and tension. It only took one guy to climb over the small barrier to start a full blown hurdle. After a third person followed the whole crowd clambered over and mayhem broke out. The barriers were useless and within seconds the doors were closed and photographs were taking shots of a crowd of people trying to barge themselves through the doors.

Then a guest from the party emerged from the unguarded fire exit, a few handful managed to sneak in and it was then brought to our attntion that there was a fight upstairs. The police arrived and we had no chance of entering the club.

Yet again the MOBO's turned into a shambles and 2 shootings happened in the early hours near Soho, both were related to the awards. It makes you wonder how long this cermony can go on for until somebody is killed and it's sad that a few people bring a black cloud over a peaceful black comunitee every year.

SO WHICH 'BROTHER' WON WHAT?

Best RnB - Justin Timberlake, Best Video - Christina Aguilera featuring Redman -'Dirrty', Best Hip Hop - 50 Cent, UK Act of the Year - Panjabi MC / Big Brovaz, Best Album - 50 Cent - 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'', Best Single - In Da Club, 50 Cent, Best Newcomer - Big Brovaz, Best Producer - Neptunes, Best Garage Act - Lisa Maffia, Best Reggae Act - Wayne Wonder, Best UK Radio DJ - Tim Westwood - Radio, 1, Best UK Club DJ - Shortee Blitz - Kiss FM, Best Jazz Act - Soweto Kinch, Best World Music Act - Ibrahim Ferrer, Best Gospel Newcomer - Hutcheson Gayle, Best Fight - Tantra Party Mobo Unsung Award - J'Nay, Mobo Outstanding Achievement Award, - Kool & The Gang, Mobo Lifetime Achievement Award -George Benson, Fashion Icon Award - Lil' Kim

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