Urban Music Awards

What Urban Music Awards does

Urban Music Awards (UMA) is a global urban music awards franchise launched in 1999 by Invincible Entertainment Group (Invincible Group), with the first live ceremony held at Hammersmith Palais in London in 2003. The company operates an annual flagship awards ceremony in the UK and has expanded into 14+ countries via a regional licensing/franchise model, with wholly owned regional sub-brands including Urban Music Awards South Africa (launched 2025), Mauritius Urban Music Awards / MUMA (launched October 2021), Urban Music Awards USA, UMA France, and UMA Caribbean. Its core technology consists of an online public voting platform, a content management/editorial website spanning 20+ urban music genres, the UMA TV video streaming service (umatv.net), and integrations with Eventbrite for ticketing and Mokingo for regional voting/social engagement.

The business model is multi-stream and event-driven: corporate sponsorship (with named sponsors including Vita24, Playgirl, Capital Radio South Africa, Crocs Mauritius, Dechavel, Z Phone, Old Pilot's Gin, Alimac, and In2Africa Distribution), brand licensing and franchising fees from regional operators (contact routed via [email protected]), ticket sales for annual ceremonies, and ancillary Artist Services including PR, music video production, marketing, distribution, and booking agency work. The product ecosystem extends beyond the core ceremony to UMA Academy (industry training), UMA City (regional UK city content hubs across 20+ cities), Next Urban Superstar (talent discovery), and CSR initiatives including the Diamond Children's Trust and Teen Empowerment Conference. The organization is privately held by Invincible Group/IEG Global (both registered in England and Wales), operates with a disclosed headcount of approximately 6 employees, and is led by President/Founder J. Kensington.

Name

Urban Music Awards

Legal name

IEG Global & Invincible Group

Website

https://urbanmusicawards.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Urban Music Awards is a global urban music awards franchise operating annual ceremonies across 14+ countries, serving artists, fans, and corporate sponsors through a multi-product media ecosystem including streaming, education, and artist services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Awards and Events

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Marketing, Sponsorship Sales & Promotion (MPAGAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Talent Booking Agencies (Live Performance) (MPAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Music awards franchise
• Brand licensing operations
• Artist promotion services
• Music event sponsorship
• Urban music recognition

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors pay to associate with the Urban Music Awards brand. Sponsors include Vita24 (Silver Sponsor), Playgirl, Capital Radio South Africa, Crocs Mauritius, Dechavel, Z Phone, and various category sponsors for specific award categories.
2. Brand Licensing and Franchising: The UMA brand is licensed/franchised to operators in different countries. Organizations pay fees to use the UMA or Urban Music Awards brand. Contact: [email protected] or 0044 207 101 4937.
3. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for award ceremonies. Tickets sold through Eventbrite platform.
4. Artist Services: Additional services offered including PR, music video production, marketing, distribution, and booking agent services for artists.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Urban Music Awards operates an annual awards franchise that recognizes excellence across 20+ urban music genres (Hip Hop, R&B, Grime, Afrobeats, Drum & Bass, Reggae, Gospel, Kwaito, etc.) through publicly voted award ceremonies held in the UK and 14+ licensed international territories. Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorship packages, brand licensing/franchising fees from regional operators, ticket sales via Eventbrite, and a suite of paid artist services including PR, music video production, marketing, distribution, and booking agency work. Supporting the core ceremony are complementary platforms: UMA TV (video streaming), UMA Academy (industry education), UMA City (regional content), and the Next Urban Superstar talent discovery program.

Product overview

The Urban Music Awards (UMA) is a music awards ceremony and media platform that operates as a multi-product ecosystem. The core offering is the annual Urban Music Awards ceremony recognizing urban music excellence across genres including Hip Hop, R&B, Afrobeat, Grime, Drum & Bass, Jazz, Gospel, Reggae, and more. Supporting the awards are complementary products: UMA TV (video streaming), UMA Academy (education), and UMA City (regional coverage). The organization also offers Artist Services (PR, marketing, distribution, booking) and runs CSR initiatives including the Diamond Children's Trust and Teen Empowerment Conference. International expansion is managed through UMA World with regional editions like the Mauritius Urban Music Awards (MUMA) and newly launched South Africa editions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Urban Music Awards (UMA) Ceremony Annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence across 20+ urban music genres (Hip Hop, R&B, Grime, Afrobeats, Drum & Bass, Reggae, Gospel, Kwaito, etc.) through a publicly voted process, held across UK and 14+ licensed international territories.
• UMA TV Video streaming platform (umatv.net) featuring award ceremonies, new releases, Top 5 Weekly charts, Editor's Choice selections, Hot 16 features, and gallery content for urban music audiences.
• UMA Academy Educational platform offering music industry training and development resources for aspiring artists and music professionals.
• UMA City Regional content platform covering urban music scenes across UK cities including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, and more.
• Artist Services Suite of paid professional services for musicians covering PR, music video production, marketing, distribution, and booking agency work, including the UMA Artist Booking Agency.
• Next Urban Superstar Talent discovery program identifying and promoting emerging urban music artists, providing a structured pathway from emerging recognition to broader UMA exposure.
• UMA World (brand licensing program) International franchise and brand licensing program covering Africa, France, USA, UK, Caribbean, Australia, Asia, and South America. Operators pay licensing fees for rights to operate regional Urban Music Awards ceremonies under the UMA trademark.
• Mauritius Urban Music Awards (MUMA) Annual Mauritius edition of the Urban Music Awards, recognizing local urban music talent including Sega, Seggae, Hip Hop categories, with voting conducted via the Mokingo multicultural social network platform.
• Urban Music Awards South Africa South Africa edition of the Urban Music Awards launched as part of the 20th anniversary expansion, held in partnership with Capital Radio South Africa with the 20th Anniversary ceremony in Pretoria on May 5, 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Celebrated 20 years of operation in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Capital Radio South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2025Capital Radio South Africa officially partnered with Urban Music Awards to launch Urban Music Awards South Africa. This is a strategic partnership to expand the UMA brand into the African market, celebrating the 20th anniversary with events in Johannesburg. The partnership represents a major expansion into the South African music scene.
• Vita24minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Vita24 announced as Official Silver Sponsor for the 20th Anniversary Urban Music Awards South Africa, providing sponsorship support for the milestone event.
• PlaygirlminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Playgirl announced as Official Sponsor for the 20th Anniversary Urban Music Awards South Africa.
• MokingocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Mokingo is a multicultural social network platform that served as the voting and nomination platform for Mauritius Urban Music Awards. Artists and fans can register, create profiles, vote, interact, share content, and use video calling with full Platinum security. Available via Apple stores, Google Play, and online at www.mokingo.com.
• Crocs MauritiusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Crocs Mauritius joined as a sponsor for the Mauritius Urban Music Awards, supporting the inaugural edition of the regional awards.
• DechavelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Dechavel sponsored the Mauritius Urban Music Awards as part of their brand's association with urban culture and music events.
• Z PhoneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Z Phone served as a sponsor for the Mauritius Urban Music Awards.
• In2Africa DistributionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021In2Africa Distribution, representing multiple global brands within the African continent and leader in lifestyle and fashion industry, sponsored the first-ever Mauritius UMAs.
• Old Pilot's GinminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Old Pilot's Gin joined as a sponsor for the 18th annual Urban Music Awards.
• AlimacminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Alimac (stylist-modelist Camila Banegas Espada brand) joined as a bronze category sponsor for the 18th annual Urban Music Awards.
• MokingocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMokingo is listed as a partner on the official Partners page, providing the social network platform for UMA operations.
• ZuricomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZuricom is listed as a partner on the official Partners page alongside Invincible Group.
• Invincible GroupcoreOthersInvincible Group is the parent company that wholly owns the Urban Music Awards brand worldwide. They launched the brand globally in 1999 and operate the IEG Global franchise.
• Teen RepublicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTeen Republic is listed as a partner on the official Partners page.
• Voovix TVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoovix TV is referenced as a partner channel on the Urban Music Awards homepage, distributing video content.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRIT Awards: UK's flagship annual music awards ceremony. Larger incumbent that occasionally includes urban categories and competes for the same UK music sponsors and broadcast audience.
• Grammy Awards: The Recording Academy's flagship annual awards including urban categories. Sets the prestige benchmark; artists sometimes prioritize Grammy recognition over specialist awards.
• iHeartRadio Music Awards: US-based large-scale music awards event with heavy emphasis on fan voting. Comparable voting mechanics and urban music category coverage, but backed by a major broadcaster.
• BET Awards: US-based annual awards from BET Networks covering broader African American music and entertainment. Larger incumbent competing for urban music artist recognition and cross-Atlantic sponsor relationships.
• MTV EMA / VMAs: MTV's Europe and Video Music Awards events covering urban music as part of broader pop programming. Compete for advertiser spend and artist attendance at global music award events.

Regional players

• Channel O Music Video Awards: Africa-focused music video awards previously run by Channel O (DStv/Multichoice). Comparable regional competitor in the African urban music awards space where UMA is expanding.
• The Headies: Nigeria-based hip hop and Afrobeats awards ceremony. Comparable to UMA's African expansion (Mauritius, South Africa) and provides a benchmark for regional African urban music awards.
• VGMA (Vodafone Ghana Music Awards): Leading Ghanaian music awards ceremony covering Afrobeats, hiplife, and urban genres. Comparable regional awards franchise on a key African market where UMA may eventually expand.

Direct peers

• BET Hip Hop Awards: US-based annual awards show from BET Networks specifically dedicated to hip hop and urban music. Direct competitor for artist recognition and urban music sponsorships.
• MOBO Awards: UK-based annual awards ceremony celebrating music of Black origin (hip hop, R&B, grime, Afrobeats). The most direct comparator to UMA in terms of mission, audience, and UK urban music base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/urbanmusicaward
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbanmusicaward
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanmusicaward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-music-awards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Music Awards