The most prestigious awards show in the country, The Hip Hop World Awards (A.K.A The Headies), have just released the nominee list for its 2016 edition, its 11th installment of the award show. As always with awards in general, conspiracies and controversies always arise due to the difficult process and ever talented pool of artistes to pick from in some categories.
I’ll be looking at each category, reviewing and making my predictions on who I think will win come January.
For the full list of nominees, check HERE.
NEXT RATED: (Ycee, Tekno, Mr. Eazi, Humblesmith, Aramide)
The most controversial category that gets a lot of people talking and of course the Headies have done it again. Having the likes of YCee, Tekno and Mr Eazi on this category is and aberration, but I will try to be a bit logical and objective with this. Some may argue that the afore-mentioned trio are way above this category presently and I would support that argument totally.
Mr Eazi is now signed to star-boy, he is the most featured artiste in Nigeria presently, and also one of the hottest artistes in Nigeria at the moment. Ycee recently bagged a Sony deal and is also doing pretty well for himself. Tekno is without a doubt one of the top guys in the Nigerian music right now; dishing out hit tracks back to back to back. He has also reported a Sony Deal on the way and of course he has been around for years and stayed very relevant even without an album.
From an objective point of view and within the period under review (June ’15-July ’16), the Headies could also argue that their profile had not risen to what it is right now which begs the question: Is the period under review too far off from the main event? July 2015 – June 2016 is the period and I think the organizers don’t know that 6months is enough for things to change for an artiste in this highly saturated industry of ours. That argument may partially workout for Mr. Eazi and Ycee but for Tekno? I am not so sure.
Prediction: As it stands, this award is between YCEE, TEKNO and Mr Eazi with no disrespect to Humblesmith or Aramide. If what we hear about Tekno rejecting this nomination is true, then he probably won’t be chosen as the winner. All things being equal, Tekno should win this clean and clear.
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: (DJ Coublon, Pheelz, LegenduryBeatz, Young John, Masterkraft, Oscar)
This is an equally impossible category to choose from with several master beats-men up against each other for the amazing work done on several hit tracks and body of work we have currently.
Who is missing? It’s difficult to say. Perhaps Sess, who I think is still underrated and should have a spot in this category. His work on Falz’s album which has also earned Falz some nominations should have meant something.
Predictions: Legendury Beats won this the last time but I don’t fancy them this time round. Young John should win this for his work on Mama and others in the period under review.
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR: (Emergency, Orente, Pray For Me, Love don’t care, Something good is happening)
This is a strong category with top notch songs from the industry Veterans and the new school raves of the moment. I think this is between Darey’s pray for me and Adekunle Gold’s Orente.
Predictions: I would lean towards a Dare win on this one as ‘he finished work’ with the help of the Soweto Gospel Choir on the audio and visuals of – Pray For Me.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO: (Emergency – Unlimited LA, Mary – Meji Alabi, Soldier – Clarence Peters, Made For You – Banky W, Bad- Sesan)
No long talk, I’ll go with Clarence Peters on the Soldier Video for Falz ft. Simi. Its different and unique as against the popular concept of a music video in the music industry. Clarence Peters has also completely upped the game with new ideas under the year of review and it felt like everyone else was playing catch-up.
“Clarence shot it”
BEST R&B/POP ALBUM: (New Era – Kiss Daniel, Wanted – Wande Coal, Klitoris – Brymo, Naked – Dare, Seyi or Shay – Seyi Shay)
Firstly, I would like to state that I don’t think R&B and POP belong in the same category. Imagine Brymo along these other artistes. They certainly don’t make the same kind of music.
Prediction: Kiss Daniel should take this, his debut album is a masterpiece and it beats anything out there released within the period of review and even currently.
BEST R&B SINGLE: (Love Don’t Care – Simi, Made for You – Banky, Super Woman – Wande coal, Pray For Me – Darey, Aduke – Tjan, Smile – Shaydee)
Like I said above, If we shouldn’t have best R&B/Pop category why should we have a best R&B/POP album category? Anyways, this is a tight category and should be fought closely between Darey’s Pray for me, Simi’s Love Don’t Care and Tjan’s Aduke.
Prediction: Tjan’s Aduke is a popular dope tune across the board and I feel it should win this.
BEST POP SINGLE: (Mama – Kiss Daniel, Final – Wizkid, Pickup – Adekunle Gold, Osinachi – Humblesmith ft. Davido, Reggae Blues – Harrysongs and co, Emergency – Dbanj, Fada Fada – Phyno X Olamide, Money – Timaya ft. Flavour)
This is even proving to be more difficult as I go on. Each of these songs is very deserving to win but I will have to go with Phyno’s Fada Fada. That being said, I won’t be surprised if Mama or Pickup wins this.
Prediction: Fada Fada will get this, songs like Pickup and Mama seem to have been released a little too early.
BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE: (No Kissing – Patoranking ft. Sarkodie, Body Hot – Praiz ft. Jesse Jagz & Stonebwoy, Jaga Love – Jesse Jagz, Olowo – Cynthia Morgan, PamPam – Ketchup)
No long talk. This is for Patoranking! No Kissing baby is a jam that crossed borders. It should win this easily, no disrespect to any of the other nominees.
BEST RAP ALBUM: (Eyan Mayweather – Olamide, Powerful – Illbliss, Stories That Touch – Falz, Lil Kesh – yagi)
Only 4 albums? Even Lil Kesh with a more Pop than Rap album is being nominated for best RAP. This can only mean one thing, RAP artists in Nigeria are not putting in work and most are busy singing nowadays.
Prediction: I already made predictions on this in 2015! Falz’s Story That Touch is my top candidate to win this. I will even stake money on it 
@Mayordollar lol. We go see which one will win awards. Falz already has best rap album in the bag.
— Oluwafemi Adebanjo (@Lalaboiy) December 21, 2015
BEST COLLABO: (Soldier – Falz ft. Simi, Reggae blues – Harrysong n co, Osinachi – Humblesmith ft. Davido, Wait – Solidstar ft. Tiwa Savage, No Kissing – Patoranking ft. Sarkodie, Money – Timaya ft. Flavour)
This is a tight category! All the songs on this list deserve to be nominated. Not much to talk about, though. I would tip No Kissing by Patoranking featuring Sarkodie to win this because of the seamless chemistry on display by the pair in both the audio and visuals.
BEST RAP SINGLE: (Eyan Mayweather – Olamide, Asalamalekun – Reminisce, Jagaban – Ycee, Chukwu Agozi Gogi – Ill Bliss, Agu Ji Ndi men – A-Q, Show You Something – Boogey)
The most popular of this list has to be Jagaban by YCEE and I tip him to win since this category is based on votes. Most popular does not necessarily mean the best but that’s just how things go sometimes.
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE): (Brymo – Something Good is Happening, Darey – pray For Me, Shaydee – Smile, Wande Coal – Super Woman, Ric Hassani – Gentleman)
I think it’s great that independent artists like Ric Hassani can make the list but I tip Wande Coal to win this with Superwoman. He did a wonderful job in terms of showcasing his vocals on that song.
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): (Simi – Love Don’t Care, Seyi Shay – Right now, Aramide ft. Adekunle Gold – Love me, Omawumi ft. Angelie Kidjo – Play Na Play)
Aramide won this last time with a much higher profile opposition such as Waje, Asa, Yemi Alade and Simi (again). It seems she is highly regarded by the Headies board as she’s nominated yet again with her Love Me song featuring Adekunle Gold. I would be surprised if she won it again this time around.
Prediction: I tip Simi to win this for Love Don’t Care. She’s worked hard this year and is more deserving of this.
HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION: (Kiss Daniel – New Era, Seyi Shay – Seyi or Shay, Lil Kesh – Yagi, Runtown – Ghetto University)
Kiss Daniel got this. The other albums do not match in terms of lyrics, quality, and production of the ‘New Era’ album. It is by far the best this year.
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL: (Ill Bliss – Chukwu Agozi Gogi, Reminisce – Asalamalekun, Ycee – Jagaban, Boogey – Show You Something, AQ – Agu Ju Ndi men, Modenine – No Matter What)
Oh-oh, Modenine is back in the modenine Category (smiles) after missing out on the last 2 headies due to inactivity. They will just do the usual and give modenine lol. Seriously, underground rappers like Boogey and AQ have worked hard to deserve this nomination and I feel it’s high time new faces win this for their sake. Who’s missing? No vector? Considering the fact he won it last year with the massive King Kong and headies feel he has not reached the King Kong heights.
Prediction: Knowing Headies, Modenine will win.
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE: (Olamide – Who You Epp, Ajebutter ft. Falz – Bad gang, Koker – Kolewerk, Ycee – Jagaban, Small Dokta – Gbera, 2Tboys – Customer Dada Ni)
Small doctor gets nominated again but when the king of streets Olamide is nominated, the rest don’t stand a chance. Who You Epp is bigger and cuts across all kinds of streets (Ajepako and Butty).
Prediction: Olamide got this.
BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG: (Pickup – AdekunleGold, Something Good is Happening – Brymo, You suppose know – Bez, Wait for me – Johnny Drille, Gentleman – Ric Hassani)
This is a voting category and it may come down to who is more popular and if we are to go by that, Pickup by Adekunle Gold is the most popular song in this category and should win this.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: (Stories that touch – Falz, New Era – Kiss Daniel, Wanted – Wande Coal, Seyi Or Shay – Seyi Shay)
This is between Falz and Kiss Daniel. Since I tip Falz to win rap album of the year, Kiss Daniel should cop this easily.
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: (Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Falz, Yemi Alade, Olamide)
WIZKID pulled major strings home and abroad and should win this easily.
SONG OF THE YEAR: (Final – Wizkid, Osinachi – Humblesmith ft. Davido, Pickup – Adekunle Gold, Reggae blues – Harrysongs n co, Fada Fada – Phyno ft. Olamide)
Pickup and Fada Fada ruled the radio and internet for some time and I believe either of them will win this.
What’s missing? Kiss Daniel’s Mama! How is this song not nominated? I am not understanding.
Prediction: It’s a voting category and I think either pickup or Fada Fada will win this. I am not choosing 1!
AFRICAN ARTISTE: (Sauti Sol, Casper Nyovest, DJ Maphorisa, Stonebwoy)
Casper Nyovest seems likely the logical candidate to win this based on his achievements within the past year.
Overall, the categories are not so bad albeit a few omissions. The past few days since the release of this list has been filled with several complaints from artists via their social media platforms.
- Kiss Daniel feels mama should have been nominated for Song of the year (I think so too but he doesn’t have to be greedy, he has got a couple of other nominations)
- Solidstar feels he is not getting enough recognition from awards bodies (probably so)
- Ycee also thinks Omo Alhaji should have been nominated (sigh)
- Yung6ix thinks the Headies are being tribalistic (oh wow)
- Some also felt they deservevd to be nominated even when they did not submit their content for screening.
Whatever the case, the Headies have done what they know how to do best which is to get people talking. We keenly await the outcomes of the awards come January.
Do you agree with my predictions or you think otherwise? Do let me know in the comments section.
The post Dissecting The Headies Nominees List and Predictions appeared first on notjustOk.
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