The Headies awards, formerly Hip Hop world awards (apparently, Hip Hop was the whole idea behind this award show, but Hip Hop steady been on a low for so many years now, not until recent. Story for another day), is unarguably one of the biggest and the most consistent music award show in Nigeria.
They have had their flaws and their positives, but there is always room for improvement. It’s all about getting better and better, till it becomes very credible and almost flawless (No award show is flawless though).
I remember tweeting my frustration in 2012 about the awards:
but really credit needs to be given to the organizers, for putting up an award show every year, but then we need to critique to contribute our quota to the improvement of the awards.
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Just yesterday, the list of nominees for this years edition of the awards got released and this post is just a subjective review of the list of nominees.
1. BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
A non-voting category for the best single recording by an artiste or group in the year under review.
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid
2. Eyo – Asa
3. Wish Me Well – Timi Dakolo
4. Bez – There’s A Fire
5. Cobhams – Do the right Thing
Tosinadeda’s View
This category is keenly contested, no issue with the nominees at all, and every one on this list is a worthy nominee. Timi Dakolo’s “Wish Me Well” is my favorite in this category.
2. PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
An individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
1. Don Jazzy – Godwin (Korede Bello)
2. Mastakraft – Wiser (Flavour)
3. Young John – Bobo (Olamide)
4. Shizzi – Fans Mi (DavidO)
5. Legendury Beatz – Ojuelegba
6. Cobhams – There’s A Fire (Bez)
Tosinadeda’s View
Another keenly contested category, heavy weights and newbies like Young John all battle for this category. Only goes to show that producers are evolving in the the Nigerian music industry. I personally want Legendury Beatz to win this, that beat on Ojuelegba is divine.
3. BEST MUSIC VIDEO
A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review.
This award goes to the video director.
1. Jamb Question (Simi) – Mex
2. Crazy (Seyi Shay) – Meji Alabi
3. The Sound (DavidO Feat. Uhuru & Dj Buckz) – Sesan
4. Katapot (Reekado Banks) – UnLimited LA
5. Baby Jollof (Solid Star Feat. Tiwa Savage) – Clarence Peters
Tosinadeda’s View
Personally i feel Jamb Question should get this, the visuals, the interpretation, the video takes you on a journey, it’s a total package. I seriously don’t know what “Baby Jollof” is doing in this category though, but good nominees in all.
4. BEST R&B/POP ALBUM
A category for the best R&B/Pop Album in the year under review (by single individual or group).
1. Bed of Stone – Asa
2. A.Y.O. – Wizkid
3. King of Queens – Yemi Alade
4. Rich & Famous – Praiz
5. Double Trouble – Psquare
Tosinadeda’s View
My first major problem and ever occurring problem with the organizers of the Headies, is the grouping of POP with RnB, for the Album of the year category.
It is simple logic to understand that these two genres of music are way different, and have nothing in common.
Also, for a music industry as Nigeria, POP songs/albums are always more popular that R&B songs/albums (debatable but true). So merging them is like an injustice to an artiste who puts out a R&B album, because he/she is already set up to lose from the on set.
Now there may be an argument that we do not have so many materials for the R&B album category, hence the merging with POP, but seriously it’s a really illogical argument in my opinion.
If in one year in Nigeria, we have just 2 R&B albums, put them up for nomination alone. If we have just 1 R&B album, then give the artiste the award for R&B album category. It’s high time we stopped this idea of merging POP with R&B for the album category.
Is Asa’s “Bed of Stone” a POP album or R&B album though? I personally think Asa does soul music, why not create that category for such music? Just saying…
5. BEST R&B SINGLE
A category for the best R&B single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
1. Heartbeat – Praiz
2. Baby Daddy – Iyanya
3. Say You Love Me – Leriq ft. Wizkid
4. Do the Right Thing – Cobhams Ft. Bez
5. Wish Me Well – Timi Dakolo
Tosinadeda’s View
So many things wrong with the nominations in this category, i can’t even place it/them, but this list doesn’t just feel right to me. Even on Praiz’s “Rich” album, heartbeat is not the best R&B song on it.
I personally feel more attention should be paid to the R&B category of the Headies awards.
6. BEST POP SINGLE
A category for the best pop single in year under review (by single individual or group)
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid
2. Collabo – P-Square Feat. Don Jazzy
3. My Woman, My Everything – Patoranking Feat. Wande Coal
4. Woju – Kiss Daniel
5. Godwin – Korede Bello
6. Bobo – Olamide
Tosinadeda’s View
Very tight category, these songs are really massive, anyone can win this. No complains
7. BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE
A category for the best Reggae/Dancehall single in the year under review (by single individual or group).
1. German Juice – Cynthia Morgan
2. Sanko – Timaya
3. My Body – Solid Star Feat. Timaya
4. Daniella Whyne – Patoranking
5. Cheques and Balance – Burna Boy
6. Bad Girl Special (Remix) – Mr. 2Kay feat. Cynthia Morgan & Seyi Shay
Tosinadeda’s View
Someday i really look forward to a time when Dance-hall and reggae would have separate categories, because in the real sense of it, they are 2 different genres of music.
Y’all remember the Orezi rant on twitter, when Waje won the award years ago? Apparently Orezi had the hottest dance-hall tune at the time (rihanna), only to lose to Waje’s “I wish” which is a reggae song.
8. BEST RAP ALBUM
A Non-Voting Category for the Best Album By A Rap Artiste Or Group In Year Under Review.
1. Baba Hafusa – Reminisce
2. Street OT – Olamide
3. Chairman – M.I.
4. Above Ground Level – Modenine
Tosinadeda’s View
I can’t complain really, but i’m kinda surprised that AQ’s album (Son Of John 2) got submitted and didn’t get a nomination. Hardest Rap project i heard this year.
9. BEST COLLABO
A voting category for the best R&B, Pop or Hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).
1. Local Rapper – Reminisce Feat. Olamide & Phyno
2. Hold on – Joe El Feat. 2Face Idibia
3. Bad Girl Special (Remix) – Mr. 2Kay Feat. Cynthia Morgan & Seyi Shay
4. Shoki (Remix) – Lil’Kesh Feat. Olamide & David O
5. Do The right Thing – Cobhams ft. Bez
6. Sisi – Praiz ft. Wizkid
Tosinadeda’s View
I’m just gonna post a screen shot of my tweet on this category. These groupings by the Headies make me sick really. These groupings are not healthy at all, let every genre have a category.
10. BEST RAP SINGLE
A voting category for a single (released on-air) recording of a rap.
1. King Kong – Vector
2. Bad Belle – M.I
3. Bank Alert – Ill Bliss
4. Local Rapper – Reminisce Feat. Olamide, Phyno & Stomrex
5. G.O.D – T.R
Tosinadeda’s View
Fair enough, but this can’t obviously be the best we have to offer. We have a whole lot of rappers and rap songs that will knock off these nominations, what happened?
Oh may be it’s based on popularity and not the talent, or may be they have no videos, or perhaps these rappers don’t submit materials for nominations.
11. BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.
1. Praiz – If I fall
2. Shaydee – High
3. Timi Dakolo – Wish Me Well
4. Cobhams – Do The Right Thing
5. Bez – There’s A Fire
Tosinadeda’s View
No issues here, good nominees. I’ll go with Timi Dakolo again.
12. BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single song or album.
1. Waje – Coco Baby
2. Aramide – Iwo Nikan
3. Asa – Bed of Stone
4. Simi – Tiff
5. Yemi Alade – Duro Timi
Tosinadeda’s View
No issues here also, I think Tiff should win this.
13. NEXT RATED
This category is a voting category for the most promising upcoming act in the year under review.
1. Reekado Bankz
2. Kiss Daniel
3. Cynthia Morgan
4. Korede Bello
5. Lil’ Kesh
Tosinadeda’s View
Worthy nominees, just may be Ayo Jay could have made the list, just may be. But no issues here. Lil Kesh should get this.
14. HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
A voting category for the best new artiste in the year under review.
1. Praiz – Rich n Famous
2. Yemi Alade – King of Queens
3. Skales – Man of the Year
Tosinadeda’s View
I have an issue with this category, the word ‘REVELATION” is misleading and makes it look like the the organizers don’t know what they are doing.
Firstly i have a problem with the term “Hip Hop”, only for the nominees to be POP/RnB artistes.
Back to why i have a problem with the word “REVELATION”, you don’t use that word only to go ahead and nominate artistes that are in no way new to the Nigerian music industry.
People have put up arguments in the past that this category is for artistes who released their first albums during the year under review, but really if that’s the criteria, Headies should at least state that in the write up for this category, so that we are sure as to what this category is about.
One thing is certain though, the name of this category is faulty, please change it.
15. LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
A non-voting category for the Rap Artiste with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album.
1. Ill Bliss – Bank Alert (remix) Feat. Ice Prince, Eva Alordiah & Phyno
2. Vector – King Kong
3. Reminisce – Baba Hafusa
4. G.O.D – T.R
Tosinadeda’s View
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
16. BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.
1. Reminisce – Skillashi
2. Olamide – Bobo
3. Small Doctor – Mosquito Killer
4. Mastakraft feat. Olamide, CDQ and David O – Indomie
5. Falz The Bad Guy Feat. Yemi Alade & Poe – Hello Bae
Tosinadeda’s View
Spot the misfit here . . . It’s obvious innit? Firstly there is not song with the title “Hello bae” that features Yemi Alade and Poe. The title of the song is “Marry Me”. Both songs do not even qualify to be in this category. This error is laughable and ridiculous.
Indomie is the street song of the year though, argue with your local touts!!!!! WOOOOOOOOS, WOBI!!!!!
17. BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG
A voting category for the artiste whose songs reflect any form or style of music which falls outside the mainstream of recent or past popular musical trends.
1. Di’Ja – Awwwwww
2. Bez – There’s A Fire
3. Asa – Satan Be Gone
4. Adekunle Gold – Sade
5. Ugovinna – Rain On Me
6. Simi – Tiff
Tosinadeda’s View
You know what makes me happy about these nominees? The infusion of newer artistes. Good nominations.
18. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in year under review, that meets judges requirements of excellence (Songwriting, production, rendition and promotion) and acceptability (Sales and popularity).
1. Rich n Famous – Praiz
2. King of Queens – Yemi Alade
3. Street OT – Olamide
4. Chairman – M.I.
5. A.Y.O. – Wizkid
6. Double Trouble – P Square
Tosinadeda’s View
I am a fan of reminisce, I won’t say too much but Praiz makes this list and Reminisce doesn’t? very laughable.
I find it laughable that an album that made it to the world charts in it’s first week of release, gaining international recognition, is not on the list of nominees for album of the year.
Also, where is Flavour’s album? where is Asa’s album? Not worthy of nominations also?
19. ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review. Overall most successful artiste for the year under review.
1. Olamide
2. David O
3. Wizkid
4. Yemi Alade
5. P-Square
Tosinadeda’s View
One question, where is Flavour? Where is ASA?. Apart from that, very worthy nominees. I think Davido owns this.
20. SONG OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.
1. Ojuelegba – Wizkid
2. Godwin – Korede Bello
3. Kiss Daniel – Woju
4. Olamide – Bobo
Tosinadeda’s View
I can’t even complain, heavy weights on this. This is between Shakitibobo and Godwin for me.
21. AFRICAN ARTISTE
A non-Nigerian award category for an individual African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement, impact and infiltration into the Nigerian music scene in the year under review.
1. Diamond Platnumz
2. Cassper Nyovest
3. Sarkodie
4. Uhuru
5. AKA
Tosinadeda’s View
This one is for Cassper Nyovest, hands down. DOC DOC SHEBELEZA SHEBELEZA!!!!!!!
HALL OF FAME
Special recognition for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
2Face Idibia
Tosinadeda’s View
KING Idibia . . . that’s all. LEGEND!!!!
Waje’s I wish is not reggae: it is ‘Lover’s Rock’. To the best of knowledge.