Dancehall superpowers Spice and Vybz Kartel dominate the top honors nominations at the inaugural Jamaica International Music Awards (JIMA). The show, which will be seen worldwide from Sunrise in Florida, will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, February 28. Audiences can watch the live stream on IGTV @WZPPRadio and the WZOP website at www.wzppradio.com
Created by veteran broadcaster Norman ‘Humble Lion’ Lawrence and the WZOP Radio management team, the awards show will showcase the public’s top reggae and dancehall picks for 2021. Prizes will be awarded for the best new artist, male album and Female/EP of the Year, Gospel Reggae Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
Lawrence said the award was conceptualized as a vehicle for music consumers to own and honor it. “It’s a key vehicle to creating a premier brand that will allow reggae and dancehall music fans to say who/what is the best of the best in the industry every year. There has long been a not-so-secret concern that the winners of existing music awards do not necessarily reflect who the public thinks is the best in the respective category,” he said.
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With 30 years of experience broadcasting and promoting Jamaican music, Lawrence knows a thing or two about reggae and dancehall. Therefore, he is aware of how other award shows treat Jamaican-made genres. He said JIMA is essential because: “A lot of times when others include our artists/music in bigger awards shows, it’s usually from their perspective on what they think of our music. With JIMA, all winners will be selected based on what we, as a people, think of our music.
Vybz Kartel and Spice received three nominations each, the most by any artist. “Born Fi Dis” album was nominated in Best Male Reggae/Dancehall Album/EP his album, and he has two entries in song of the year with “African summer” and “Popular.”
Spice is nominated for Best Female Reggae/DancehallAlbum/EP for her album “ten“, and again for Song of the Year with”Frenz” and Get off Dehwhich includes Shaggy and Sean Paul.
Four of the JIMA nominees have been nominated for this year’s Reggae Grammy Awards. They are Spice, Grandpa Morgan, Etana and Sean Paul. Shenseea was also nominated as a featured artist on Kanye West’s album.
Other industry heavyweights included in the nominations are Etana, Gramps MorganBeres Hammond, Popcaan, Alkaline and Busy Signal.
Special awards will be presented to Metro Media, Stone Love and veteran artists Spragga Benz and Mad Cobra for their contribution to the reggae/dancehall industry.
The red carpet affair will also see industry heavyweights, like Tony Matterhorn, Walshy (of Major Laser), I-Octane, Spragga Benz, Supa Twitch, Carol Jacobs and Lymie walk the red carpet.
The nominees for the inaugural show are:
Best Female Reggae/Dancehall Album/EP
Spice up: ten
Etana: Etana
Best Male Reggae/Dancehall Album/EP
Mask : 438
Grandpa Morgan: Positive vibration
I-Octane: Moods
Alkaline: Grand Prize)
Charlie Blacks: Rio Buena
Konshens: Red Reign
Demarco: Melody
Vybz Kartel: Born Fi Dis
Best New Reggae/Dancehall Artist
Shaniel Muir
Skeng
Skillibeng
Jashi Intense
national boss
Yaksta
Best Gospel Reggae Artist
Franklin ankle
Carline Davis
Kevin Downswell
Positive Rondel
Jermaine Edwards
DJ Nicholas
Jamaica’s Best DJ – ZJ Liquid
DJ Boom Boom,
Kurt Riley
ZJ Chrome
Bishop Escobar
mental gugu
South Florida’s Best DJ
Dangerous child
Great Twitch
Red fire
Richie Pooh
Dex of Service
song of the year
Get off Deh: Spice, Shaggy & Sean Paul
Ambition: Yaksta
Humans: National boss
Liquidate: alkaline
frenz: Spice
suicide note: Mascika
crocodile teeth: Skillibeng
upset: Shenseea
God is love: Beres Hammond with Popcaan
African summer: Vybz Kartel
snap: Signal busy
Watch Da Style Yah: Ding Dong
Popular: Vybz Kartel
1 matik: Govana
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