Organizers of the Headies Award; the supposed Nigerian foremost award that is saddled with the responsibility of celebrating hard work and musical skill have finally announced the long-awaited nominees for the 2018 edition of the award and boy is it flawed!
There aren’t so many prominent music awards in the country and it is quite disheartening that the “inconsistently prominent” ones have failed to keep to their promise of recognizing actual and ‘very-obvious’ talent. Mediocrity has been highly upheld in the Nigerian music industry and it is safe for one to say that award shows have contributed largely to this menace.
Why Mr Eazi, Ric Hassani and Ajebutter 22 were snubbed in the Album Of The Year and R&B/Pop Album categories where Wizkid’s “Sounds From the Other Side” sat gracefully leaves one far more than puzzled.
Mr Eazi’s Accra To Lagos tape was a breath of fresh air and a break to speedy grooves armed with an infectious laid-back vibe and catchy-easy hooks that makes (almost) every song on the project a sing-along. This was indeed the project that shaped the Nigerian pop sphere in 2017. Accra To Lagos served up the blueprint for the infamous ‘pon-pop’ sound.
With top-notch storytelling, respectable delivery, par production and a somewhat surprising flexibility, Ric Hassani also double-cleared everyone’s doubt with his debut “African Gentleman” album and provided a project that ticked every logical musical box there is. Not to forget Ajebutter 22’s conceptual “What Happens In Lagos” album which aptly chronicled life in the ever-busy city.
As a result of the numerous flaws in this year’s nominations, we have decided to do the Headies a favour by rearranging the nominees. These are the actual nominees in select categories for the 2017 Headies Award.
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST RECORDING (THAT ACTUALLY MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF EXCELLENCE; SONGWRITING, PRODUCTION, RENDITION) BY AN ARTISTE OR GROUP IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.
BUTTERFLIES – OMAWUMI
1. HALLELUYAH – FUNBI
2. PONMILE – REMINISCE
3. HEAVEN – BANKY W
4. JOROMI – SIMI
+5. CHILD OF THE WORLD – FALZ
+6. ONLY YOU – RIC HASSANI
BEST POP SINGLE
A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST POP SINGLE IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).
1. MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN
2. ALL OVER – TIWA SAVAGE
3. YEBA – KISS DANIEL
4. ISKABA – WANDE COAL AND DJ TUNEZ
5. IF– DAVIDO
6. FIA – DAVIDO
+7. MR EAZI – LEG OVER
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. SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE – WIZKID
2. TIMELESS – OMAWUMI
3. SIMISOLA – SIMI
4. GOLD – ADEKUNLE GOLD
5. IJELE THE TRAVELLER – FLAVOR
6. THIS IS ME – NINIOLA
+7. MR EAZI – ACCRA TO LAGOS
+8. RIC HASSANI – AFRICAN GENTLEMAN
BEST COLLABO
A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B, POP OR HIP-HOP COLLABORATIVE TRACK (INCLUDING CAMEOS).
1. MA LO – TIWA SAVAGE FT WIZKID
2. TEMPER REMIX – SKALES FT BURNA BOY
3. JUICE – YCEE FT MALEEKBERRY
4. NO FORGET – ADEKUNLE GOLD FT. SIMI
5. COME CLOSER – WIZKID FT. DRAKE
+6. EARLY – MALEEK BERRY FT NONSO AMADI
NEXT RATED
THIS CATEGORY IS A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST PROMISING ACT IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.
1. MALEEK BERRY
2. MAYORKUN
3. DICE AILES
4. JOHNNY DRILLE
5. ZORO
+6. NONSO AMADI
HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST NEW ARTISTE WITH A DEBUT ALBUM ADJUDGED TO BE OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF ARTISTIC QUALITY AND IMPACT WITHIN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.
1. NINIOLA
2. ADEKUNLE GOLD
3. MR. EAZI
4. REEKADO BANKS
+5. RIC HASSANI
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. MONEY – ADEKUNLE GOLD
2. RADIO – NONSO AMADI
3. ROMEO & JULIET – JOHNNY DRILLE
4. PONMILE – REMINISCE
5. FUN MI LOWO MI – ARAMIDE FT. SOUND SULTAN & KOKER
6. LAGOS BARBIE – BANTU
+7. ONLY YOU – RIC HASSANI
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 IMPACT).
1. SIMISOLA – SIMI
2. GOLD – ADEKUNLE GOLD
3. KLITORIS – BRYMO
4. IJELE THE TRAVELER – FLAVOUR
5. SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE – WIZKID
6. THE PLAYMAKER – PHYNO
+7. AFRICAN GENTLEMAN – RIC HASSANI
+8. ACCRA TO LAGOS – MR EAZI
SONG OF THE YEAR
A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST POPULAR SONG IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.
1. PENALTY – SMALL DOCTOR
2. WO – OLAMIDE
3. IF- DAVIDO
4. YEBA – KISS DANIEL
5. MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN
6. FIA – DAVIDO
+7. LEG OVER – MR EAZI
+8. PANA – TEKNO
There you have it!
NB: This piece reflects the opinion(s) of the writer.