NOMINEES 2025 and Honorees
The 42nd IRAWMA theme is “Reggae/World Music Rise”. It also, Salute’s VP Kamala Harris, first Jamaican/Indian American nominated for President of the United States of America.
The Honorees, Nominees and categories for 42nd IRAWMA are:
Honorees
- Dr. Oliver Samuels, OD (Host/Honoree)
- Lord Rhaburn (Diamond Honor)
- Bob Marley – “One Love” Movie
- Everton Blender
- DJ Khaled
- Oliver Mair
- Lloyd Parks
- Joanna-Marie Robinson
- Audley Rollen
- Wayne Wonder
- Caribbean News Weekly
Emperor of Reggae & World Music – Hon. Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year
- Buju Banton
- Damian Marley
- Sean Paul
- Shaggy
- Spice
Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artist of the Year
- Buju Banton
- Chronic Law
- Masicka
- Sean Paul
- Protojie
- Valiant
- VYBZ Kartel
Jacob Miller Award for Best Male Vocalist
- Christopher Martin
- Gramps Morgan
- Romain Virgo
- Tarrus Riley
- YG Marley
Best Female Vocalist – Sponsored by Truly Inspired Dana, LLC
- Alaine
- Etana
- Lila Ike
- Marcia Griffiths
- Naomi Cowan
- Stalk Ashley
Gregory Isaacs Award for Best Song
- “Happy Birthday” - Busy Signal
- “Wisemen” - Damian Marley
- “Higher Life” - Kranium ft. Chronic Law
- “Judgement” - Nigy Boy
- “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” - YG Marley
Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD
- “Apex” - Bugle ft. Various Artists
- “Take It Easy” - Collie Buddz
- “Bob Marley - One Love” - Various Artists
- “Never Gets Late Here” - Shenseea
- “Party with Me” - VYBZ Kartel
Best Crossover Song
- “Ba Ba Bad” – Busy Signal, Sean Paul ft. Kybba
- “Choppa” - Byron Messia, Lil Baby & Rvssian
- “Awuke” - Davido ft. YG Marley
- “Work Me Out” - Wizkid & Shenseea
- “Commando” – Shatta Wale ft. Bounty Killer
Best Gospel Song
- Carlene Davis - “Rapha”
- DJ Nicholas – “Prayer Meeting”
- Richie Stephens ft. Sanchez – “Forever Grateful”
- Johnmark Wiggan - “Confidence”
- Petra Kaye - “Do It Again”
- Prince SAJ - “The Message”
Best EP (Extended Play) Recording
- Agent Sasco & Romain Virgo - “Never Give Up”
- Anthony B. - “Let’s Go Party”
- Luciano – “High Hope”
- Pablo YG – “Rich N Richer”
- Skip Marley - “Close”
- Teejay - “Active”
U-Roy Award for Best Male Dancehall/DJ Rapper
- Aidonia
- Alkaline
- Buju Banton
- Chronic Law
- Masicka
- Popcaan
Best Female Dancehall/Rap Artist
- D’Angel
- Jada Kingdom
- Shenseea
- Spice
- Stefflon Don
Best New Entertainer
- Armanii
- Nigy Boy
- Sly & Rocky T. (TNT)
- YG Marley
- Yaksta
Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer
- Adam O - St. Croix
- ASA Bantan - Dominica
- Kes the Band - Trinidad
- Mical Teja - Trinidad
- Patrice Roberts - Trinidad
Best Dancehall Stagecraft Entertainer
- Assassin
- Beenie Man
- Dexta Daps
- Skeng
- Spice
Best Singjay Entertainer
- Dexta Daps
- Jada Kingdom
- Jah Vinci
- Nigy Boy
- Skip Marley
Best African Dancehall Entertainer
- Nkulee Dube – South Africa
- Redsan - Kenya
- Shatta Wale - Ghana
- Sheebah - Uganda
- Winky D. – Zimbabwe
Best Afrobeat Entertainer
- Diamond Platnumz - Tanzania
- Flavour Nabania – Nigeria
- Mr. P (PSquare) - Nigeria
- SIAME OC - Zambia
- Tyla - South Africa
- Willy Paul - Kenya
Best African Entertainer
- Angélique Kidjo - Benin
- Awilo Longomba – Congo DRC
- Burna Boy – Nigeria
- Eddy Kenzo – Uganda
- Fally Ipupa - Congo DRC
- Tems - Nigeria
Best Afrobeat Entertainer
- Diamond Platnumz - Tanzania
- Flavour Nabania – Nigeria
- Mr. P (PSquare) - Nigeria
- SIAME OC - Zambia
- Tyla - South Africa
- Willy Paul - Kenya
Best African Entertainer
- Angélique Kidjo - Benin
- Awilo Longomba – Congo DRC
- Burna Boy – Nigeria
- Eddy Kenzo – Uganda
- Fally Ipupa - Congo DRC
- Tems - Nigeria
Most Popular Collaborated Song (Reggae with R&B, Rap, Latin, etc.)
- “Choppa” - Byron Messia, Lil Baby & Rvssian
- “Remix Hold You (Hold Yuh)” - Gyptian ft. Nicki Minaj
- “Move” – Shaggy and Lavinia
- “Lick” - Shenseea ft. Megan Thee Stallion
- “Dilemma” - Stefflon Don ft. Sidhu Moose Wala, GuiltyBeatz & Steel Banglez
Best Reggae Rock Entertainer
- Collie Buddz
- Denm
- Stick Figure
- Surfer Girl
- The Elovators
Best Reggaeton Entertainer
- Bad Bunny – Puerto Rico
- GodDessey - (island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras)
- Karol G. - Columbia
- Nejo - Puerto Rico
- Raúw Alejandro - Puerto Rico
Mutabaruka Award for Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer
- Amaziyah The Great aka Craig Kirk land
- Marcia Jackson
- Judith Falloon-Reid
- Richie Innocent
- Wise Wurdz
Best Youth Entertainer (Under 19 years old)
- Biko's Manna (Trio) - South Africa
- J. Noa - Dominica Republic
- Najeeriii - Jamaica
- Qing Madi - Nigeria
- Tielo Lanez - Jamaica
Best Music Video
- Damian Marley - “Wisemen”
- Louis York & Gramps Morgan – “Have a Little Light”
- Unavailable – Davido, Sean Paul, and Ding Dong, featuring Musa Keys
- Shatta Wale – “Killa Ji Mi”
- YG - “Praise Jah In the Moonlight”
Bunny Wailer Award for Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer
- Anthony B.
- Capleton
- Gramps Morgan
- Mutabaruka
- Kabaka Pyramid
- Sizzla
Dennis Brown Award for Most Promising Entertainer- Sponsored by Alpha Studios
- Armanii
- Blvk H3ro
- D’Yani
- Ginjah
- Ras-I
Best Instrumentalist - Sponsored by 25th Century Radio
- Dean Fraser
- Bongo Herman
- Dwight Pinkney
- Masego
- Sons of Mystro
Best Sound System/DJ
- Bass Odyssey
- Chromatic
- Soul Supreme
- Sound Trooper
- Stone Love
Most Outstanding Dance Group
- Immortals
- Hectic Dymondz Jamaica
- North Coast Boys
- Team Caution
- Xqlusiv Dance
Best Caribbean Entertainer - Sponsored by VP Records
- Beenie Man
- Bounty Killer
- Machel Montano
- Sean Paul
- Shaggy
Jean B. P. DuSable Award for Best Haitian Entertainer
- Joé Dwét Filé
- Kenny Haiti
- Kodak Black
- Michael Brun
- Rutshelle Guillaume
- Tony Mix
- Troubleboy Hitmaker
Record Producer of the Year
- DJ. Mac
- DJ Chrome
- Seanizzle
- Romeich
- RVssian
Comedian of the Year
- Boasy Boy Floyd
- Dale Elliott Jr.
- Julie Mango
- Lemon
- Majah Hype
Concert of the Year
- Buju Banton - NY
- Freedom Street - VYBZ Hartel - DSE Prod - Jamaica
- Reggae Sumfest - Jamaica
- Rebel Salute - Jamaica
- Rototom Sunsplash - Spain
Best Song Saluting VP Kamala Harris (Special)
- Jamerican Momala's Story - Ras Daan Jah
- “Big Up Kamala Harris” - Richie Stephens
- “Gimme Hope Kamala” - Marsh Family adaptation of Eddy Grant
- “America needs a smile, America needs hope, America needs Kamala Harris” - Oded Kertes
- “Biden Step Down, Kamala Harris for President” – Gowam International
Most Active Reggae/Dancehall Social Media Entertainer
- Buju Banton
- D’Angel
- Sean Paul
- Shenseea
- Spice
Best Entertainment Media (TV/Podcast/Video) Influencer
- Auntie Donna
- Jessie Woo
- Pretty Vee
- Winford Williams OnStage TV
- Sleek Jamaica Media
Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award
- Bounty Killer
- D’Angel
- Josef Bogdanovich - DSE
- Richie Stephens
- Sonia Patterson
- VP Records
Florida Entertainer of the Year (local - reggae/world music)
- Brimstone
- Code Red
- Shuga
- Visions Band
- Yosefus and the One Heart Rockaz
Florida Best Party DJs - 2024 (local - reggae/world music)
- DJ Dave – American/World music
- DJ Jason Panton – Afrobeat/Reggae
- DJ Rufus - Caribbean
- Stanman and Soso – Calypso/Soca
- DJ. Tony Mix – Haitian