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