Davido, Wizkid, Olamide & Simi Lead The Headies 2018 Nominations

Established by the Hip Hop World Magazine over a decade ago, The Headies is an annual awards ceremony – arguably the most prestigious in the country – created to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.

While the ceremony typically takes place in December, last year found them move it to March — the same time it held when they first launched — but the month came and went without any news. Well, after all the frustrating delays, the nominees have finally been announced.

For the 12th edition, which is set to hold on May 5 at Eko Hotel, there are 27 categories — with four new ones added — and 77 nominees. Unsurprisingly, Davido, Wizkid, Simi and Olamide — who all had strong 2017s — lead with the most nominations in major categories.

While we nailed most of the predictions we initially made last year, the expanded year-in-review (now from July 2016 to December 2017) allowed a lot more of our faves — Falz, Simi and Niniola especially — to get in for their exceptional 2017 albums.

Best Recording Of The Year

1. Butterflies – Omawumi
2. Halleluyah – Funbi
3. Ponmile – Reminisce
4. Heaven – Banky W
5. Joromi – Simi

Best Pop Single

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

Producer Of The Year

1. (Fall, Mama) Kidominant
2. (Iskaba, Malo) Spellz
3. (If, Rara) Tekno
4. (Maradona, Come Closer) Sarz
5. Yawa, Virtuous Woman- Masterkraft

Best Reggae/Dancehall Single

1. Love You Die – Patoranking Ft. Diamond Platnumz
2. Dance – Timaya Ft. Rudeboy
3. Holy Holy – 2baba
4. Rock Your Body – Burna Boy
5. Come Closer – Wizkid
6. Sofa – Kiss Daniel

Best Rap Album

1. 27 – Falz
2. Trip To The South – Erigga
3. El Hadj – Reminisce
4. The Playmaker – Phyno
5. The Glory – Olamide
6. Rose – Aq

Best R&B/Pop Album

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

Best Music Video

1. Ma Lo – Tiwa Savage Ft Wizkid (Meji Alabi)
2. Focus- Humble Smith (Clarence Peters)
3. Come Closer – Wizkid (Daps)
4. Been Calling – Maleek Berry (Meji Alabi)
5. Yolo – Seyi Shay (Meji Alabi)
6. Like Dat – Davido (Daps)

Best R&B Single

1. Tonight – Nonso Amadi
2. Folashade – Praiz
3. Let Me Know – Maleek Berry
4. Romeo & Juliet – Johhny Drille
5. Love You Baby – Banky W
6. Smile For Me – Simi

Best Collabo

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

Best Rap Single

1. You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives – Mi
2. Something Lite – Falz Ft Ycee
3. Link Up – Phyno Ft. Burna Boy, M.I.
4. Up To You – Show Dem Camp Ft Funbi
5. Me Versus Me – Ice Prince

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

1. Perfect Woman – Faze
2. Folashade – Praiz
3. Romeo & Juliet – Johnny Drille
4. Tonight – Nonso Amadi
5. Love You Baby – Banky W

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

1. In The Air – Waje
2. Gone For Good – Simi
3. Jowo – Aramide
4. Saro – Niniola
5. Where’s The Love – Niyola Ft. Adekunle Gold
6. Butterflies – Omawumi

Next Rated

1. Maleek Berry
2. Mayorkun
3. Dice Ailes
4. Johnny Drille
5. Zoro

Hip-Hop World Revelation

1. Niniola
2. Adekunle Gold
3. Eazi
4. Reekado Banks

Lyricist On The Roll

1. You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives – M.I
2. Political Science – Aq
3. Liquor Night – Boogey
4. Industry Nite – Erigga

Best Street-Hop Artiste

1. Penalty – Small Doctor
2. Wo – Olamide
3. Sai Baba – Cdq
4. Shepeteri – Idowest Ft. Dammy Krane, Slim Case
5. Pass The Agbara – Skuki
6. Legbegbe – Mr Real Ft. Idowest, Kelvin Chuks, Obadice

Best Alternative Song

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

Album Of The Year

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

Artiste Of The Year

1. Davido
2. Wizkid
3. Olamide
4. Simi
5. Tiwa Savage

Song Of The Year

1. Penalty – Small Doctor
2. Wo – Olamide
3. If- Davido
4. Yeba – Kiss Daniel
5. Mad Over You – Runtown
6. Fia – Davido

African Artiste

1. Sarkodie
2. Casper Nyovest
3. Nasty C
4. Sauti Sol
5. Vanessa Mdee

Headies’ Viewer’s Choice

1. Come Closer — Wizkid
2. If — Davido
3. Wo — Olamide
4. Mad Over You – Runtown
5. Yeba — Kiss Daniel
6. Yawa — Tekno

Industry Brand Supporter

1. Mtn
2. Pepsi
3. Glo
4. Hennessy
5. FIRS
6. Nigeria Breweries
7. Lagos State

Best Performer

1. Flavour
2. Falz
3. M.I.
4. 2baba
5. Yemi Alade
6. Tiwa Savage

Rookie Of The Year

1. Kidi
2. Air Boy
3. Teni
4. Junior Boy
5. Peruzzi

Special Recognition

1. Kaffy

Hall Of Fame

1. Chris Ubosi