Tema based music group, R2Bees has scooped the highest nominations for this year’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (GMAs). They received a total of nine nominations.
The nominees and categories for this year’s GMAs, sponsored by Vodafone, were released at a colourful ceremony at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra Saturday.
The duo made of up, Hakeem (Paedae da Pralem) and Rashid Mugeez (Mugeez), got nominations in the Artiste of the Year, Song of the Year, Hip Life song of the Year, Hip Life/Hip Hop Song of the Year, High Life Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Song Writer of the Year categories.
They were also nominated for Best Group and Hip Hop Song of the Year. Their producer Killbeatz was nominated for Producer of the Year.
All their nominations were from their hit songs Life (Walahi), Odo and Bayla which have enjoyed massive airplays across the length and breadth of the country.
On the the heels of R2Bees is Nana Wiafe Asante-Mensah known on stage as Asem. Asem had seven nominations for his hit song Bye Bye and album Solid Ground.
He had nominations in the Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Hip Life Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Song Writer of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rapper.
The Bye Bye collaboration earned Kwabena Kwabena a nomination in the Best Male Vocal Performance category.
Desmond Blackmore popularly known as D-Black earned six nominations in this year’s awards which organizers are yet to announce its date and venue.
D-Black got nominations in the Artiste of the Year, Song of the Year, Hip Hop Song of the Year, Hip Life Song of the Year, Hip Life/Hip Hop Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
Last year’s biggest winner, Sarkodie had five nominations for songs he collaborated on. He got nominations in the Song of the Year, Hip Life Song of the Year and Best Rapper all for Azonto Fiesta which also features Appietus and Kese.
His fourth and fifth nominations – Hip Hop Song of the Year and Highlife Song of the Year – came from Pizza & Burger (with Jay So) and Kesse’s Treat Her Royal respectively.
Several artistes including 4×4, VIP and Okyeame Kwame, EL, Edem also got multiple nominations in this year’s awards.
The launch was attended by some musicians including D-Black, Nicholas Omane Acheampong, Eazzy, R2Bees, Chase and Sarkodie. Chase and Nicholas Omane Acheampong aka Zaphneth Paneah performed at the launch.
Artiste of the Year
R2Bees
D-Black
VIP
Kwaw Kese
Cwesi Oteng
4X4
Vodafone Song Of The Year
Bye-Bye – Asem Ft. Kwabena Kwabena
Life (Walahi) – R2Bees
Vera – D-Black
Ole Seke – Dr. Slim & Dobble
Aluguntugui – Keche
Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie & Kesse
Zaphanat Panea – Nicholas Omane Acheampong
Antenna – Fuse ODG
Best Collaboration Of The Year
Bye-Bye – Asem & Kwabena Kwabena
Ka No Seyaa – Herty Bongreat & Trigmatic
Ole Seke – Dr Slim & Dobble
Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie & Kesse
Sika – Okyeame Kwame & Kesse
No Away – Becca & MI
Hip Hop Song Of The Year
Falling – D-Black Ft. Mo’Chedda
Heyba – Edem
Pizza & Burger – Sarkodie & Jayso
Makaa Maka – M.Anifest
Bayla – R2Bees
Hip Life Song Of The Year
Kaalu – E.L.
Life (Walahi) – R2Bees
Ole Seke – Dr Slim & Dobble
Aluguntugui – Keche
Vera – D-Black Ft Joey B
Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie & Kesse
Mokoni – 4X4
Bye-Bye – Asem Ft Kwabena Kwabena
Azonto Ghost – Bisa
Pampanaa – VIP
Gospel Artiste Of The Year
Herty Bongreat
Nicholas Omane Acheampong
Cwesi Oteng
Cynthia Mccauley
Obaapa Christy
Afro Pop Song Of The Year
Antenna – Fuse ODG
No Away – Becca & MI
So High – Fatural Face
Best In Me – Efya
Papa – Jay Ghartey
Stone Bwoy Ft Irene Logan – Ghetto Love
Hip Life/Hip Hop Artiste Of The Year
R2Bees
D-Black
Keche
4X4
VIP
E.L.
Gospel Song Of The Year
Ka No Seyaa – Herty Bongreat ft Trigmatic
Nkomhye – Cynthia Mccauley
Zaphanat Panea – Nicholas Omane Acheampong
Se Me Wo Nkwa Daa – Joe Dee Owusu Ft Amy Newman
God Dey Bless Me – Cwesi Oteng
African Artiste Of The Year
Iyanya
P-Square
Davido
Flavour
D-Banj
Wizkid
Best Group Of The Year
R2Bees
Keche
VIP
4X4
Highlife Song Of The Year
Odo – R2Bees
Love Of My Life – Afriyie Wutah
Lovi Dovi – Raquel
Paradise – D-Flex
Treat Her Royal – Kesse ft Sarkodie
Highlife Artiste Of The Year
Afriyie
D-Flex
Kesse
New Artiste Of The Year
Lousika
Cynthia Mccauley
Natural Face
Kaakie
Reggae Dance Hall Song Of The Year
Shatta City – Bandana
Our Africa – Blakk Rasta Ft Jay Anber
Go Go Wild – Eazzy Ft Jupiter
House Of Pain – Knii Lante
Toffee Pon Tongue – Kaakie
Time Bomb – Samini Ft Wizkid
50% Board Vote Weighting & 50% Academy Voting Weighing
Album Of The Year
Something Else – E.L.
Mercy Project – Cwesi Oteng
Mr. Versatile – Okyeame Kwame
The Revelation – D-Black
Solid Ground – Asem
Gospel Album Of The Year
Back To The Sender – Obaa Christy
Wait – Cynthia Maccauley
Zaphanat Panea – Nicholas Omane Acheampong
Mercy Project – Cwesi Oteng
Christian Life – Joe Dee Owusu
Best Male Vocal Performance
Mugeez (R2Bees) – Odo
Chase – Lonely
Kwabena Kwabena – Bye-Bye
Knii Lante – House Of Pain
Afriyie – Love Of My Life
Best Female Vocal Performance
Becca – No Away
Raquel – Lovi Dovi
Efya – Best In Me
Yaa Yaa – Kae
Celestine Donkor – Me Nim Nguase
Adina – Let Me Go
Song Writer Of The Year
Mugeez Abdul Rashid – Odo
Nana Wiafe Asante-Mensah & George Kwabena Adu – Bye-Bye
Kwame Nsiah Apau – Sika
Akwaboah – Best In Me
Frank Osei Afriyie – Love Of My Life
Kwame Tsikata –Makaa Maka
Nana Yaw Oduro – Not Alone
Record Of The Year
Bye-Bye – Asem
Lonely – Chase
Best In Me – Efya
No Away – Becca
Sika – Okyeame Kwame
House Of Pain – Knii Lante
Not Alone – Trigmatic
Best Rapper
Sarkodie – Azonto Fiesta
E.L. – Kaalu
Asem – Bye-Bye
M.Anifest – Makaa Maka
Edem – Heyba
Okyeame Kwame – Mr. Versatile
Producer Of The Year
Kaywa
Killbeatz
Nshorna Music
Eyoh
E.L.
Appietus
Nicholas Omane Acheampong