Kanye West, Dua Lipa, Beyonce, Russ Millions, Dave, Ghetts & Jorja Smith make the shortlist for this year’s 18th annual Urban Music Awards
London, UK, 26/08/21 – Today nominations for the Urban Music Awards were announced. The UMA’s which celebrates its 18th anniversary on the 14th of February 2022 London, UK released its shortlist of nominees this morning.
Drake bags three nominations for Best Single ‘Wants and Needs’, Artist of the Year USA, and Most Creative Artist which sees him going head to head with Kanye West who is also up for Most Creative Artist 2021 who secures a nomination despite his forthcoming album ‘Donda’ not yet released. Ye is nominated for breaking the Apple Music Livestream record and the creative marketing/pr campaign which has garnered a lot of success in the lead-up to his album release.
Beyonce’s focus on Africa for her most recent music pays off as she is up for Best Female Act, and her collaboration with Shatta Wale & Major Lazer ‘Already’ is up for Best Single. Other nominees for the Best Single category include; Lost Girl ft. Backroad Gee“Rockabye”, Backroad Gee ft. Nissi “Ready or Not”, A1 x J1 ft. Deno Driz “Baby”, Wes Nelson ft. Hardy Caprio “See Nobody”, Olakira “Maserati”, KSI “Don’t Play”, Jahmene “God’s Property”, Tion Wayne & Ross Millions “Body”, Drake “Wants and Needs’, Beyonce ft. Shatta Wale & Major Lazer “Already”, Curtis Roach “Bored in the House”, Dawn Richard “Bussifame” and Central Cee “Commitment Issues”
British grime legend, Ghetts whose album ‘Conflict of Interest’ broke all records this year has secured three nominations Artist of the Year UK, Best Grime Act, and Best Album.
The Urban Music Awards is the biggest celebration of Hip-hop, R&B, Soul, Reggae, EDM, Gospel, Afrobeat, and EDM music in the world. Launched 18 years ago, the award show now has annual versions in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Europe. This year over 4.3 million music fans were nominated from all UMA territories and public voting is now live via the official UMA website.
Find below, the full list of nominees for the 18th annual Urban Music Awards :
Best Single sponsored by Santa Ana
Lost Girl ft. Backroad Gee “Rockabye”
Backroad Gee ft. Nissi “Ready or Not”
A1 x J1 ft. Deno Driz “Baby”
Wes Nelson ft. Hardy Caprio “See Nobody”
Olakira “Maserati”
KSI “Don’t Play”
Jahmene “God’s Property”
Tion Wayne & Ross Millions “Body”
Drake “Wants and Needs’
Beyonce ft. Shatta Wale & Major Lazer “Already”
Curtis Roach “Bored in the House”
Dawn Richard “Bussifame”
Central Cee “Commitment Issues”
Stefflon Don feat. Ms. Banks “Dip”
Best Newcomer
Dutchavelli
Ardee
Backroad Gee
A1 & J1
Kofi Stone
Central Cee
French The Kid
Olakira
Lex Amor
Jaz Karis
Pa Salieu
Ling Hussle
Best Female Act
Esperanza Spalding “Formwela 4”
Stefflon Don “Murda” (freestyle Badness)
Dua Lipa “Levitating”
Koffee “Switch it Up”
Jaz Karis “Mistake”
Beyonce “Already”
Shaybo “Mud”
Dawn Richard “Bussifame”
Bellah “Evil Eye”
Lianne La Havas “Lianne La Havas”
Artist of the Year (UK) sponsored by Dechavel
Ardee “Oliver Twist”
Dua Lipa “We’re Good”
Jorja Smith “Home”
Aitch “Learning Curve”
Deno “Drizzy”
Tion Wayne “Body”
Nafe Smallz “High and Lows”
Ed Sheeran “Visiting Hours”
Ghetts “Conflict of Interest”
Russ Millions “Body”
Best Grime Act
JayKae “Chop (Henry the 8th)”
Chip “Killer MC”
Meridian Dan “Joe Pesci”
Ghetts “Conflict of Interest”
D Double E “Double of Northing”
Norf Face “Baitest Sound”
Best Male Act sponsored by Tribe All
AJ Tracey
Dave
Headie One
Jay 1
Young T & Bugsey
Deno
Dappy
Olakira
M Huncho
Russ Millions
Best Album
AJ Tracey, “Flu Game”
Dave “We Are All Alone in This Together”
Grimba “African King”
Bugzy Malone “The Resurrection”
D Block Europe, “The Blueprint- Us Vs. Them”
Lianne La Havas “ Lianne La Havas”
Fredo “Money Can’t Buy Happiness”
Ghetts “Conflict of Interest”
DJ Khaled – “Khaled, Khaled”
Headie One “EDNA”
K Trap “Street Side Effects”
Loski “Music, Trial and Trauma: A Drill Story”
Sean Paul “Live N Livin”
Nas “King’s Disease”
Best Radio Show
Yasmin Evans (BBC 1Xtra)
Dotty (Apple Music)
Snoochie Shy (BBC 1Xtra)
Charlie Sloth (Beats 1)
DJ Edu – Destination Africa (BBC 1Xtra)
Tim Westwood ( Capital Xtra)
Yinka & Shayna Marie (Capital Xtra)
The Marcus Nasty Show (Rinse)
Ras Kwame (Reggae Recipe)
Kenny Allstar (BBC 1Xtra)
Robert Bruce ( Capital Xtra)
Reece Parkinson (BBC 1Xtra)
Tiffany Calver (BBC 1Xtra)
Best Producer
Steel Banglez
Conducta
Ayo Beatz
Gothcha
Ragz Originale
Jax Jones
MK The Plug x M1 on the Beat
Ghosty
Fraser T
Best Entertainer
Yung Filly
Chunkz
Stevo The Madman
David Whiteley aka Sidemen
Spuddz
TY Logan
Big Narstie
Fumez the Engineer
Mo the Comedian
Chabuddy G
Very Vee Brown
White Yardie
Munya Chawawa
Artist of the Year Africa
Davido (Nigeria)
Rema (Nigeria)
Fally Ipupa (RDC)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Olakira (Nigeria)
Falz the Bahd Guy (Nigeria)
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania)
Joeboy (Nigeria)
Darina Victry (Cameroon)
Shatta Wale (Ghana)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Best Hip hop Act
Young T & Bugsey “Don’t Rush”
Polo G “Rapstar”
Fredo “Flowers & the Snow”
Slow Thai “Tyrone”
Cardi B “Up”
Dave “We’re All Alone In This Together”
Little Simz “Woman”
Nas “King’s Disease”
Kojey Radical “2Fs”
Ms Banks “YDK”
Best R&B Act
Scribz Riley “Mandy”
Lola Rae “Come and See”
Bellah “Something U Like”
Odeal “24/48”
Rebecca Garton “Take me Home”
Kwaku Asante “ODE”
Tora “Escape Room”
Pip Millett “Hard Life”
Best Podcast 2021
3 Shots of Tequila
Drink Champs
Pass the Meerkat
Seasoned Session
The Joe Budden Podcast
Hotboxin with Mike Tyson
The Receipts Podcast
Black Gals Livin’
Grillin
Who We Be Talks
Best Music Video 2021
Avelino ft. Not3s & Young “Control”
Bruno Mars feat. Anderson Paak “Leave the Door Open”
Swarmz ft. Bugzy Malone & M24 “Payslips”
Keeya Keys “Haaland”
Shaybo ft Haile “Friendly”
Nafe Smallz “High and Lows”
Wes Nelson ft. Hardy Caprio “See Nobody”
Russ Millions x Tion Wayne “Body”
D Power Diesle x Skepta “Sniper”
Best DJ
Tiffany Calver
DJ Policy
Kenny Allstar
DJ EZ
Angel & Dren
Mista Jam
DJ Charlesy
DJ Tiiny
DJ Envy
Best Singer/Songwriter
Kamille “Mirror Mirror”
Rachel Chinouriri “Give me a reason”
Alewya “Spirit X”
Jahmene “God’s Property”
Griff “Black Hole”
Dawn Richard “Bussifame”
H.E.R “Back of My Mind”
Kevin Davy White “With You”
Best Record Label
Island Records
EGA Music
Dave Neighbourhood
Merky Records
Columbia
Republic Records
BMG
Atlantic Records
Warner Records
Best Jazz Act sponsored by Old Pilot’s Gin
Esperanza Spalding
Nubya Garcia
Ego Ella May
Poppy Ajudha
Moses Boyd joe
Yazmin Lacey
Tom Misch & Yusef Dayes
Best Gospel Act
The Kingdom Choir
Diana Hamilton
Jahmene
The Spirituals Choir
Called Out Music
Philippa Hanna
Lurine Cato
Carla Jane
Artist of the Year (Caribbean)
Koffee (Jamaica)
Beenie Man (Jamaica)
Bunji Garlin (Trinidad)
Romain Virgo (Jamaica)
Etana (Jamaica)
Erphaan Alves (Trinidad & Tobago)
Shenseea (Jamaica)
Yohan Marley (Jamaica)
Sean Paul (Jamaica)
Popcaan (Jamaica)
Artist of the Year (France)
Aya Nakamura
Ninho
Naps
Dadju
Niska
MHD
Tayc
Kendji Girac
David Guetta
Soprano
Booba
Camelia Jordana
Imen Es
Vitaa
Slimane
Artist of the Year (Asia)
Arjun
B.Praak
Gurj Sidhu
Sidhu Moosewala
Neha Kakkar
Jasmine Sandlas
Pak – Man
Ezu
Prophec
Rika
Karan Aujla
Artist of the Year (South America)
Los Angeles Azules “Cumbia La Gente”
Karol G “200 Copas”
Maluma “Agua de Jamaica”
Ozuna
C-Kan
Daddy Yankee
Balvin
Anuel Aa
Bad Bunny
Best Radio Station
Kiss FM
Rinse
Capital Xtra
BBC 1Xtra
Westside Radio
The Beat London
Kiss Fresh
Best Group
Krept & Konan
Young T and Bugsey
Lotto Boyzz
NSG
Reggie ‘n’ Bollie
Essie Gang
D Block Europe
Artist of the Year (USA)
DJ Khaled “Khaled Khaled”
Bruno Mars
Drake
Doja Cat
Soulja Boy
Busta Rhymes “Extinction Level Event 2 – The Wrath of God”
Anderson Paak “Leave the Door Open”
Nas “Kings Disease”
Megan Thee Stallion
Cardi B “Up”
Dawn Richard “Bussifame”
Polo G “Rapstar”
H.E.R “Back of My Mind”
Best Collaboration
Nicki Minaj, Drake & Lil Wayne “Seeing Green”
Doja Cat feat. SZA “Kiss Me More”
Busta Rhymes ft. Mariah Carey “Where I Belong”
Slowthai feat. Skepta — “CANCELLED”
Joel Corry feat. MNEK “Head & Heart”
Dappy feat. Abra Cadabra “Bolo”
Rachel Chinouriri feat. Hak Baker “November”
Beyonce feat. Shatta Wale & Major Lazer “Already”
Most Creative Artist 2021
Vade
Jason Derulo
Soulja Boy
T-Pain
Kanye West
Shae Universe
ENNY
Drake
Best Online Music Platform
Spotify
Apple Music
Tik Tok
YouTube Music
Tidal
Audio Mack
Deezer
Shazam
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