Ghana’s Shatta Wale was one of the few Ghanaians who could pick up an award when the winners for the 39th edition of International Reggae and World Awards (IRAWMA 2021) was announced last night.
This year’s award was held virtually on Sunday, May 2, under the theme, ‘Reggae/World Still Rise.‘
Shatta Wale won the award for “Best Virtual Entertainer Of The Year” category.
Aside from Shatta Wale, Ghana’s DJ Switch and Kwame Yeboah also made the country proud by winning in some categories of the awards.
Sarkodie and Stonebwoy however failed to pick awards, even though they were nominated in some categories as well.
Below is the full list of winners:
1.Emperor of Reggae & World – Hon. Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year
Buju Banton *WINNER
Koffee
PopCaan
Protoje
Sizzla Kolongi
2. Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artist of the Year – by IRIE FM
Buju Banton
Koffee
PopCaan
Protoje
Tarrus Riley
3. Jacob Miller Award for Best Male Vocalist – by
Chronixx
Gramps Morgan
Proteje
Romain Virgo
Tarrus Riley *WINNER
4. Best Female Vocalist – by Missyquai Signature Hair
Etana
Koffee *WINNER
Lila Ike
Sevana
Noami Cowan
5. Gregory Isaacs for Best Song – by DSE (Downsound Entertainment)
“Blessed”- Buju Banton
“People LIke You” – Gramps Morgan
“Lock Down”- Koffee *WINNER
“Like Royalty”- Protoje & PopCaan
“Lighter” – Taurus Riley & Shenseea & Rvssian
6. Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD – By MCGES (Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sports)
“Upside Down- Buju Banton *WINNER
“In Search of Lost Time”- Protoje
“Higher Place”- Skip Marley
“One World” – The Wailers, featuring Skip Marley, Farruko, Shaggy and Cedella Marley.
“Hot Shot 2020”- Shaggy
7. Best Crossover Song
“People Like You” – Gramps Morgan
“Don’t Walk Away”- John Legend, featuring Koffee
”Party Next Door” – PopCaan, featuring Drake *WINNER
“I Don’t Know Why” – Rvissian, featuring Shenseea, Swae Lee and Young Tug
”Slow Down”- Ship Marley and “H.E.R.”
8. Best Gospel Song
“Forgiveness”- Eddie Neblett
“People Like You” – Gramps Morgan *WINNER
”Carry Me” – Kevin Downswell
“Watch Over Me” – Jermaine Edwards
“I’m Gonna Trust You” – Judith Gayle
9. U-Roy Award for Best Male Dancehall Artist
Beenie Man
Buju Banton
Bounty Killer
Govana
Popcaan
10. Best Female Dancehall Artist
D’Angel
Jada Kingdom
Shenseea
Spice
Stefflon Don
11. Best New Entertainer – by IRIE JAM – 360
Alicia Harley – Jamaica
Nailah Blackman- Trinidad
Nomcebo Zikode – South Africa *WINNER
Sevena – Jamaica
Skillibeng – Jamaica
12. Best Virtual Entertainer of the Year
Agent Sasco
Beenie Man & Bounty Killer – Verzuz
Buju Banton
Capleton
Shatta Wale *WINNER
13. Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer
Farmer Nappy
Kes
Nadia Batson
Nailah Blackman
Patrice Roberts
14. Best Dancehall Stagecraft Entertainer – by Onstage TV Winford Williams
Agent Sasco
Beenie Man & Bounty Killer- Verzuz Battle
Buju Banton
Desta Daps
Sizzla Kalonji
Spice
15. Best Latin – Reggae Flavor Entertainer
Bad Bunny – Puerto Rico
Daddy Yankee *WINNER
Don Omar
J. Balvin
Ozuna
16. Best African Dancehall Entertainer
Buffalo Souljah – South Africa
Shatta Wale – Ghana
Stonebwoy – Ghana
Patoranking – Nigeria
Winky D – Zimbabwe *WINNER
17. Best Afrobeat Entertainer – by African Spectrum
Burna Boy – Nigeria
Davido – Nigeria
Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
Master KG, featuring Nomcebo Zikode “Jerusalema” – South Africa
Wizkid – Nigeria
18 . Best Virtual Showcase/Concert
Beenie Man vs Bounty Verzuz Battle
Rebel Salute
Reggae Sumfest
Sarkodie – Black Love Virtual Concert
19. Best R&B/Hip Hop & Reggae Collaborated Song
“Trust” – Buju Banton and Tory Lanez
”Slow Down”- Skip Marley and H.E.R
”Twist” – Drake & Popcaan *WINNER
“Don’t Walk Away”- Koffee – featuring John Legend
“Love Mi Ladies“ – Oryane – featuring Sean Paul
20. Best Reggae Rock Entertainer
Gentleman *WINNER
Rebelution Band
SOJA
Slightly Stoopid
Stick Figure
21. Best Young Entertainer (18 years and under) – Portland Curry Fest
DJ Switch * WINNER
DJ Whitney
Kailash
Wayne J.
22. Best Video
Buju Banton “Blessed”
Master KG, featuring Nomcebo- “Jerusalema” *WINNER
Sevana – “ Mango”
Taurus Riley & Shenseea “Lighter”
Sean Paul- “Love Me Ladies”
The Wailers, featuring Skip Marley, Farruko, Shaggy and Cedella Marley- “One World”
23. Mutabaruka Award for Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer
Antonia Valaire, Aka Christina Williams
Malachi Smith
Richie Innocent
Vachi Kepwe Di Poet – Zimbabwe * WINNER
Wise Wurdz
24. Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer
Anthony B.
Capleton
Ras Takura * WINNER
Mutabaruka
Kabaka Pyramid
25. Dennis Brown Award for Most Promising Entertainer
Bugle
Lila Ike
Orisha Sound
Sevana *WINNER
Skillibeng
26. Best Instrumentalist – by 25th Century Radio
Dean Fraser
Kubix
Bongo Herman
Kwame Yeboah *WINNER
Sly & Robbie
27. Best Sound System/DJ
Dynamq – Africa *WINNER
Little Thunder – Canada
Pink Panther – Jamaica
Tony Matterhorn – Jamaica
28. Best Caribbean Entertainer – by VP Records
Beenie Man
Bounty Killer
Buju Banton
Kes
Sean Paul
29. Record Producer of the Year – by Balloons by Jaki Jade
Chimney Records *WINNER
Dane Ray
Andron “IzyBeats” Cross
Notnice
Rvssian
30. Comedian of the Year
Chris “Johnny” Daley *WINNER
Ity & Fancy Cat
Majah Hype
Oliver Samuels
Prince Pine
31. Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award Nominees
Bounty Killer
Buju Banton *WINNER
Sharon Wiles
Sonia Patterson- Portland Curry Fest.
IRAWMA Award of Honor: Papa Michigan
IRAWMA Special Philanthropist Award: Josef Bogdanovich
RAWMA 2021 Inductee IRAWMA Hall of Fame/ Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: Ziggy Marley.