Shatta Wale battles Ebony, Sarkodie, Joe Mettle, Stonebwoy for ‘Artiste of the Year’

After a four-year absence from the Ghana Music Awards, dancehall artiste Shatta Wale, is back into the scheme.

Shatta Wale, after winning the ‘Artiste of the Year’ at the 2014 edition of awards was blacklisted by the organisers, Charterhouse over series of attacks on the scheme and its Board.

The dancehall act had also attacked the events company and its CEO, Mr Iyiola Ayoade. In October 2014, the awards organisers sued the dancehall act GHc10 million for defamation.

While that defamation case is still in court, Nii Ayite Hammond, who speaks for the VGMA Board, explained to Myjoyonline.com that they decided to accept Shatta Wale back into the scheme after he had fulfilled certain requirements.

According to him, the dancehall act had on several platforms apologised for denigrating the awards and the board felt stratified with the apologies and agreed to nominate him.

Charterhouse on Saturday night at the Movënpick Ambassador Hotel included Shatta Wale when it released the list of nominees for this year’s awards.

Shatta Wale will face off with his Zylofon Media label mate Stonebwoy, late Ebony, rapper Sarkodie, and winner of Artiste of the Year at the 2017 edition, Joe Mettle for the topmost award.

This year, the Music Awards festival will witness a nominees’ jam in Cape Coast on March 24 and a music seminar at the Movënpick Ambassador Hotel on April 12.

The awards night will be on April 14 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) followed by a celebration jam on April 28 in Tema.

The full list of nominees below:

Highlife Song Of the Year

Dream – Kumi Guitar

Bronya – Wutah

Odo – Kidi

Angela – Kuami Eugene

Over – R2bees

Hustle – Ebony

Gospel Song of the Year …….

Boot 4 Boot- Joyce Blessing

Obi Nyanime – Patience Nyarko

Efatawo – Nacee

Adom – Gifty Osei

Jehovah – Ceccy Twum

Hiplife Song of the Year

Total Cheat – Fancy Gadam ft Sarkodie

Boys Boys – Nacee F. Guru

Obi Agyi obi girl – Captain Planet ft Kofi Kinataa

Ayoo – Shatta Walle

One Corner—Patapaa

Hip Pop Song of the Year

State Of The Art – Teephlow

Light It Up – Sarkodie

Grind Day Remix – Kwesi Arthur

Pen and Paper – Kojo-cue & Shaker

Dear God—B4Bonah

Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year

Until The Dawn – Efya

My Own – Samini

My Name – Stonebwoy

Maya Burn Dem – Article Wan

Rewind – Mzvee

Dem Confuse – Shatta Wale

Afro Pop Song of the Year

Makoma – Adina

Oh Yeah – King Promise

Say You Love Me – Kidi

Sing My Name – Mzvee

Jennifer Lomotey – Kurl Songz

Sponsor – Ebony

My Baby – Magnom

Come From Afar – Stonebwoy

Gospel Artiste of the Year

Joyce Blessing

Patience Nyarko

Joe Mettle

Celestine Donkor

Nacee

Gifty Osei

Highlife Artiste of the Year

Wutah

Kidi

Kuami Eugene

Becca

Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year

Shatta Wale

Ebony

Stonebwoy

Mzvee

Songwriter of the Year

Kumi Guitar – Dream

Joe Mettle – Bo Noo Ni

Bullet – Maame Hw3

Willis Beatz – Last Show

Samini – My Own

Stonebwoy – My Name

Best Music Video of the Year

Dream – Abass

Selfish – Vertex

My Girl -Nicol Sey

Wedding Car – Bra Shizzle

Obi Agyi Obi Girl -Gyo-Phamous Filmz

Pen & Paper -E Kumodzi

Record of the Year

Dream – Kumi Guitar

My Own – Samini

Glory – Sarkodie

State Of The Art-Teephlow

Hiplife/Hiphop Artiste of the Year

Ponobiom

R2bees

Captain Planet

Kwesi Arthur

Sarkodie

VVIP

Best Male Vocal Performance

Joe Mettle-Bo No Nii

King Promise-Selfish

Kidi- Odo

Kuami Eugene-Angela

Mugeez-Over

Samini- My Own

Best Female Vocal Performance

Adina-Makoma

Nana Yaa-Don’t Leave Me Alone

Efya- Love

Mzvee-Bright Lights

Becca-Summuy3

Best Group of the Year

VVIP

R2bees

Wutah

Best Rapper of the Year

Eno Barony – Fear No Man

Teflon – Phlowducation

Sarkodie – Light It Up

Shaker – Pen and Paper

Ko-jo Cue – Pen and Paper

Strongman – Transformer

Best Collaboration of the Year

Bo Noo Ni — Joe Mettle Ft Luigi Maclean

Sing My Name Remix — Mzvee Ft Patoranking

Jennifer Lomotey— Kurl Songs ft Sarkodie

Pain Killer — Sarkodie ft Runtown

Taking Over— Shatta Wale Ft S.M Militants

Obi Agye Obi Girl — Captain Planet ft Kofi Kinata

Na Wash — Becca ft Patoranking

African Artiste of the Year

Davido

Wizkid

Too Fan

Cassper Nyovest

Nasty C

Tiwa Savage

Olamide

Best New Artiste of the Year

King Promise

Kurl Songz

Kidi

Kuami Eugege

Magnom

Kwesi Arthur

B4Bonah

UNSUNG Artiste of the Year

Kelvyn Boy

Dope Nation

Dhat Gyal

OBK

Real MC

Christian

Album of the Year

Epistles of Mama – Stonebwoy

Highest – Sarkodie

Daavi – Mzvee

Bonyfied – Ebony

Song of the Year

Joe Mettle – Bo No Nii

Shatta Wale – Ayoo

King Promise – Oh yeah

Sarkodie ft Runtown – Painkiller

Patapaa – One Corner

Ebony – Sponsor

Kuami Eugene – Angela

Kidi – Odo

Shatta Wale ft The Militants -Taking Over

Fancy Gandam ft Sarkodie -Total Cheat

Magnom – My Baby

Captain Planet ft Kofi Kinaata – Obi Agi Obi Girl

Wutah – Bronya

Artiste of the Year

Joe Mettle

Ebony

Shatta Wale

Sarkodie

Stonebwoy

Source: Myjoyonline.com