The 2021 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) ceremony was held on May 16, 2021, and winners of the thirty one categories were announced during the Awards ceremony.
This was the 39th edition of the International Reggae and World Music Awards. The year’s event saw Reggae music legend Ziggy Marley inducted into the International Reggae and World Music Awards Hall of Fame as well as being the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Canadian rapper Drake and Jamaican recording artiste Popcaan scooped the ‘Best R&B/Hip Hop & Reggae Collaboration of the Year’ award. Also, Reggae legend Buju Banton won over three awards including the ‘Hon. Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year’. Africa was duly represented at the event as the Ghanaian quartet of Shatta Wale, Sarkodie, Kwame Yeboah, DJ Switch as well as the South African duo of Master KG, and Nomcebo Zikode were among the award winners.
See full list of nominees and winners at the 2021 International Reggae and World Music Awards below.
1.Emperor of Reggae & World Music – 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 – Sponsored by IRIE FM
Buju Banton
Koffee
PopCaan
Protoje
Tarrus Riley
3. Jacob Miller Award for Best Male Vocalist – Sponsored by
Chronixx (Winner)
Gramps Morgan
Proteje
Romain Virgo
Tarrus Riley (Winner)
4. Best Female Vocalist – Sponsored by Missyquai Signature Hair www.missyquai.com
Etana
Koffee (Winner)
Lila Ike
Sevana
Noami Cowan
5. Gregory Isaacs for Best Song – Sponsored 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 – Sponsored 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 – Sponsored 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 – Sponsored by African Spectrum
Burna Boy – Nigeria
Davido – Nigeria
Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
Master KG, featuring Nomcebo Zikode “Jerusalema” – South Africa (Winner)
Wizkid – Nigeria
18 .Best Virtual Showcase/Concert
Beenie Man vs Bounty Verzuz Battle
Rebel Salute
Reggae Sumfest
Sarkodie – Black Love Virtual Concert (Winner)
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
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 Music 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 – Sponsored 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 – Sponsored by VP Records
Beenie Man
Bounty Killer
Buju Banton
Kes
Sean Paul
29. Record Producer of the Year – Sponsored 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
2021 Inductee IRAWMA Hall of Fame/ Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: Ziggy Marley.
