Leading the list of winners for the 41st IRAWMA awards were Teejay and Byron Messia with three awards each; and Christopher Martin, Sean Paul and Pablo YG with two each. Teejay, who was nominated in seven categories, won the Gregory Isaacs Award for Best Song– Drift; the
U-Roy Award for Best Male DJ/Rapper; and Best Collaborated Song (Reggae with R&B, Rap, Latin, etc.) Drift Remix (Teejay and Davido).
Byron Messia’s wins included Best New Entertainer; Best Crossover Song ( Talibans); and Best Music Video, Taliban II (Byron Messia, Burna Boy).
Sean Paul received the Emperor of Reggae & World Music - Hon Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year and the Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artiste of the Year.
Two-time Grammy Award winner, Burning Spear, whose album No Destroyer was nominated in the Best Reggae Album category of the Grammy Awards – but lost to Julian Marley’s Colors of Royal – won the Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD.
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The IRAWMA Awards unfolded last Friday at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Please see complete list of winners below:
Emperor of Reggae & World Music - Hon Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year – Sean Paul
Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artiste of the Year – Sean Paul
Jacob Miller Award for Best Male Vocalist – Christopher Martin
Best Female Vocalist – Etana
Gregory Isaacs Award for Best Song – Drift (TeeJay)
Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD – No Destroyer (Burning Spear)
Best Crossover Song – Talibans (Byron Messia, Burna Boy)
Hon. Shelvin L.M. Hall & Hon L. Priscilla Hall Award for Best Gospel Song – Goodness of God (Christopher Martin)
Best EP (Extended Play) Recording – From me to you (Valiant)
U-Roy Award for Best Male DJ/Rapper – TeeJay
Best Female DJ/Rapper – Spice
Best New Entertainer – Byron Messia
Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer – Patrice Roberts
OnStage TV Award for Best Dancehall Stagecraft Entertainer - Dexta Daps
Best Singjay Entertainer – Chronic Law
Dancehall Performer of the Year – Masicka
Best Latin – Reggae Oriented Entertainer – Bad Bunny
Best African Dancehall Entertainer – Stoneboy
Best Afrobeats Entertainer – Wiz Kid
Best African Entertainer – Burna Boy
Best Collaborated Song (Reggae with R&B, Rap, Latin, etc.) Drift Remix – Teejay & Davido
Best Reggae Rock Entertainer - SOJA
Best Teen Entertainer (13-19 years) - Pablo YG
Best Music Video - Taliban II- Byron Messia, Burna Boy
Mutabaruka Award for – Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer, Marcia Jackson
Bunny Wailer Award for – Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer, Gramps Morgan
Dennis Brown Awards Most Promising Entertainer - Pablo YG
Best Instrumentalist (Sponsored) – Dean Fraser
Best Sound System/DJ – Stone Love
Most Outstanding Dance Group – Uptek Dance Academy
Best Caribbean Entertainer – Beenie Man
Jean B. P. DuSable Award for Best Haitian Entertainer – Roody Boodboy
Record Producer of the Year – Dunwell Production
Comedian of the Year – Julie Mango
Concert of the Year – Reggae Sumfest
Best Social Media Entertainer Influencer – Spice
Best Social Media Content Creator Influencer – OnStage TV, Winford Williams
Florida Entertainer of the Year – Sons of Mystro
Florida Best Party DJ – DJ Rufus
BEST IRAWMA Song – Ajaeze One Blood
Special 25 Years of Outstanding Contributions to African Music, Dance, Culture and as IRAWMA Ambassador to Africa – Grace Haukwa.