African musicians up for 2022 NAACP Image Awards

19 Jan 2022 - 13:58

The nominees for the 53rd National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards have been unveiled ahead of the event on 26 February, with West African stars including Nigeria’s Wizkid, Tems, Fireboy DML, Tiwa Savage and Omah Lay as well as Ghana’s KiDi all securing nominations.

Fireboy DML, Tiwa Savage, KiDi and Wizkid have received nominations ahead of the 2022 NAACP Image Awards on 26 February.

The awards, which were first held in 1967, recognise outstanding accomplishments by people of colour working in film, TV, music and literature. To be considered for nomination, projects must have been released between 1 January and 31 December 2021.

Afrobeats poster boy Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ featuring Tems, Fireboy DML’s ‘Peru’ and Tiwa Savage’s Brandy-assisted ‘Somebody’s Son’ all secured nods in the Best International Song category. Completing the category are Omah Lay with ‘Understand’ and KiDi with ‘Touch It’.

Tems also scored a nomination for Outstanding New Artist alongside Grammy-winning Nigerian-American singer and actress Cynthia Erivo as well as US singers Jimmie Allen and Saweetie, and German singer-songwriter Zoe Wees.

Wizkid returns to the NAACP following a victory at last year’s edition when Beyoncé’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’, featuring the Afrobeats star, won the Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album Award. Also last year, American singer, scholar and activist of Rwandan and Ugandan descent Somi won the Outstanding Jazz Album Award.

Making a return to the Outstanding International Song category is Tiwa Savage who was last year shortlisted for her single ‘Temptation’ featuring English singer Sam Smith.

Nominated for Entertainer of the Year are US stars Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King and Tiffany Haddish.

“We are thrilled to recognise this year’s nominees, who have all brought dynamic, entertaining and thought-provoking content to our attention through their incredible work in film, television, music and more,” Image Awards committee chairman Karen Boykin-Towns said.

BET president and CEO Scott Mills said: “The BET team is immensely proud to continue our partnership with the NAACP and the annual Image Awards, underpinning our longstanding legacy of celebrating black excellence. It is an extraordinary privilege to provide our unparalleled platforms to recognise the vast contributions of black creators in a way that only BET and NAACP can.”

The 53rd NAACP Image Awards will be held without a live audience due to COVID-19 concerns and will be hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson.

Voting is now open to the public here.

Below are all the nominees:

Outstanding International Song

Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber
Peru – Fireboy DML
Somebody’s Son – Tiwa Savage feat. Brandy
Touch It – KiDi
Understand – Omah Lay

Outstanding New Artist

Cynthia Erivo – Ch. 1 Vs. 1
Jimmie Allen – Bettie James Gold Edition
Saweetie – Best Friend feat. Doja Cat
Tems – If Orange Was A Place
Zoe Wees – Girls Like Us

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

Best Friend – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems
Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
Have Mercy – Chlöe
Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic

Outstanding Male Artist

Anthony Hamilton – Love Is The New Black
Drake – Way 2 Sexy
Givēon – Heartbreak Anniversary
J. Cole – The Off-Season
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me By Your Name)

Outstanding Female Artist

H.E.R. – Back of My Mind
Ari Lennox – Pressure
Beyoncé – Be Alive
Chlöe – Have Mercy
Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

Anthems & Glory – Todd Dulaney
Believe For It – CeCe Winans
Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. – Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music
Overcomer – Tamela Mann
Power – Jason McGee & The Choir

Outstanding Album

An Evening with Silk Sonic – Silk Sonic
Back of My Mind – H.E.R.
Certified Lover Boy – Drake
Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan
When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time – Givēon

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

Coming 2 America – Eddie Murphy, Craig Brewer, Kevin Misher, Randy Spendlove, Jeff Harleston, Brittney Ramsdell
Judas and the Black Messiah – Mark Isham and Craig Harris
Respect – Jason Michael Webb and Stephen Bray
The Harder They Fall – JAY-Z and Jeymes Samuel
The United States vs. Billie Holiday – Salaam Remi, Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq, Warren “E” Felder, Downtown Trevor Brown

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

Believe For It – CeCe Winans
Help Me – Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas
Hold Us Together – H.E.R. and Tauren Wells
Overcome 2021 – Kirk Franklin
Time for Reparations – Sounds of Blackness

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

Forever…Jaz – Jazmin Ghent
Love Languages – Nathan Mitchell
Somewhere Different – Brandee Younger
Sounds from the Ancestors – Kenny Garrett
The Magic of Now – Orrin Evans

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal

Dear Love – Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force
Generations – The Baylor Project
Ledisi Sings Nina – Ledisi
Let There Be Love – Freda Payne
SALSWING! – Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

Damage – H.E.R.
Be Alive – Beyoncé
Have Mercy – Chlöe
Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic
Pick Up Your Feelings – Jazmine Sullivan

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

Best Friend – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
Industry Baby – Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow
My Life with 21 Savage and Morray – J. Cole
Way 2 Sexy – Drake

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

Anthony Hamilton feat. Jennifer Hudson – Superstar
Chlöe x Halle – Georgia On My Mind
Jazmine Sullivan feat. H.E.R. – Girl Like Me
Leela James feat. Anthony Hamilton – Complicated (Remix)
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

Chris Brown feat. Young Thug, Future, Lil Durk and Latto – Go Crazy (Remix)
Doja Cat feat. SZA – Kiss Me More
Drake feat. Future & Young Thug – Way 2 Sexy
H.E.R. feat. Chris Brown – Come Through
Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe – Fye Fye

Entertainer of the Year

Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish

Outstanding Motion Picture

Judas and the Black Messiah
King Richard
Respect
The Harder They Fall
The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall
LaKeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Mahershala Ali – Swan Song
Will Smith – King Richard

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Halle Berry – Bruised
Jennifer Hudson – Respect
Tessa Thompson – Passing
Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Algee Smith – Judas and the Black Messiah
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Delroy Lindo – The Harder They Fall
Idris Elba – The Harder They Fall
LaKeith Stanfield – The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
Audra McDonald – Respect
Danielle Deadwyler – The Harder They Fall
Dominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah
Regina King – The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

American Skin
Bruised
CODA
Test Pattern
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain

Outstanding International Motion Picture

7 Prisoners
African America
Eyimofe
Flee
The Gravedigger’s Wife

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
Danny Boyd, Jr. – Bruised
Jalon Christian – A Journal For Jordan
Lonnie Chavis – The Water Man
Sheila Atim – Bruised

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

Coming 2 America
Judas and the Black Messiah
King Richard
Respect
The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sing 2
Vivo

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture

Andre Braugher – Spirit Untamed
Awkwafina – Raya and the Last Dragon
Brian Tyree Henry – Vivo
Eric André – Sing 2
Letitia Wright – Sing 2

Outstanding Short-Form – Live Action

Aurinko in Adagio
Blackout
The Ice Cream Stop
These Final Hours
When The Sun Sets

Outstanding Short-Form –Animated)

Blush
Robin Robin
She Dreams at Sunrise
Twenty Something
Us Again

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer Of Soul
Jamila Wignot – Ailey
Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall
Liesl Tommy – Respect
Rebecca Hall – Passing

Outstanding Comedy Series

black-ish
Harlem
Insecure
Run the World
The Upshaws

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson – black-ish
Cedric the Entertainer – The Neighborhood
Don Cheadle – Black Monday
Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years
Jay Ellis – Insecure

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae – Insecure
Loretta Devine – Family Reunion
Regina Hall – Black Monday
Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish
Yvonne Orji – Insecure

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Deon Cole – black-ish
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live
Kendrick Sampson – Insecure
Laurence Fishburne – black-ish

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Amanda Seales – Insecure
Jenifer Lewis – black-ish
Marsai Martin – black-ish
Natasha Rothwell – Insecure
Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws

Outstanding Drama Series

9-1-1
All American
Godfather of Harlem
Pose
Queen Sugar

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Billy Porter – Pose
Damson Idris – Snowfall
Forest Whitaker – Godfather of Harlem
Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar
Sterling K. Brown – This is Us

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1
Dawn-Lyen Gardner – Queen Sugar
Octavia Spencer – Truth Be Told
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Alex R. Hibbert – The Chi
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost
Daniel Ezra – All American
Giancarlo Esposito – Godfather of Harlem
Joe Morton – Our Kind of People

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Alfre Woodard – SEE
Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar
Chandra Wilson – Grey’s Anatomy
Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost
Susan Kelechi Watson – This is Us

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

Colin in Black & White
Genius: Aretha
Love Life
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
The Underground Railroad

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

Anthony Mackie – Solos
Jaden Michael – Colin in Black & White
Kevin Hart – True Story
Wesley Snipes – True Story
William Jackson Harper – Love Life

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

Betty Gabriel – Clickbait
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha
Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Jodie Turner-Smith – Anne Boleyn
Taraji P. Henson – Annie Live!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha
Keith David – Black As Night
Tituss Burgess – Annie Live!
Will Catlett – True Story
William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

Anika Noni Rose – Maid
Natasha Rothwell – The White Lotus
Pauletta Washington – Genius: Aretha
Regina Hall – Nine Perfect Strangers
Sheila Atim – The Underground Railroad

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

Blood on Black Wall Street: The Legacy of the Tulsa Massacre
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
Soul of A Nation
The Reidout
Unsung

Outstanding Talk Series

Desus & Mero
Hart to Heart
Red Table Talk
Tamron Hall
The Real

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

Celebrity Family Feud
Iyanla: Fix My Life
Sweet Life: Los Angeles
The Voice
Wild ‘n Out

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

A Black Lady Sketch Show
BET Awards 2021
Dave Chappelle: The Closer
Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Outstanding Children’s Program

Ada Twist, Scientist
Family Reunion
Karma’s World
Raven’s Home
Waffles + Mochi

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)

Alayah “Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay
Celina Smith – Annie Live!
Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years
Eris Baker – This Is Us
Miles Brown – black-ish

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Joy Reid – The Reidout
Daniel “Desus Nice” Baker, Joel “The Kid Mero” Martinez – Desus & Mero
Garcelle Beauvais, Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai Jenkins – The Real
Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk
LeBron James – The Shop: Uninterrupted

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Alfonso Ribeiro – America’s Funniest Home Videos
Amber Ruffin – The Amber Ruffin Show
Cedric The Entertainer – 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Iyanla Vanzant – Iyanla: Fix My Life
Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Outstanding Guest Performance

Alani “La La” Anthony – The Chi
Christina Elmore – Insecure
Daniel Kaluuya – Saturday Night Live
Erika Alexander – Run the World
Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Animated Series

Big Mouth
Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz
Super Sema
We The People
Yasuke

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

Angela Bassett – Malika: The Lion Queen
Billy Porter – Fairfax
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges – Karma’s World
Cree Summer – Rugrats
Keke Palmer – Big Mouth

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama

Between the Scenes - The Daily Show
Dark Humor
Della Mae
The Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator
Two Sides: Unfaithful

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction

Life By The Horns
Memory Builds The Monument
Widen the Screen: 8:46 Films
Through Our Eyes: Shelter
Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

Angel Kristi Williams – Colin in Black & White
Cierra Glaude – Queen Sugar
Deborah Riley Draper – The Legacy of Black Wall Street
Halcyon Person – Karma’s World
Quyen Tran – Maid

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

Attica
Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power
My Name Is Pauli Murray
Summer of Soul
Tina

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
American Masters: How It Feels to Be Free
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
Insecure Documentary

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Ashley Nicole Black – Ted Lasso – Do the Right-est Thing
Issa Rae – Insecure -Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!
Leann Bowen – Ted Lasso – Lavender
Maya Erskine – Pen15 – Blue in Green
Temi Wilkey – Sex Education – Episode #3.6

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Aurin Squire – Evil – C Is For Cop
Davita Scarlett – The Good Fight – And the Firm Had Two Partners…
Malcolm Spellman – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – New World Order
Nkechi Okoro Carroll – All American – Homecoming
Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy – Pose – Series Finale

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

Abdul Williams – Salt-N-Pepa
Mario Miscione , Marcella Ochoa – Madres
Monique N. Matthew – A Holiday In Harlem
Sameer Gardezi – Hot Mess Holiday
Sherman Payne – Black As Night

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris – Zola
Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin – The Harder They Fall
Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas – Judas and the Black Messiah
Virgil Williams – A Journal for Jordan
Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele – Candyman

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle – South Side – Tornado
Melina Matsoukas – Insecure – Reunited, Okay?!
Neema Barnette – Harlem – Once Upon A Time in Harlem
Prentice Penny – Insecure – Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!
Tiffany Johnson – Black Monday – Eight!

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Anthony Hemingway – Genius: Aretha –Respect
Barry Jenkins – The Underground Railroad – Indiana Winter
Carl Seaton – Snowfall – Fight or Flight
Carl Seaton – Godfather of Harlem – The Bonanno Split
Hanelle Culpepper – True Story – Like Cain Did Abel

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

Jaffar Mahmood – Hot Mess Holiday
Kenny Leon – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Mario Van Peebles – Salt-N-Pepa
Maritte Lee Go – Black As Night
Veronica Rodriguez – Let’s Get Merried

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington – A Journal for Jordan
Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall
Lin-Manuel Miranda – tick tick…BOOM!
Reinaldo Marcus Green – King Richard
Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

Andre Gaines – The One and Only Dick Gregory
Dawn Porter – Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer
Sam Pollard – MLK/FBI
Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren – Black and Missing
Spike Lee – NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction

Harlem Shuffle – Colson Whitehead
Libertie – Kaitlyn Greenidge
Long Division – Kiese Laymon
The Man Who Lived Underground – Richard Wright
The Perishing – Natashia Deón

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction

Dance Theatre of Harlem – Judy Tyrus, Paul Novosel
Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
My Remarkable Journey – Katherine Johnson
Renegades: Born in the USA – Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story – Nikole Hannah-Jones

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author

Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
My Remarkable Journey – Katherine Johnson
Other Black Girl: A Novel – Zakiya Dalila Harris
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois – Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography

Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement – Tarana Burke
Unprotected: A Memoir – Billy Porter
Until I Am Free – Keisha Blain
Will – Will Smith

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

Diversity Is Not Enough: A Roadmap to Recruit, Develop and Promote Black Leaders in America – Keith Wyche
Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business) – Tabitha Brown
Permission to Dream – Chris Gardner
Teaching Black History to White People – Leonard N. Moore
The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations – Robert Livingston

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry