Headies 2020: All the nominees

Founded by the Hip Hop World Magazine in 2006, the event, which is in its 14th edition, recognises outstanding musicians and music professionals in the country’s entertainment industry.

This year’s awards will reward works released between July 2019 and September 2020. In addition to the existing 29 categories, the organisers have introduced the Songwriter of the Year category to “bring to the limelight hardworking individuals who have all significantly supported the creation of quality music.”

Fireboy DML leads the nominations with nine nods including Best Recording of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best Pop Album, Album of the Year and the Headies Viewer’s Choice Award. Davido and Wurld came in next with seven nominations each, while Burna Boy, the reigning Artist of the Year, secured six nominations.

Other nominees are Simi with five nods, DJ Neptune with four, and Wizkid whose nominations include Best Recording of the Year and Best Song of the Year. Tems, Omah Lay, Oxlade and Bella Shmurda are in the running for the keenly contested Next Rated Award. Previous winners of that trophy include Rema, Davido, Mr Eazi, Wizkid and Asa. Olakira, Alpha P, JomoPyper, Zinoleesky and Bad Boy Timz will compete for the Rookie of the Year Award. 

Rapper A-Q will be looking to defend his Lyricist on the Roll title against MI Abaga and Illbliss, both of whom have won the trophy in the past, as well as Phenom and Phyno.

Meanwhile, Timaya and rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem will receive special recognition awards for their impact on the industry. The main event will also see highlife legend King Sunny Ade inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame.

This year’s Headies will be held virtually. The date for the main event is expected to be released soon.

Below is the full list of nominees: 

Best Recording of the Year

• ‘Ozymandias’ – Brymo
• ‘Smile’ – Wizkid ft. H.E.R
• ‘Wonderful’ – Burna Boy
• ‘Dreamer’ – Fireboy DML
• ‘Ghost Town’ – Wurld

Best Pop Single

• ‘Billionaire’ – Teni
• ‘Nobody’ – DJ Neptune ft. Joeboy and Mr Eazi
• ‘Lady’ – Rema
• ‘Fem’ – Davido
• ‘Joro’ – Wizkid
• ‘Skeletun’ – Tekno

Song of the Year

• ‘Fem’ – Davido
• ‘Nobody’ – DJ Neptune ft. Joeboy and Mr Eazi
• ‘Joro’ – Wizkid
• ‘Mafo’ – Naira Marley
• ‘Duduke’ – Simi

Producer of the Year

• Pheelz – ‘Billionaire’ by Teni
• Spax – ‘Away’ by Oxlade
• Kel P – ‘Pull Up’ by Burna Boy
• Sarz – ‘Mad’ By Sarz and Wurld

Best Rap Album

• God’s Engineering – A-Q
• Illy Chapo X – Illbliss
• YPSZN2 – Psycho YP
• Cult! – Paybac Iboro
• The Erigma II – Erigga

Best R&B Album

• Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps – Fireboy DML
• I Like Girls With Trobul – Sarz & Wurld
• King – Praiz
• Boo of the Booless – Chike
• Celia – Tiwa Savage

Best Alternative Album

• Yellow – Brymo
• Lucid – Asa
• The Light – Bez
• Pioneers – DRB Lasgidi
• Roots – The Cavemen

Best Pop Album

• Apollo – Fireboy DML
• African Giant – Burna Boy
• A Good Time – Davido
• Woman of Steel – Yemi Alade
• Afro Pop Vol. 1 – Adekunle Gold

Best Music Video

• ‘Eli’ – Fireboy DML 
• ‘1 Milli’ – Davido
• ‘Smile’ – Wizkid
• ‘Billionaire’ – Teni 
• ‘Shekere’ – Yemi Alade 

Best R&B Single

• ‘Under the Sky’ – Praiz
• ‘Duduke’ – Simi
• ‘Mad’ – Sarz & Wurld
• ‘Bad Influence’ – Omah Lay
• ‘Tattoo’ – Fireboy DML
• ‘Dangerous Love’ – Tiwa Savage

Best Collaboration

• ‘Know You’ – Ladipoe ft. Simi
• ‘Nobody’ – DJ Neptune ft. Joeboy and Mr Eazi
• ‘Sweet In the Middle’ – Davido ft. Naira Marley, Zlatan and Wurld
• ‘Don’t Call Me Back’ – Joeboy ft. Mayorkun
• ‘Totori’ – ID Cabasa ft. Wizkid and Olamide
• ‘Get the Info’ – Phyno ft. Phenom and Falz

Best Rap Single

• ‘OGB4IG’ – Reminisce
• ‘Shut Up’ – Blaqbonez
• ‘Country’ – Illbliss
• ‘Get The Info’ – Phyno, Falz and Phenom
• ‘Bop Daddy’ – Falz ft. Ms Banks

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

• ‘Ghost Town’ – Wurld 
• ‘Forgive’ – Chike 
• ‘Under the Sky’ – Praiz 
• ‘Plenti’ – Cobhams 
• ‘What Makes You Sure’ – Nonso Amadi
• ‘Count On You’ – Johnny Drille 

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

• ‘No Longer Beneficial’ – Simi 
• ‘One on the Outside’ – Lindsey Abudei 
• ‘Addicted’ – Niniola 
• ‘Chi Efo’ – J-Dess 
• ‘Lai Lai’ – Yemi Alade 
• ‘Ajala’ – Imanse 

Next Rated

• Tems
• Omah Lay
• Oxlade
• Bella Shmurda

Headies Revelation

• Victor AD
• Fireboy DML
• Joeboy
• Teni
• Rema
• Chike

Lyricist on the Roll

• A-Q 
• Blaqbonez
• MI Abaga 
• Illbliss 
• Phenom 
• Phyno 

Best Street-hop Artist

• Naira Marley and Young John – ‘Mafo’
• Mayorkun – ‘Geng’
• Reminisce ft. Olamide and Naira Marley – ‘Instagram’
• Rudeboy – ‘Audio Money’
• IVD and Zlatan – ‘Bolanle’
• Olamide – ‘Pawon’

Best ‘Alternative’ Song

• ‘Corner’ – Lady Donly ft. VanJess & The Cavemen
• ‘I Wonder’ – Moelogo
• ‘Bitter’ – Deena Ade
• ‘Anita’ – The Cavemen
• ‘Money Devotion’ – Gbasky
• ‘God Save The Queen’ – Olu

Album of the Year

• African Giant – Burna Boy
• Apollo – Fireboy DML
• Afro Pop Vol. 1 – Adekunle Gold
• Yellow – Brymo
• Boo of the Booless – Chike

Artist of the Year

• Burna Boy
• Davido
• Wizkid
• Mayorkun
• Tiwa Savage

African Artist Recognition

• Master KG
• Kuami Eugene
• Sauti Sol
• Shatta Wale
• Stonebwoy

Headies’ Viewer’s Choice

• Davido
• Omah Lay
• Burna Boy
• Falz
• Fireboy DML
• Mayorkun
• DJ Neptune
• Wizkid

Rookie of the Year

• Olakira
• Alpha P
• Jamopyper
• Zinoleesky
• Bad Boy Timz

Songwriter of the Year

• Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye (Simi – ‘Duduke’)
• Adedamola Adefolahan (Fireboy DML – ‘Dreamer’)
• Damini Ogulu (Burna Boy – ‘Way Too Big’)
• Stanley Omah Didia (Omah Lay – ‘Bad Influence’)
• Sadiq Onifade (Wurld – ‘Ghost Town’)
• Adekunle Kosoko (Davido – ‘1 Million’)

Special Recognition

• Eedris Abdulkareem
• Timaya

Hall of Fame

King Sunny Ade