Voting open for Reggae Awards 2012 , as Nigeria’s Seun Kuti gets nominated in the best African entertainer category

Several African artists have been nominated for the reggae music awards. The 31st International Reggae and World Music Awards are taking place in Chicago in July. The awards celebrate the achievements by reggae and world music artists.

South Africa’s Nkulee Dube, daughter of the late reggae musician Lucky Dube, is nominated in six categories, including best song and best album. She is the first non-Caribbean artist to be nominated in this many categories.

Nigeria’s Seun Kuti and Fally Ipupa face competition from Akon, Rocky Dawuni, K’Naan, Cheik Lo and Angelique Kidjo in the best African entertainer category.

Voting is now open on the official website. These are the nominees:

Best Female Vocalist
Marcia Giffiths
Queen Ifrica
Etana
Tiana
CeCile
Nkulee Dube

Best Song
One by One – Laza Morgan and Mavado
Pepper – Mavado
Jah Army – Stephen Marley, Damian Marley and Buju Banton
None of Dem – Shabba Ranks
Luv The Way – Nkulee Dube

Best Album/CD
Revelation Part 1 the Root of Life – Stephen Marley
Ways and Means – The Green
Reggae Gone Country – Various
The Return – Machel Montano
We Remember Grerory – Variouis Artist
My Way – Nkulee Dube
Wild and Free – Ziggy Marley

Best African Entertainer
Seun Kuti (Nigeria)
Akon (Senegal)
Rocky Dawuni (Ghana)
Fallly Ipupa (Nigeria)
Cheik Lo (Senegal)
K’Naan (Somalia)
Angelique Kidjo (Benin West Africa)

Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year
Jimmy Cliff
Tarrus Riley
Damian Marley
Third World
Stephen Marley
I-Octane
Matis Yahu

Best Male Vocalist
Ziggy Marley
Tarrus Riley
Freddy McGregor
Romain Virgo
Gyptian
Beres Hammond
Sanchez

Best Crossover Song
Man Down – Rihanna
Got 2 Love U – Sean Paul ft Songbird Alexis Jordan
Delilah – Mavado
Let’s Go – Beenieman
I Love My Life – Demarco
The Gambler – Busy Signal

Best Gospel-Oriented Song
Air I Breave – J Cee
School of Volume – DJ Nicholas
Done for Me – Claudius England
Jehovah – Lt. Stichie
God Over Everything – Omari
Healing – Hopeton Lewis

Best Salasa/Latin-Oriented Entertainer
Adventura
Camila
Enrique Iglesias
Shakira
Calle 13
Pit Bull

Best Music Video
Shaka Zulu Pickney – Tarrus Riley
Rasta Love – Protoje feat. Kymani Marley
Who Dem – Nkulee
Sugarcane – Shaggy
Black Woman – Richie Spice
Land of Promise – Nas and Damian Marley
Live Your Life – Richie Stephens and Gentleman

Best New Entertainer
Laza Morgan
Tiana
J Boog
Protoje
Nkulee

Best Female DJ/Rapper
Tifa
Lady Saw
Queen Ifrika
Macka Diamond
Spice
D’Angel

Best Male DJ/Rapper
Mavado
Beenie Man
Vybz Kartel
Gentleman
Popcaan
Elephant Man

Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer
Machel Montano
Alison Hinds
KES The Band
Calypso Rose
Benjai
Destra
Iwer George

Best Poet
Yasus Afari
Mutaburuka
Linton K. Johnson
Malachi Smith
Ras Takura

Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer
Tarrus Riley
Capleton
Luciano
I-Octane
Tony Rebel
Queen Ifrika

Concert/Event of the Year
Rebel Salute(Jamaica)
Before The Dawn(Miami, Fl)
Reggae Sumfest(Jamaica)
Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival(Jamaica)
Rototom Sunsplash (Spain)

Best Caribbean Entertainer
Machel Montano – Trinidad and Tobago
Third World (Jamaica)
Alison Hinds (Barbados)
Sean Paul (Jamaica)
Collie Buddz (Bermuda)
Fab 5 (Fabulous Five) (Jamaica)
Mighty Sparrow (Trinidad and Tobago)

Best Instrumentalist
Monty Alexander
Henry “Buttons” Tenyue aka Matic Horns
Sly and Robbie
Dean Fraser
Dwight Pickney

Most Popular Sound System/Selector
Stone Love (Jamaica)
Mighty Crown (Japan)
Bass Odyssey (Jamaica)
Supersonic (Germany)
Road International (New York)

Best Chutney Entertainer
Rickki Jai
Kris “KI” Persad
Ravi B
Dil-E-Nadan
T & Tec Gayatones

Best Soukous Entertainer
Samba Mapangala
Top-One Frisson
Awilo Longomba
Papa Wembe
Tinariwen

Most Popular R&B/Hip Hop Entertainer
Jennifer Hudson
Rihanna
Nicki Minaj
Kanye
Chris Brown
Lupe Fiasco

Most Consistent Entertainer
Maxi Priest
Marcia Griffiths
Fab 5 (Fabulous Five)
Calypso Rose
Yellowman
Freddie McGregor

Most Promising Entertainer
Khago (Jamaica)
Alborosie (Italy)
Tanya Mullings (Canada)
Chris Martin (Jamaica)
Nkulee Dube (South Africa)

Most Outstanding Show Band/Group
Third World
Jummy Cliff
Fab 5 (Fabulous Five)
The Green
Steel Pulse
KES The Band
Live Wyya

Best Compas/Racine Entertainer
Carimi
T-Vice
Nu-Look
Djakout
Zin

Most Outstanding Dance Group
Black Blingaz (Jamaica)
Dancerz Bvd (New York)
Anonymous (Jamaica)
Blackout Crew (Sweden)
SMG Girls (Japan)
Nabtry Cultural Dance Group (Congo)

Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award
Ziggy Marley (Urge)
Gramps Morgan Orchestrating Miracles
Shaggy and Friends
Actor /Singer Leon
Capleton

Special: Reggae and World Music Entertainer of the Year – Chicago
Kenny Rox
Ugochi
Carl Brown
Gueroloco
Survivor
Roobyman
Chicago Afro Project