Rapper Sarkodie leads nominations for the 21st edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Award (VGMA) to further stamp his authority in Ghana’s music scene as one of the best.

Nominations for this year’s award ceremony were officially released on Saturday with a launch ceremony at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra ? with performances from Dada Hafco, Fameye and MOG.

The main award ceremony is scheduled for May 2 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Prior to that, there would be a nominees’ jam at Koforidua on April 4 and a music business seminar to discuss prospects in the music industry at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Sarkodie got nominations in 10 categories, including artiste of the year, in which he is competing with equally hardworking artistes such as Diana Hamilton, Kofi Kinaata, Kuami Eugene and Medikal.

He also got nods in rapper of the year, hiplife/hip-hop artiste of the year, hip-hop song of the year, Vodafone most popular song of the year and highlife song of the year with the song ‘Saara’ which features Efya.

His ‘Ofeets ?’ song with Prince Bright was also captured in hiplife song of the year and his ‘Black Love’ album made it to album of the year, competing with King Promise, Kwesi Arthur, Okyeame Kwame, Kidi, Joe Mettle and Nacee.

The other categories are best collaboration of the year and best international collaboration.

Sarkodie’s works cut across hiplife, highlife, hip-hop and rap which helped him to receive double nominations under a under a category.

Kwesi Arthur came close with nine nominations, while Medikal and Kidi also had eight nods each. Kuami Eugene also had seven nominations. Dope Nation and Diana Hamilton had five nominations each to indicate how hard they have worked in 2019. Other nominees include Mr. Eazi, GuiltyBeatz, King Promise, Worlasi, Kofi Mole and more.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Charterhouse, Theresa Ayoade, who congratulated all nominees, said she was amazed by the number of new artistes who entered the award this year.

She revealed that this year’s event would be held under the theme: ‘Music First’.

“Sometimes we get carried away by the drama that surrounds the industry and then we forget the reason why we are here in the first place. So this time, we just want to draw your attention back to the subject matter and why all this. It is because of the music and our love for it. No matter the distractions, let’s stay focused on music first. Let’s protect the music.”

She also assured patrons of utmost security this year.

“We wish to assure our patrons that your safety is our utmost priority and we working hand in hand with our sponsors Vodafone Ghana and the nation’s security apparatus to put robust afety and security plan to ensure your security,” she indicated.

The nominations release event was attended by a number of personalities like Adina, Sista Afia, Mark Okraku Mantey, Bessa Simons, Amandzeba Nat Brew and more.

Checkout the list below.

Hip-life song of the Year

Quamina MP ft. Medikal – Amanfour Girls

Guru ft Kweysi Swat – Wobete

Sarkodie ft prince bright- Oofeetso

Medikal- Omo Ada

Sista afia ft Quamina MP and Medikal- Weather

High-Life Song of the Year

King Promise ft Kojo Antwi- Bra

Sarkodie ft Efya -Saara

Dada Hafco ft Fameye -Our Story

Kofi Kinata – Things Fall Apart

Kuami Eugene – Obiaato

Sista Afia ft Kelvenboy – Corner Corner

Adina – Sika

Fameye ft Kuami Eugene, Medikal and Article Wan -Notin A Get Remix

Gospel Song of the Year

Celestine Donkor ft Nhyiraba Gideon- Agbebolo

Mog Music- Hallelujah

Joe Mettle- Mehia Wo Yesu

Diana Hamilton – W’asem

Joyce Blessing -Repent

Nacee- Mpaebo

Afrobeat Song of the Year

EL ft AI -Adwuma

King Promise – Comando

Kelvenboy ft Joey B- Mea

Darkovibes ft Kidi – Bless Me

Kwesi Arthur ft Mr Eazi- Nobody

Kidi ft Kwesi Arthur- Mr Badman

Dopenation- Zanku

Guilty Beats ft Mr Eazi and Kwesi Arthur-Pilolo

Wendy Shay -All for you

Reggae/ Dancehall Song of the Year

Ras Kuku- Me Mpaebo

J. Derobie- Poverty

Epixode -Resolution

AK Songstress – Stamina

Jupitar- Top Shella

Article Wan- Reggae

Hip-Pop Song of the Year

Kofi Mole- Don’t be late

Sarkodie- Bleeding

Kwaw Kese ft Mr Eazi, Skonti, Medikal and Sarkodie -Dondo Remix

Medikal ft Kofi Mole and Joey B- Drip

Joey B ft Kwesi Arthur and Sarkodie- La Familia

Eno Barony ft Kofi Mole- Mind your business

Kwesi Arthur- Thoughts of King Arthur 5

Strongman ft Manifest – Up and Down

Reggae/ Dancehall Artiste of the Year

J Derobie

Epixode

Ras Kuku

Samini

Jupitar

AK Songstress

Best Video of the Year

Cina Soul -Killi Mi (Directed by Gene Adu)

RJZ- Bye Bye (Directed by Henry Akrong)

Medikal ft Kofi Mole and Joey B- Drip (Directed by Yaw Skyface)

Becca ft Tiya Savage- Yes I do (AJE Filmworks)

Kuami Eugene – Obiaato (Directed by REX)

Celestine Donkor ft Nhyiraba Gideon- Agbebolo (Directed by Abass)

EL ft FALZ, Joey B -Ehua (Directed by Yaw Skyface)

Joey B ft Kwesi Arthur- La Familia (Directed Babs Direction)

Zeetm ft Fancy Gadam- Totori (Directed by Babs Direction)

Epixode-Wahala Dey (Directed by Snares films)

Gospel Artiste of the Year

Celestine Donkor Joe Mettle Joyce Blessing MOGMUSIC Diana Hamilton Akesse Brempong

Highlife Artiste of the Year

King Promise KiDi Kuami Eugene Dada Hafco Akwaboah Adina Kofi Kinaata

Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year

J. Derobie AK Songstress Epixode Jupitar Ras Kuuku Samini

Best Video of the Year

Killi Mi by Cina Soul Agbebolo by Celestine Donkor Bye Bye by RJZ Ehua by EL La Familia by Joey B Yes I Do by Becca Drip by Medikal Obiaato by Kuami Eugene Totori by ZeeTM Wahala Dey by Epixode

Instrumentalist of the Year

Emmanuel Bludo Joshua Moszi Steve Bedi Mizter Okyere Affreh Junior Anthony Ansah (Khalisax)

Songwriter of the Year

Bra by King Promise Sanbra by Akwaboah Things Fall Apart by Kofi Kinaata W’asem by Diana Hamilton Oh Me by Lamisi Wahala Dey by Epixode

Record of the Year

Aka Kee Moko by Trigmatic Blema Tesaa by Perez Muzik Bolgatanga by Okyeame Kwame Oh Me by Lamisi Sanbra by Akwaboah Woezor by Worlasi Dzigbordi by Lord Paper

Producer of the Year

Guilty Beats Two Bars MOG Unkle Beats Willis Beats

Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste of the Year

Kofi Mole Quamina MP Joey B Medikal Kwesi Arthur Sarkodie Dopenation

Male Vocalist of the Year

Joe Mettle Kuami Eugene KiDi King Promise MOG Music

Female Vocalist of the Year

Adina Lamisi Efya Efe Grace Becca Celestine Donkor

Best Group of the Year

Dopenation Kwan Pa Bethel Revival Choir La Meme Gang

Best Collaboration of the Year

Amanfuor Girls by Quamina MP Bra by King Promise Oofeetso by Sarkodie Noting I Get Remix by Fameye Ohemaa by Kuami Eugene Mea by Kelvynboy Mr Badman by KiDi Saara by Sarkodie

Best Rapper of the Year

EL Strongman Medikal Sarkodie Teephlow Eno Barony Kwesi Arthur

African Artiste of the Year BurnaBoy Big Trill Teni Davido Sho Madjozi Mercy Chinwo Rudebwoy

International Collaboration of the Year

Cinderella by KiDi ft Mayorkum & Peruzzi Lucky by Sarkodie ft Rudebwoy Yes I Do by Becca ft Tiwa Savage Father by Medikal ft Davido Pilolo by Guilty Beats ft Mr Eazi & Kwesi Arthur Sugar Daddy by KiDi ft Mr Eazi Nobody by Kwesi Arthur ft Mr. Eazi Toto Remix by Edem ft Davido

Album of the Year

King Promise – As Promised Okyeame Kwame – Made In Ghana Joe Mettle – Wind of Revival KiDi – Sugar Sarkodie – Black Love Nacee – Time With God Kwesi Arthur – Live From Nkrumah Krom II

Most Popular Song of the Year

Quamina MP – Amanfour Girls Sarkodie – Oofeetso Medikal – Omo Ada Dope Nation – Zanku Agbebolo – Celestine Donkor Kuami Eugene – Obiaato Kofi Kinaata – Things Fall Apart Diana Hamilton – W’asem Kwesi Arthur – Nobody Fameye – Nothing I Get Remix KiDi – Mr Badman

Best New Artiste of the Year

Fameye J.Derobie Lord Paper Kofi Mole Tulenkey MOG Music

Artiste of the Year

Kuami Eugene Sarkodie Medikal Kofi Kinaata Diana Hamilton