Spice, Shenseea, Skillibeng Among 6 Nominated For ‘Best Reggae Act’ At 2021 MOBO Awards
Dancehall stars Spice, Shenseea, Sean Paul, Popcaan, Skillibeng, and singer Lila Iké are the nominees in the Best Reggae Act category of the 2021 MOBO Awards. The nominations were announced today.
First-time nominee Skillibeng was also nominated this year for Best International Act alongside Doja Cat, Drake, Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Polo G, Rema, Wizkid, and Young Stoner Life (Young Thug & Gunna).
Noticeably absent from the Reggae Acts category are the Roots artists from the genre.
However, She’s Royal singer Tarrus Riley is not bothered by the inclusion of Dancehall artists in a Reggae category.
“Dancehall is not really a genre, it is more than a genre, it is more of a culture, a way of life that has living, breathing things that are included in it. The music in Jamaica is known as reggae,” Riley told DancehallMag.
In a year when not many hit Reggae songs were released Riley added, “I do Reggae songs because the genre needs it, I could do other songs.”
According to WorldMusicViews, chart-topping UK rapper Dave led the nominations this year with nods in five categories for Album, Song, and Video Of The Year, Best Male Act, and Best Hip-Hop Act.
Launched in 1996, the MOBO Awards are an annual presentation that recognizes “music of black origin” including hip hop, grime, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and African music in the United Kingdom. The 2021 ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 5 at the Coventry Building Society Arena and will be live-streamed on YouTube and aired on the BBC at 8 PM UK Time.
🥁 Congratulations to our nominees for Best Reggae Act:@LilaIkeJa@PopcaanMusic@duttypaul@SHENYENG@skillibeng @spiceofficial #MOBOAwards pic.twitter.com/YWZbeLjP2n
— MOBO Awards (@MOBOAwards) November 11, 2021
The winner of the category will be determined by a MOBO Awards specialist committee. Last year, Buju Banton won the MOBO Award for Best Reggae Act after he released his comeback album Upside Down 2020.
The awards did not take place in 2019 and 2018.
Damian Marley emerged as the winner in the category in 2017, while Popcaan, who is currently working on his fifth studio album, had won back-to-back, in 2015 and 2016.
Skillibeng, Spice, and Sean Paul all released Dancehall albums this year, namely Crocodile Teeth LP, 10, and Live N Livin.
First-time nominee Shenseea and second-time nominee Lila Iké are reportedly working on their debut albums.