Adekunle Gold and Mr Eazi win at Nigerian Entertainment Awards

The ceremony, which rewards artists in a variety of fields, held at the Tribeca Performing Art Center in New York, US on Sunday 4 September. In the music cateogories, artists with the highest amount of nominations, Tekno and Tiwa Savage, went unrewarded.

Instead rapper Olamide emerged winner of the Album of the Year category, over Tiwa Savage and others, a victory for his Eyan Mayweather album which lost out at the Headies early this year. Eyan Mayweather also took the award for Best Rap Album, a category the rapper lost to MI Abaga at the Headies. The rapper saw Adekunle Gold, an artist signed to his YBNL record label, win two categories.

Adekunle Gold, who is best known for the song ‘Sade’, won both the Best New Act to Watch and the Best Song categories. The latter award was conferred on his 2015 single ‘Pick Up’. A variation of the former award, Most Promising Act to Watch, was won by Mr Eazi.

Although based in Ghana, Mr Eazi, who was snubbed by the Vodafone Ghana Awards because he is Nigerian by birth, has been associating more with Nigerian artists. He has worked with Lil Kesh and DJ Spinall. On 1 September, he opened the homecoming concert headlined by the Nigerian-American artist Jidenna. 

Full list of winners:

Music categories   Album of the Year: Eyan Mayweather (Olamide)
Hottest Single of the Year: Mama (Kiss Daniel)
Best Song: Pick Up (Adekunle Gold)
AfroPop Artist of the Year: Kiss Daniel
Rap Act of the Year: Olamide
Best RnB Artist of the Year: Seyi Shay
Dancehall Artist: Ketchup
Best Collabo of the Year: My Woman, My Everything - Patoranking ft Wande Coal
Best Live Performance: 2Baba
Best Music Video of the Year (Director): Unlimited LA (Emergency, Dbanj)
Best New Act to Watch: Adekunle Gold
Alternative Artist: Aramide
Indigenous Artist of the Year: Flavour
Diaspora Artist of the Year: Ayojay
Gospel Artist of the Year: Frank Edward
Most Promising Act to Watch: Mr. Eazi
Music Producer of the Year: Masterkraft
African Male Artist of the Year (Non Nigerian): Shatta Wale
African Female Artist of the Year (Non Nigerian): Efya Female Disc Jockey of the Year: DJ Mystelle
Male Disc Jockey of the Year: DJ Gavpop
Diaspora Disc Jockey of the Year: DJ Tunez (NYC)
Africa Disc Jockey of the Year: DJ Slick Stuat & Roja (UG)
Disc Jockey Collabo of the Year: DJ Kaywise ft Oritsefemi
Entertainment Executive of the Year: Don Jazzy

 

Non-music categories   OAP of the Year: Tisan (Raypower)
TV Presenter: Daala
Online Comedy Act: Emmanuella
Fashion Model: Mayowa Nicholas
Comedy Act of the Year: Basketmouth Best Actor: Joseph Benjamin (Rebecca)
Best Actress: Fathia Balogun (Ishanna)
Supporting Actor: Sambasa Nzeribe
Supporting Actress: Osas Ajibade
Best Actor (Non Nigerian / Africa): Abraham Attah
Best Actress (Non Nigerian / Africa): Nuong Faalong (Freetown)
Film Director of the Year: Frankie Ogar (Soldiers Story)
Best Picture: Ishanna
Film of the Year (Producer, Non Nigerian / Africa): Beast of No Nation
Actor - TV: Folarin Falana (Jenifa's Diary)
Actress - TV: Abimbola Craig (Skinny Girl)
TV Show of the Year: Skinny Girl in Transit
Short Film - Blood Taxi (Folasakin Iwajomo)