African musicians up for 2022 NAACP Image Awards

The awards, which were first held in 1967, recognise outstanding accomplishments by people of colour working in film, TV, music and literature. To be considered for nomination, projects must have been released between 1 January and 31 December 2021.

Afrobeats poster boy Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ featuring Tems, Fireboy DML’s ‘Peru’ and Tiwa Savage’s Brandy-assisted ‘Somebody’s Son’ all secured nods in the Best International Song category. Completing the category are Omah Lay with ‘Understand’ and KiDi with ‘Touch It’.

Tems also scored a nomination for Outstanding New Artist alongside Grammy-winning Nigerian-American singer and actress Cynthia Erivo as well as US singers Jimmie Allen and Saweetie, and German singer-songwriter Zoe Wees.

Wizkid returns to the NAACP following a victory at last year’s edition when Beyoncé’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’, featuring the Afrobeats star, won the Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album Award. Also last year, American singer, scholar and activist of Rwandan and Ugandan descent Somi won the Outstanding Jazz Album Award.

Making a return to the Outstanding International Song category is Tiwa Savage who was last year shortlisted for her single ‘Temptation’ featuring English singer Sam Smith.

Nominated for Entertainer of the Year are US stars Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King and Tiffany Haddish.

“We are thrilled to recognise this year’s nominees, who have all brought dynamic, entertaining and thought-provoking content to our attention through their incredible work in film, television, music and more,” Image Awards committee chairman Karen Boykin-Towns said.

BET president and CEO Scott Mills said: “The BET team is immensely proud to continue our partnership with the NAACP and the annual Image Awards, underpinning our longstanding legacy of celebrating black excellence. It is an extraordinary privilege to provide our unparalleled platforms to recognise the vast contributions of black creators in a way that only BET and NAACP can.”

The 53rd NAACP Image Awards will be held without a live audience due to COVID-19 concerns and will be hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson.

Voting is now open to the public here.

Below are all the nominees:

Outstanding International Song

• Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber
• Peru – Fireboy DML
• Somebody’s Son – Tiwa Savage feat. Brandy
• Touch It – KiDi
• Understand – Omah Lay

Outstanding New Artist

• Cynthia Erivo – Ch. 1 Vs. 1
• Jimmie Allen – Bettie James Gold Edition
• Saweetie – Best Friend feat. Doja Cat
• Tems – If Orange Was A Place
• Zoe Wees – Girls Like Us

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

• Best Friend – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
• Essence – Wizkid feat. Tems
• Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
• Have Mercy – Chlöe
• Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic

Outstanding Male Artist

• Anthony Hamilton – Love Is The New Black
• Drake – Way 2 Sexy
• Givēon – Heartbreak Anniversary
• J. Cole – The Off-Season
• Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me By Your Name)

Outstanding Female Artist

• H.E.R. – Back of My Mind
• Ari Lennox – Pressure
• Beyoncé – Be Alive
• Chlöe – Have Mercy
• Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

• Anthems & Glory – Todd Dulaney
• Believe For It – CeCe Winans
• Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. – Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music
• Overcomer – Tamela Mann
• Power – Jason McGee & The Choir

Outstanding Album

• An Evening with Silk Sonic – Silk Sonic
• Back of My Mind – H.E.R.
• Certified Lover Boy – Drake
• Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan
• When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time – Givēon

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

• Coming 2 America – Eddie Murphy, Craig Brewer, Kevin Misher, Randy Spendlove, Jeff Harleston, Brittney Ramsdell
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Mark Isham and Craig Harris
• Respect – Jason Michael Webb and Stephen Bray
• The Harder They Fall – JAY-Z and Jeymes Samuel
• The United States vs. Billie Holiday – Salaam Remi, Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq, Warren “E” Felder, Downtown Trevor Brown

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

• Believe For It – CeCe Winans
• Help Me – Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas
• Hold Us Together – H.E.R. and Tauren Wells
• Overcome 2021 – Kirk Franklin
• Time for Reparations – Sounds of Blackness

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

• Forever…Jaz – Jazmin Ghent
• Love Languages – Nathan Mitchell
• Somewhere Different – Brandee Younger
• Sounds from the Ancestors – Kenny Garrett
• The Magic of Now – Orrin Evans

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal

• Dear Love – Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force
• Generations – The Baylor Project
• Ledisi Sings Nina – Ledisi
• Let There Be Love – Freda Payne
• SALSWING! – Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

• Damage – H.E.R.
• Be Alive – Beyoncé
• Have Mercy – Chlöe
• Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic
• Pick Up Your Feelings – Jazmine Sullivan

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

• Best Friend – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
• Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
• Industry Baby – Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow
• My Life with 21 Savage and Morray – J. Cole
• Way 2 Sexy – Drake

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

• Anthony Hamilton feat. Jennifer Hudson – Superstar
• Chlöe x Halle – Georgia On My Mind
• Jazmine Sullivan feat. H.E.R. – Girl Like Me
• Leela James feat. Anthony Hamilton – Complicated (Remix)
• Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

• Chris Brown feat. Young Thug, Future, Lil Durk and Latto – Go Crazy (Remix)
• Doja Cat feat. SZA – Kiss Me More
• Drake feat. Future & Young Thug – Way 2 Sexy
• H.E.R. feat. Chris Brown – Come Through
• Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe – Fye Fye

Entertainer of the Year

• Jennifer Hudson
• Lil Nas X
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Regina King
• Tiffany Haddish

Outstanding Motion Picture

• Judas and the Black Messiah
• King Richard
• Respect
• The Harder They Fall
• The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

• Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth
• Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall
• LaKeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Mahershala Ali – Swan Song
• Will Smith – King Richard

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

• Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
• Halle Berry – Bruised
• Jennifer Hudson – Respect
• Tessa Thompson – Passing
• Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Algee Smith – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Delroy Lindo – The Harder They Fall
• Idris Elba – The Harder They Fall
• LaKeith Stanfield – The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
• Audra McDonald – Respect
• Danielle Deadwyler – The Harder They Fall
• Dominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Regina King – The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

• American Skin
• Bruised
• CODA
• Test Pattern
• The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain

Outstanding International Motion Picture

• 7 Prisoners
• African America
• Eyimofe
• Flee
• The Gravedigger’s Wife

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

• Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
• Danny Boyd, Jr. – Bruised
• Jalon Christian – A Journal For Jordan
• Lonnie Chavis – The Water Man
• Sheila Atim – Bruised

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

• Coming 2 America
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• King Richard
• Respect
• The Harder They Fall

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

• Encanto
• Luca
• Raya and the Last Dragon
• Sing 2
• Vivo

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture

• Andre Braugher – Spirit Untamed
• Awkwafina – Raya and the Last Dragon
• Brian Tyree Henry – Vivo
• Eric André – Sing 2
• Letitia Wright – Sing 2

Outstanding Short-Form – Live Action

• Aurinko in Adagio
• Blackout
• The Ice Cream Stop
• These Final Hours
• When The Sun Sets

Outstanding Short-Form –Animated)

• Blush
• Robin Robin
• She Dreams at Sunrise
• Twenty Something
• Us Again

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

• Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer Of Soul
• Jamila Wignot – Ailey
• Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall
• Liesl Tommy – Respect
• Rebecca Hall – Passing

Outstanding Comedy Series

• black-ish
• Harlem
• Insecure
• Run the World
• The Upshaws

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Anthony Anderson – black-ish
• Cedric the Entertainer – The Neighborhood
• Don Cheadle – Black Monday
• Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years
• Jay Ellis – Insecure

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Issa Rae – Insecure
• Loretta Devine – Family Reunion
• Regina Hall – Black Monday
• Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish
• Yvonne Orji – Insecure

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• Deon Cole – black-ish
• Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live
• Kendrick Sampson – Insecure
• Laurence Fishburne – black-ish

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Amanda Seales – Insecure
• Jenifer Lewis – black-ish
• Marsai Martin – black-ish
• Natasha Rothwell – Insecure
• Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws

Outstanding Drama Series

• 9-1-1
• All American
• Godfather of Harlem
• Pose
• Queen Sugar

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

• Billy Porter – Pose
• Damson Idris – Snowfall
• Forest Whitaker – Godfather of Harlem
• Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar
• Sterling K. Brown – This is Us

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

• Angela Bassett – 9-1-1
• Dawn-Lyen Gardner – Queen Sugar
• Octavia Spencer – Truth Be Told
• Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
• Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Alex R. Hibbert – The Chi
• Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost
• Daniel Ezra – All American
• Giancarlo Esposito – Godfather of Harlem
• Joe Morton – Our Kind of People

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Alfre Woodard – SEE
• Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar
• Chandra Wilson – Grey’s Anatomy
• Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost
• Susan Kelechi Watson – This is Us

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

• Colin in Black & White
• Genius: Aretha
• Love Life
• Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
• The Underground Railroad

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

• Anthony Mackie – Solos
• Jaden Michael – Colin in Black & White
• Kevin Hart – True Story
• Wesley Snipes – True Story
• William Jackson Harper – Love Life

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

• Betty Gabriel – Clickbait
• Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha
• Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
• Jodie Turner-Smith – Anne Boleyn
• Taraji P. Henson – Annie Live!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

• Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha
• Keith David – Black As Night
• Tituss Burgess – Annie Live!
• Will Catlett – True Story
• William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

• Anika Noni Rose – Maid
• Natasha Rothwell – The White Lotus
• Pauletta Washington – Genius: Aretha
• Regina Hall – Nine Perfect Strangers
• Sheila Atim – The Underground Railroad

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

• Blood on Black Wall Street: The Legacy of the Tulsa Massacre
• NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
• Soul of A Nation
• The Reidout
• Unsung

Outstanding Talk Series

• Desus & Mero
• Hart to Heart
• Red Table Talk
• Tamron Hall
• The Real

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

• Celebrity Family Feud
• Iyanla: Fix My Life
• Sweet Life: Los Angeles
• The Voice
• Wild ‘n Out

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

• A Black Lady Sketch Show
• BET Awards 2021
• Dave Chappelle: The Closer
• Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Outstanding Children’s Program

• Ada Twist, Scientist
• Family Reunion
• Karma’s World
• Raven’s Home
• Waffles + Mochi

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)

• Alayah “Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay
• Celina Smith – Annie Live!
• Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years
• Eris Baker – This Is Us
• Miles Brown – black-ish

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Joy Reid – The Reidout
• Daniel “Desus Nice” Baker, Joel “The Kid Mero” Martinez – Desus & Mero
• Garcelle Beauvais, Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai Jenkins – The Real
• Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk
• LeBron James – The Shop: Uninterrupted

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Alfonso Ribeiro – America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Amber Ruffin – The Amber Ruffin Show
• Cedric The Entertainer – 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
• Iyanla Vanzant – Iyanla: Fix My Life
• Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Outstanding Guest Performance

• Alani “La La” Anthony – The Chi
• Christina Elmore – Insecure
• Daniel Kaluuya – Saturday Night Live
• Erika Alexander – Run the World
• Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Animated Series

• Big Mouth
• Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz
• Super Sema
• We The People
• Yasuke

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

• Angela Bassett – Malika: The Lion Queen
• Billy Porter – Fairfax
• Chris “Ludacris” Bridges – Karma’s World
• Cree Summer – Rugrats
• Keke Palmer – Big Mouth

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama

• Between the Scenes - The Daily Show
• Dark Humor
• Della Mae
• The Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator
• Two Sides: Unfaithful

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction

• Life By The Horns
• Memory Builds The Monument
• Widen the Screen: 8:46 Films
• Through Our Eyes: Shelter
• Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

• Angel Kristi Williams – Colin in Black & White
• Cierra Glaude – Queen Sugar
• Deborah Riley Draper – The Legacy of Black Wall Street
• Halcyon Person – Karma’s World
• Quyen Tran – Maid

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

• Attica
• Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power
• My Name Is Pauli Murray
• Summer of Soul
• Tina

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

• 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
• American Masters: How It Feels to Be Free
• Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
• High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
• Insecure Documentary

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

• Ashley Nicole Black – Ted Lasso – Do the Right-est Thing
• Issa Rae – Insecure -Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!
• Leann Bowen – Ted Lasso – Lavender
• Maya Erskine – Pen15 – Blue in Green
• Temi Wilkey – Sex Education – Episode #3.6

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

• Aurin Squire – Evil – C Is For Cop
• Davita Scarlett – The Good Fight – And the Firm Had Two Partners…
• Malcolm Spellman – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – New World Order
• Nkechi Okoro Carroll – All American – Homecoming
• Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy – Pose – Series Finale

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

• Abdul Williams – Salt-N-Pepa
• Mario Miscione , Marcella Ochoa – Madres
• Monique N. Matthew – A Holiday In Harlem
• Sameer Gardezi – Hot Mess Holiday
• Sherman Payne – Black As Night

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

• Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris – Zola
• Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin – The Harder They Fall
• Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas – Judas and the Black Messiah
• Virgil Williams – A Journal for Jordan
• Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Jordan Peele – Candyman

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

• Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle – South Side – Tornado
• Melina Matsoukas – Insecure – Reunited, Okay?!
• Neema Barnette – Harlem – Once Upon A Time in Harlem
• Prentice Penny – Insecure – Everything’s Gonna Be, Okay?!
• Tiffany Johnson – Black Monday – Eight!

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

• Anthony Hemingway – Genius: Aretha –Respect
• Barry Jenkins – The Underground Railroad – Indiana Winter
• Carl Seaton – Snowfall – Fight or Flight
• Carl Seaton – Godfather of Harlem – The Bonanno Split
• Hanelle Culpepper – True Story – Like Cain Did Abel

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

• Jaffar Mahmood – Hot Mess Holiday
• Kenny Leon – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
• Mario Van Peebles – Salt-N-Pepa
• Maritte Lee Go – Black As Night
• Veronica Rodriguez – Let’s Get Merried

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

• Denzel Washington – A Journal for Jordan
• Jeymes Samuel – The Harder They Fall
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – tick tick…BOOM!
• Reinaldo Marcus Green – King Richard
• Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

• Andre Gaines – The One and Only Dick Gregory
• Dawn Porter – Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer
• Sam Pollard – MLK/FBI
• Samantha Knowles, Yoruba Richen, Geeta Gandbhir, Nadia Hallgren – Black and Missing
• Spike Lee – NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction

• Harlem Shuffle – Colson Whitehead
• Libertie – Kaitlyn Greenidge
• Long Division – Kiese Laymon
• The Man Who Lived Underground – Richard Wright
• The Perishing – Natashia Deón

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction

• Dance Theatre of Harlem – Judy Tyrus, Paul Novosel
• Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
• My Remarkable Journey – Katherine Johnson
• Renegades: Born in the USA – Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen
• The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story – Nikole Hannah-Jones

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author

• Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
• My Remarkable Journey – Katherine Johnson
• Other Black Girl: A Novel – Zakiya Dalila Harris
• The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois – Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
• Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography

• Just As I Am – Cicely Tyson
• Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement – Tarana Burke
• Unprotected: A Memoir – Billy Porter
• Until I Am Free – Keisha Blain
• Will – Will Smith

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

• Diversity Is Not Enough: A Roadmap to Recruit, Develop and Promote Black Leaders in America – Keith Wyche
• Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business) – Tabitha Brown
• Permission to Dream – Chris Gardner
• Teaching Black History to White People – Leonard N. Moore
• The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations – Robert Livingston

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry

• Perfect Black – Crystal Wilkinson
• Playlist for the Apocalypse – Rita Dove
• Such Color: New and Selected Poems – Tracy K. Smith
• The Wild Fox of Yemen – Threa Almontaser
• What Water Knows: Poems – Jacqueline Jones LaMon

Outstanding Literary Work – Children

• Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy – Misty Copeland
• Change Sings – Amanda Gorman, Loren Long
• Stacey’s Extraordinary Words – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas
• Time for Bed, Old House – Janet Costa Bates, A.G. Ford
• When Langston Dances – Kaija Langley, Keith Mallett

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

• Ace of Spades – Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• Happily Ever Afters – Elise Bryant
• The Cost of Knowing – Brittney Morris
• When You Look Like Us – Pamela N. Harris
• Wings of Ebony – J. Elle

Outstanding News and Information Podcast

• #SundayCivics
• After the Uprising: The Death of Danyé Dion Jones
• Blindspot: Tulsa Burning
• Into America
• Un(re)solved

Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast

• Checking In with Michelle Williams
• The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema
• The SonRise Project Podcast
• Two Funny Mamas: Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley
• Under Construction w/ Tamar Braxton

Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast

• Beyond the Scenes – The Daily Show
• Jemele Hill is Unbothered
• Professional Troublemaker
• Questlove Supreme
• Super Soul Podcast

Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast

• Club Shay Shay podcast with Shannon Sharpe
• Jemele Hill is Unbothered
• Questlove Supreme
• Reasonably Shady
• The History of Sketch Comedy with Keegan-Michael Key

Social Media Personality of the Year

• @Euniquejg – Eunique Jones GIbson
• @KevOnStage – Kevin Fredericks
• @Laronhinesofficial – Laron Hines
• @_Lyneezy – Lanae Vanee
• @Terrellgrice – Terrell Grice