The Headies (originally called the Hip Hop World Awards) is a music awards show established in 2006 by the ''

Hip Hop World Magazine ''Hip Hop World Magazine'' is a weekly Nigerian music magazine established in 1995. It has sponsored The Headies award since the award's inception in 2006. The magazine's publisher is Nigerian journalist and music promoter Ayo Animashaun. Referen ...

'' of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry. The annual ceremony features performances by established and promising artists. It is broadcast live on

HipTV HipTV is a Nigerian basic cable television channel owned by Ayo Animashaun. The channel is the sole channel with broadcasting rights to The Headies. Headquartered in Ikeja, Lagos State, HipTV's features are centred majorly on entertainment rangi ...

to viewers across Nigeria. The 1st and 2nd editions of The Headies were held at the Muson Center in Onikan,

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, states, it is both the List of Nigerian states by population, most populous and List of Nigerian state ...

. Between 2010 and 2012, the awards were held at the

Eko Hotel and Suites Eko Hotels and Suites is a five-star conference centre hotel in Lagos. 09161518010 History Established in 1977 as ''Èkó Holiday Inn'' and built on Victoria Island, it is the largest hotel in Nigeria. It was designed by architect Oluwole Olumu ...

Victoria Island Victoria Island ( ikt, Kitlineq, italic=yes) is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the List of islands by area, eighth-largest island in the world, ...

, Lagos. Several media personalities in Nigeria have hosted the annual ceremony, including Darey Art Alade,

D'banj Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), better known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian singer and rapper and the founder of Mo' Hits Records with producer Don Jazzy. He has won several music awards, including the awards for ''Best Af ...

Dakore Egbuson Dakore Egbuson-Akande (born Dakore Omobola Egbuson; 14 October 1978) is a Nigerian actress. She is an ambassador for Amnesty International, Amstel Malta and Oxfam of America. Biography Dakore was born in Bayelsa State as the first child of her ...

Banky W. Olubankole Wellington (born 27 March 1981), popularly known by his stage name Banky W and credited in film as Banky Wellington, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, actor, entrepreneur and politician. Early life Olubankole Wellington was born in the ...

Rita Dominic Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Nwaturuocha (born 12 July 1975) is a Nigerian actress. In 2012, Rita Dominic won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Early life Rita Dominic is a multiple award-winning Nollywood actre ...

, M.I,

Tiwa Savage Tiwa Savage (born 5 February 1980) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and performing artist. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup voc ...

and

Dr SID Sidney Onoriode Esiri (born 1 May 1980), commonly known as Dr SID, is a Nigerian singer. Early life Dr SID is from Delta State, he was born and raised in Lagos. His mother is a fashion designer and his father, Justus Esiri, is an actor.

History and plaque

The image of The Headies was created by Ayo Animashaun, the founder of the awards, and drawn by Matthias Aragbada. The first Headie plaque was done by Jide Adewoye. It represents the "image and the shout of a young, vibrant individual whose talent can challenge that of renowned local and international artistes combined, but who has almost lost confidence in his abilities in the face of discouraging circumstances presented by the peculiar Nigerian environment." In 2008, the plaque was redone in the United Kingdom. It was plated with 21 carat gold. The new plaque is a mixture of

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on natu ...

, copper, steel,

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

and gold. As of 2018, The Headies is composed of 25 categories. Open voting decides majority of the awards' categories. However, the Best Recording of the Year, Best Rap Album, Best Vocal Performance (Male), Best Vocal Performance (Female), Lyricist on the Roll, and Best Performer categories are not open to public voting.

Notable moments

2000s

2006: The 1st edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was held on 10 March 2006, at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre in Onikan,

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

. It was hosted by Darey Art Alade and tagged with the caption: "The Revolution is Here".

DJ Jimmy Jatt Oluwaforijimi "Jimmy" Adewale Amu (born October 15, 1966), professionally referred to by his stage name DJ Jimmy Jatt, is a Nigerian disc jockey who is revered as one of the pioneering hip hop DJs in Nigeria. He started out his music career as a ...

, Keke Ogungbe and Dayo 'D1' Adeneye were joint winners of the Hall of Fame award.

P-Square P-Square is a Nigerian music duo consisting of the twin brothers Peter Okoye and Paul Okoye. They produced and released their albums through Square Records (now Square Root Entertainment) In December 2011, they signed a record deal with Akon's ...

and Jude Okoye eclipsed their colleagues that year, taking home five awards. 2007: The 2nd edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was hosted by

and Tana. It was held on 17 March 2007 at the Muson Center for the second consecutive year. Paul Play was nominated for six awards and ended up going home with four.

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

: The 3rd edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was hosted by comedian

Basketmouth Bright Okpocha (born 14 September 1978 in Lagos State), better known by his stage name Basketmouth, is a Nigerian comedian and actor. He has organized popular stand-up comedy concerts like ''Basketmouth Uncensored'' across the globe. Basketmouth ...

and

Nollywood Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in ''The New York Times''. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there ...

actress

. It was held on 15 March 2008 at Planet One in Maryland, Lagos. The founders and promoters chose the theme "Change has to Change". The nominees' party was held at Babylon, a private beach resort. In 2008, the plaque of The Headies was plated with 21 carat gold. Nigerian-French singer

Aṣa Bukola Elemide (born 17 September 1982"There's 'Fire O ...

won 3 awards, including Album of the Year for her eponymous debut studio album. 2face Idibia received the most nominations with six.

Naeto C Naetochukwu Chikwe, stage name Naeto C, is a Nigerian rapper, Afrobeat artist and record producer. Early life He was born in Houston, Texas and is of Nigerian origin. The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha appointed Naeto C, as his Speci ...

, Rooftop MCs,

Cobhams Asuquo Cobhams Asuquo ( Efik pronunciation: ) (born January 6, 1981) is a Nigerian musician, producer, and songwriter. In 2005, Asuquo was signed on with Sony ATV London as a songwriter. After working as Head of Audio Productions at a local label, Que ...

, Kween, Jo'zi, and

all performed at the ceremony.

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

: The 4th edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was hosted by

and

Kemi Adetiba Kemi Adetiba (born 8 January 1980) is a Nigerian filmmaker, television director and music video director, whose works have appeared on Channel O, MTV Base, Sound City TV, BET and Netflix. Education Kemi holds bachelor's degree in law fro ...

. It took place on 16 May 2009 at the International Conference Centre in Abuja. The awards were held outside of Lagos for the first time. The nominees' party for the fourth edition was hosted at Ajibogun, a village in

Ogun State Ogun State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. Ogun State borders Lagos State to the south, Oyo State and Osun State to the north, Ondo State to the east, and the Republic of Benin to the ...

9ice 9ice, born Alexander Abolore Adegbola Akande (born 17 January 1980), is a Nigerian musician, songwriter and dancer. He is known for his powerful use of the Yoruba language in his music as well as his proverbial lyrics and unique style of deliv ...

won a total of three awards from six nominations. Phillip Trimnell took home the Hall of Fame award.

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

: The 5th edition of the Hip Hop World Awards took place on 16 May 2009 at the

Victoria Island, Lagos Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name neighbouring Lagos Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki Peninsula by the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos State, Nigeria. ...

. The ceremony was conducted without a host.

Wande Coal Oluwatobi Wande Ojosipe (born 18 October 1985), popularly known as Wande Coal, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Early life Wande Coal was born on 18 October 1985 in Lagos Island, Lagos state, Nigeria, to Chief Ibukun Olufunto and Omolar ...

was the biggest winner of the night with five plaques, including Artiste of the Year.

Don Jazzy Michael Collins Ajereh (born 26 November 1982), known professionally as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian record producer. He is the founder and the CEO of Mavin Records. Don Jazzy was co-owner of the now-defunct Mo' Hits Records record label with D'b ...

won the Producer of the Year award. Hip hop duo

Skuki Skuki is a Nigerian Afro hip hop duo composed of two brothers: Tumininu Laolu-Oguniyi and Atewologun Laolu-Ogunniyi. They are also known as Vavavoom (Tumininu) and Peeshaun (Atewologun). Early lives The brothers were both born in the 1980s in ...

won the Next Rated category.

Da Grin Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, also known as Dagrin (25 October 1984 – 22 April 2010), was a Nigerian rapper from Ogun, Nigeria. A film of his life entitled ''Ghetto Dreamz'' was released in April 2011. Early life Olaonipekun's home was in Mei ...

's ''C.E.O'' won for Best Rap Album in a posthumous fashion. He was also honored by General Pype during the singer's performance.

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

: The 6th edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was held on 22 October 2011 at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. Hosted by

and eLDee, the award's name was officially changed to "The Headies". 2face Idibia won three awards, including Artiste of the Year.

Darey Dare Art Alade (born February 9, 1982)– popularly known as Darey – is a Nigerian multi-platinum Afro R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, humanitarian and entrepreneur. He is also the son of the legendary African Jaz ...

's "The Way You Are" won for Best R&B Single and Recording of the Year. M.I and

Ice Prince Panshak Henry Zamani (born 30 October 1984) better known as Ice Prince Zamani or just Ice Prince, is a Nigerian rapper, hip hop recording artist and actor. He rose to fame after releasing " Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed songs of all t ...

won two awards apiece.

and

both took home an award. Capital Femi walked away with the Best Vocal Performance (Male) award.

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...

won the Next Rated category and received a

Hyundai Sonata The Hyundai Sonata is a mid-size car that has been manufactured by Hyundai since 1985. The first generation Sonata, which was introduced in 1985, was a facelifted Hyundai Stellar with an engine upgrade, and was withdrawn from the market in two ...

at a later date.

Waje Aituaje Iruobe, known professionally as Waje, which is the first letter from each word from the phrase "Words Aren't Just enough" is a Nigerian singer. She first gained recognition after being featured on the remake of P-Square’s "Omoge Mi". Wa ...

was the only female awardee. The Hall of Fame award went to Jùjú musician

Shina Peters Sir Shina Peters (born 30 May 1958) is a Nigerian Jùjú musician. Life Born Oluwashina Akanbi Peters in Ogun State, Peters' career in music began at a young age when he played with friends under the handle Olushina and His Twelve Fantastic Bro ...

. A total of twenty-one cart gold plaques were handed out.

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

: The 7th edition of The Headies was hosted by M.I and

Omawumi Omawumi Megbele (born 13 April 1982), known by her stage name Omawumi, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and actress of Itsekiri ethnicity She is a brand ambassador for Globacom, Konga.com, and Malta Guinness. She's also part of the campaign cal ...

. The ceremony took place on 20 October 2012, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. The aforementioned hosts thrilled fans with their song titled "The Headies". Chidinma opened the show by performing her song "Kedike". The Okoye brothers (Peter, Paul, and Jude) won a total of three awards. The Artiste of the Year award went to

and

won the Best Male and Female Vocal Performance categories, respectively.

Vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

won the Best Rap Single and Lyricist on the Roll plaques for "Angeli".

Davido David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...

won the Next Rated category and was later awarded a

. The Headies celebrated the reunion of prominent Nigerian musicians from the 80s and 90s, including

Onyeka Onwenu Onyeka Onwenu (born 31 January 1952) is a Nigerian singer/songwriter, actress, human right activist, social activist, journalist, politician, and former ''X Factor'' series judge. Dubbed the "Elegant Stallion" by the Nigerian press, she is a fo ...

, Oris Wiliki, Mike Okori,

Baba Fryo Baba Fryo born Friday Igwe is a veteran Nigerian singer from Ajegunle. He is known for releasing street songs . His most popular song in Nigeria was titled "Dem go dey pose" which he released in the late 1990s. The song was written in Nigerian ...

, Fatai Rolling Dollar and Daddy Showkey.

Femi Kuti Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born 16 June 1962), popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and a grandchild of political campaigner, women's ri ...

was honored with the Hall of Fame award.

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

: The 8th edition of The Headies was held on 26 December 2013, at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The show was hosted by

and

. Olamide was the biggest awardee of the night, winning three awards from seven nominations.

Phyno Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike (born 9 October 1986), populary known as Phyno Fino, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He started his music career as a producer in 2003, and is renowned for rapping in the Igbo language. His ...

won the Best Rap Single category for his song "Man of the Year".

D'Tunes Adesanya Doyinsola, better known as D'Tunes, is a multi award-winning music producer, CEO Difference Entertainment, Visionary, arts and fashion enthusiast. He was affiliated with Made Men Music Group and currently has a record label called Differe ...

Praiz Praise Ugbede Adejo (born 8 March 1985), better known by his stage name Praiz, is a Nigerian multi award-winning R&B singer, songwriter, and producer. Praiz's music career hit the limelight after he finished second runner-up at the maiden seas ...

, and Blackmagic all won for the first time.

Sean Tizzle Morihanfen Oluwaseun Oluwabamidele (born 15 December 1989), known by his stage name as Sean Tizzle, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He was formally signed to Sound Sultan's Naija Ninjas. Early life and Career Sean Tizzle was born into a C ...

won the Next Rated category and was later awarded a

Hyundai Tucson The Hyundai Tucson ( ko, 현대 투싼) (pronounced Tu-són) is a compact crossover SUV (C-segment) produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai since 2004. In the brand's lineup, the Tucson is positioned below the Santa Fe, and above the Ko ...

took home two awards, including Best R&B/Pop Album for ''

Omo Baba Olowo ''Omo Baba Olowo'' ( Yoruba: ''Son of a Rich Man'') is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer Davido. It was released by HKN Music on July 17, 2012. The album was produced by Jay Sleek, Maleek Berry, GospelOnDeBeatz, Spellz, Dokta Frabz, Mr. ...

''.

Iyanya Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk (born 31 October 1986), known by his stage name Iyanya, is a Nigerian Afropop recording artist. Career He rose to fame after winning the first season of ''Project Fame West Africa'' and is best known for his hit single " Kuk ...

only received one award from five nominations. Veteran Fuji artist

Wasiu Ayinde Marshall K1 De Ultimate (born Wasiu Omogbolahan Olasunkanmi Adewale Ayinde Marshal , 3 March 1957), is a Nigerian Fuji musician. He popularized a brand of the fuji genre based on the work of the fuji creator Ayinde Barrister known as Talazo fuji that a ...

was inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame. 2 Face Idibia,

Nikki Laoye Oyenike Laoye, known professionally as Nikki Laoye, is a Nigerian recording artist, singer, humanitarian, songwriter, dancer and occasional actress, renowned for her musical expressions and stage performances. As a recording artist, Laoye's m ...

Mode 9 Babatunde Olusegun Adewale(born June 14, 1975), popularly known by his stage name Modenine, is an English-born Nigerian rapper. In 2014, he released a song titled "Super Human" with Jamaican-American rapper Canibus. Early life Mode9 was born in ...

and

Kcee KCEE is a commercial radio station located in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting on 690 AM. KCEE airs a Christian format and is owned by Calvary Chapel of Tucson, Inc. KCEE's programming is also heard on KAIC (88.9 FM), a station nominally licens ...

all went home with a plaque.

Harrysong Harrison Tare Okiri, better known by his stage name Harrysong, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and instrumentalist who rose to fame after his tribute song to Nelson Mandela won the "Most Downloaded Callertune Award" at The Headies 2013. Harryson ...

's tribute song to

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, titled "Mandela", won the Most Downloaded Callertune award.

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

: The 9th edition of The Headies took place on 14 December 2014, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed "Feel the Passion", the show was hosted by

Toke Makinwa Toke Makinwa (born 3 November 1984) is a Nigerian radio personality, television host, vlogger, lifestyle entrepreneur, actress and author. Toke is known for hosting ''The Morning Drive'' on Rhythm 93.7 FM and for her YouTube vlog series ''Toke ...

and

. It was initially scheduled to hold on 25 October 2014. Bovi was initially announced as one of the hosts, but ended up not hosting due to him being booked for another show. On 30 September 2014, nominations were announced during a press briefing at the HipTV office in Allen, Lagos.

, Olamide and

led the nominations with five each.

Oritse Femi Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele (born 5 January 1985) popularly known by his first name Oritse Femi, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and performer. He is best known for his remake of Fela Kuti's "Double Wahala" song. His rendition of the song earned hi ...

and The Mavins followed closely with four apiece.

Yemi Alade Yemi Eberechi Alade (born 13 March 1989), is a Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist. She won the ''Peak Talent Show'' in 2009 after which she signed to Effyzzie Music Group, and had a hit with her single " Johnny" in 2014. ...

was nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Single and Next Rated. Olamide,

Patoranking Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie (born 27 May, 1990), better known by his stage name Patoranking, is a Nigerian reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Ijegun-Egba Satellite Town, Patoranking hails from Onicha, Ebonyi State. He starte ...

and

each took home two awards apiece.

won the Producer of the Year plaque, while Sir Victor Uwaifo got the Hall of Fame recognition.

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

: The 10th edition of The Headies was held on 1 January 2016 at the Landmark Events Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed "Flip the Script", the event was hosted by Bovi and

Kaffy Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau (born 30 June 1980), popularly known by her stage name Kaffy, is a Nigerian dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and fitness coach. She is also the founder and owner of Imagneto Dance Company. She is best known for ...

. It was previously scheduled to hold on 30 December 2015 but the organizers of the event postponed it to 1 January 2016 without citing any reason. Olamide won a total of four awards, while

Timi Dakolo Timi Dakolo (born January 20, 1981) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and music producer. He emerged winner of the inaugural season of '' Idols West Africa'' in 2007. Accompanying his victory was a recording contract with Sony BMG, in addition to ...

won three.

was nominated seven times across the twenty-one award categories. 2face Idibia was honored with the Hall of Fame award, while

received the Special Recognition award.

Reekado Banks Ayoleyi Hanniel Solomon (born 6 December 1993), better known by his stage name Reekado Banks, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He signed with Mavin Records in 2014 and left the label in 2018. He went by the stage name Spicy before his recor ...

won the Next Rated award. His win was criticized by music critics, who challenged the "fairness of the award process".

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

: The 11th edition of The Headies was held on 22 December 2016 at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed "Think, Create, Recreate", the event was hosted by

Adesua Etomi Tolulope Adesua Etomi-Wellington (born 22 February 1988), professionally known as Adesua Etomi is a Nigerian actress. In 2014, she starred in her first feature film '' Knocking On Heaven's Door''. She won the Best Actress in a Drama award at ...

and

Falz Folarin Falana (born 27 October 1990), better known by his stage name Falz, is a Nigerian rapper, songwriter and actor who began his career while in secondary school after forming a group called The School Boys with his friend before his profe ...

. The nominees were announced by the award's organizers in November 2016. Tekno was nominated for the Next Rated award, but ended up being disqualified due to his refusal to honour the category and support the campaign. Jazzman Olofin and Adewale Ayuba jointly performed the song "Raise the Roof".

Aramide Aramid fibers, short for aromatic polyamide, are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic-rated body armor fabric and ballistic composites, in marine cordage, ma ...

performed her song "Funmi Lowo" with assistance from

Ras Kimono Ras Kimono (9 May 1958 – 10 June 2018) was a Nigerian reggae artist whose debut album ''Under Pressure'', led by the single "Rum-Bar Stylée", was a big hit in the Nigerian music scene in 1989. Before he released his solo album, he was in a gro ...

. The ceremony also featured additional performances from

, 2Baba,

Seyi Shay Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua (born Oluwaseyi Joshua; 21 December 1985), professionally known as Seyi Shay (pronounced Shay-yee Shay), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. She wrote and produced three songs for the soundtrack to Konami's vi ...

and Flavour. Olamide received eight nominations and won a total of four, including Best Rap Single for his single "Eyan Mayweather".

Mr Eazi Oluwatosin Ajibade (born 19 July 1991), better known by his stage name Mr Eazi, is a Nigerian-born, Ghana-based singer. He is a pioneer of Banku music, a fusion of sound he describes as a mixture of Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian chord progressio ...

won the Next Rated category and was awarded a SUV at a later date.

Mayorkun Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel (born 23 March 1994), known professionally as Mayorkun, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and pianist. He released a cover of Davido's "The Money" single and was discovered by the singer on Twitter. Mayorkun was signed to ...

toppled Dice Ailes and Koker for the Rookie of the Year award.

Laolu Akins Olaoluwa Akintobi (born 1946) popularly known as Laolu Akins is a Nigerian music producer who has worked with artists such as Shina Peters, Onyeka Onwenu, Adewale Ayuba, Mike Okri and Christy Essien-Igbokwe. He was the producer of Shina Peter's ' ...

was honored with the Hall of Fame award, while Flavour received the Special Recognition award.

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

: The 12th edition of The Headies was held on 5 May 2018 at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. Nigerian comedian Bovi and singer

hosted the ceremony. After shortlisting thousands of entries submitted during the eligibility period, the organizers of the ceremony announced the nominees in April 2018. They also announced the addition of three categories: Viewer's Choice, Best Performer, and Industry Brand Supporter. Simi led the nominations with 7, followed by

and

with 6 each. The ceremony featured performances from a number of artists, including

Mr Real Okafor Uchenna Victor, popularly known as Mr Real, is a Nigerian musician from Lagos State. Early life Mr Real also known as Real self was born on September 8 in Lagos State, Nigeria, to parents from Okija, Anambra State. He gained prominence a ...

, Simi, and the Danfo Drivers. Pulse Nigeria praised the award's sound production and stage design. Davido, Wizkid and Simi won the most awards with 3 each.

won the Next Rated award, beating Dice Ailes,

Maleek Berry Maleek Shoyebi (born 11 August 1987), professionally known as Maleek Berry, is a British-Nigerian record producer and recording artist. After his break into the spotlight in 2012, Maleek Berry was nominated as "Music Producer of the Year" at the ...

and

Johnny Drille John Ighodaro (born July 5, 1990), professionally known as Johnny Drille, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. His career came into the spotlight when he released a cover of "Awww" by Di'Ja. He is currently signed to Mavin Records. Early life ...

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

: The 13th edition of The Headies was held on 19 October 2019 at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed "Power of a Dream", the ceremony was hosted by Nigerian rapper Reminisce and actress/media personality

Nancy Isime Nancy Isime (born 17 December 1991) is a Nigerian actress, model, and media personality. Early life and background Nancy Isime was born in Edo State, Nigeria to Nigerian parents of Esan descent. After her senior secondary education in Benin, s ...

. After shortlisting thousands of entries submitted between January 2018 and June 2019, the organizers of the ceremony announced the nominees on 1 October 2019.

Burna Boy Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (born 2 July 1991), known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album, '' L.I ...

set a record for the most nominations in one night with 10 nominations. Teni followed with 6 and

with 5. The ceremony featured performances from a number of artists, including Styl-Plus, Sunny Neji,

Duncan Mighty Duncan Wene Mighty Okechukwu (born 28 October 1983), simply known as Duncan Mighty, is a Nigerian musician, singer, and music producer from Obio-Akpor, Rivers State. Though his musical style demonstrates a high-level of genre versatility, it is ...

, Teni and

Victor AD Victor Adere (born 2 August 1993), better known as Victor AD, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. In 2019 He posted a picture of himself on the street of Dubai with the caption “God I still remember this time last year, I had no passport but n ...

. Teni won the most awards with 4. Rema won the Next Rated award, beating

Fireboy DML Adedamola Adefolahan (born 5 February 1996), known professionally as Fireboy DML, is a Nigerian singer. He is signed to YBNL Nation, a record label founded by Nigerian rapper Olamide. His debut studio album ''Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps'' was ...

, Joeboy, Lyta, Victor AD and

Zlatan Ibile Omoniyi Temidayo Raphael (born 19 December 1994), known professionally as Zlatan Ibile, is a Nigerian rapper and singer. He is the chief executive officer and founder of Zanku records. In 2014, he won the Airtel-sponsored One Mic talent show held ...

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

: The 14th edition of The Headies was held on 21 February 2021 at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in

Ibeju-Lekki Ibeju-Lekki is a local government area of Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria. The administrative centre was formerly at Akodo and was later moved to Igando Oloja due to the creation of the Lekki Council Development Area. The name of the Local government ...

. Event organizers announced that TV personality and actress

and comedian Bovi were the hosts. This is the fourth time Bovi has hosted the event, while Nancy has become the first female to host the event for the second time.

Locations

Award categories

Current categories

;Voting * Best Rap Single (2006–present) * Song of the Year (2006–present) * Best Collaboration (2006–present) * Album of the Year (2006–present) * Next Rated (2006–present) * Hip Hop World Revelation of the Year (2006–present) *

Producer of the Year The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality non- classical music at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors i ...

(2006–present) * African Artiste of the Year (2006–present) *

Best Music Video Director Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

(2006–present) * Artiste of the Year (2006–present) * Best R&B/Pop Album (2006; 2008–present) * Best Street Hop Artiste (2009–present) * Best R&B Single (2010–present) * Best Pop Single (2010–present) * Rookie of the Year (2012–present) * Viewer's Choice (2018–present) * Best Afrobeat Pop Single (2022–present) * Best Afrobeat Pop Album (2022–present) * Best African Collaboration (2022–present) * Best International Collaboration (2022–present) * African Artist of the Year (2022–present) * Music Executive of the Year (2022–present) *

International Artist of the Year International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * International (Kevin Michael album), ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * International (New Order album), ' ...

(2022–present) * Music Executive of the Year (2022–present) ;Non-voting * Best Recording of the Year (2006–present) *

Best Rap Album The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...

(2006–present) * Best Vocal Performance (Female) (2006–present) * Best Vocal Performance (Male) (2006–present) * Lyricist on the Roll (2006–present) * Best Performer (2018–present) ;Miscellaneous *

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

(2006–present) *Special Recognition Award (2015–present)

Past award categories

Most wins

4 and up, updated to the fourteenth edition (2021).

Awards and nominations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Headies, The International music awards Hip hop awards Awards established in 2006 Victoria Island, Lagos 2006 in Nigerian music Entertainment events in Nigeria