The Headies (originally called the Hip Hop World Awards) is a music awards show established in 2006 by the '' Hip Hop World Magazine'' 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 to viewers across Nigeria. The 1st and

2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Second of arc, an angular measurement unit, ...

editions of The Headies were held at the Muson Center in Onikan,

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Ben ...

. Between 2010 and 2012, the awards were held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. Several media personalities in Nigeria have hosted the annual ceremony, including Darey Art Alade, D'banj, Dakore Egbuson, Banky W., Rita Dominic, 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.

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 n ...

, copper, steel,

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

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 second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

. It was hosted by Darey Art Alade and tagged with the caption: "The Revolution is Here". DJ Jimmy Jatt, 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 D'banj 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 Dakore Egbuson. 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, Kween, Jo'zi, and

all performed at the ceremony. 2009: The 4th edition of the Hip Hop World Awards was hosted by Banky W. and Kemi Adetiba. 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 th ...

. 9ice won a total of three awards from six nominations. Phillip Trimnell took home the Hall of Fame award. 2010: The 5th edition of the Hip Hop World Awards took place on 16 May 2009 at the Eko Hotel and Suites in

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 won the Producer of the Year award. Hip hop duo Skuki won the Next Rated category. Da Grin'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: 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 Rita Dominic and eLDee, the award's name was officially changed to "The Headies". 2face Idibia won three awards, including Artiste of the Year. Darey'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. Don Jazzy and Dr SID 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 was the only female awardee. The Hall of Fame award went to Jùjú musician Shina Peters. 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 gat ...

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

, Shina Peters, 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 fa ...

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

and Dr SID. Olamide was the biggest awardee of the night, winning three awards from seven nominations. Phyno won the Best Rap Single category for his song "Man of the Year". D'Tunes,

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 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 ...

. Davido took home two awards, including Best R&B/Pop Album for '' Omo Baba Olowo''.

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 was inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame. 2 Face Idibia, Banky W., Waje, Nikki Laoye, Mode 9, Dr SID 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, 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 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 Phyno 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 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 Davido each took home two awards apiece. Don Jazzy won the Producer of the Year plaque, while Sir Victor Uwaifo got the Hall of Fame recognition. 2015: 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. 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 won three.

was nominated seven times across the twenty-one award categories. 2face Idibia was honored with the Hall of Fame award, while Don Jazzy 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 of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

: 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 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 Innocent Ujah Idibia MON (born 18 September 1975), known by his stage name 2Baba, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Noted for his vocal range, lyrical depth, and longevity, he is widely regard ...

, Seyi Shay and Flavour. Olamide received eight nominations and won a total of four, including Best Rap Single for his single "Eyan Mayweather". Mr Eazi won the Next Rated category and was awarded a SUV at a later date. Mayorkun toppled Dice Ailes and Koker for the Rookie of the Year award. Laolu Akins 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 Unit ...

: 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 Seyi Shay 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 Davido with 6 each. The ceremony featured performances from a number of artists, including

, Mr Real, 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. Mayorkun 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.

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. 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, Teni and Victor AD. Teni won the most awards with 4. Rema won the Next Rated award, beating Fireboy DML, Joeboy, Lyta, Victor AD and Zlatan Ibile.

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

: 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 Nancy Isime 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 (2006–present) * African Artiste of the Year (2006–present) * Best Music Video Director (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 (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 (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