Popcaan, Valiant, YG Marley, Shenseea, Skillibeng and Spice will battle for the coveted MOBO Award for Best Caribbean Music Act.

The nominees for the 2024 awards were announced Wednesday morning.

The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin) is regarded as the UK’s premier celebration of black music and culture.  For the first time, the event will take place in Newcastle at the Utilita Arena on February 18, 2025.

The Best Caribbean Music Act category was introduced at the 2022 staging, replacing the Best Reggae Act category, which had been a part of the proceedings since 1996.

This is the third nomination in this category for Shenseea, Popcaan, Skillibeng and the second for Spice and Valiant.

Valiant won the Best Caribbean Music Act title last year.

British R&B singer Jorja Smith (who is of Jamaican parentage), Sampha, Bashy, Ghetts, Cleo Sol, Central Cee and Odeal, lead this year’s MOBO with three nominations each.

In a media release, MOBO Founder Kanya King said: “Each and every time we unveil the MOBO Awards nominations, I am taken aback by the sheer amount of incredible talent we have in the UK. It inspires us all to continue pushing the industry to be more inclusive of a greater variety of Black music and culture. The music coming out of the UK this past year has been some of the best we have had in years. These distinct, uncompromising voices – across different genres from R&B and Soul to Grime, Hip-Hop to Jazz and Alternative – are not just soundtracks for our days. They provide healing and reflection, and also escapism in times of need. A huge congratulations to all our nominees across music, film and television, and entertainment. We look forward to welcoming you in Newcastle!”

British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, who is of Trinidadian heritage, is nominated in the category Best Performance in a TV Show/Film for his portrayal of reggae legend Bob Marley in the biopic Bob Marley: One Love.