Dancehall artistes Popcaan, Byron Messia, Valiant, Shenseea, Grammy winner Kabaka Pyramid, and soca star Destra Garcia will compete in the Best Caribbean Music Act category of the 2023 MOBO Awards.

The nominations were announced on Thursday morning in London.

The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin) is a British music award founded by Kanya King, seeking to honour achievements in ‘music of black origin,’ including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and African music.

The Best Caribbean Music Act category replaces the Best Reggae Act category. Last year’s winner was Skillibeng.

This is the ninth MOBO nomination for Popcaan, who won in 2015 and 2016, while this is the fourth for Shenseea, who won in 2021.

This is the first nomination for Byron Messia, who has enjoyed a breakout year on the British charts. This is also the first for Destra Garcia, Kabaka Pyramid, and Valiant.

The MOBO Awards will take place on February 7 at the Utilita Arena Sheffield in London.