Deejays Vybz Katel and Mavado lead the list of nominees for this year’s Excellence in Music and Entertaiment (EME) Awards. Both artistes lead the pack with six nominations each.

The awards which will be handed out on the East Lawns of Devon House in Kingston on March 12, sees high-riding deejay, Vybz Kartel being nominated for trophies for Deejay of the Year, Song of the Year (dancehall) in which he has two nods for Clarks and Dumper Truck, Album of the Year for Pon di Gaza 2.0, Collaboration of the Year for Clarks which also features Popcaan and Gaza Slim, and International Artiste of the Year.

Mavado has two nominations for Song of the Year — Stulla and Mad Over, and has also been nominated for Singjay of the Year, Collaboration of the Year for Come into My Roon with Stacious and My Heart with Wayne Marshall and International Artiste of the Year.

Other artistes with multiple nominations include Jah Cure, Lady Saw, I-Octane, Tarrus Riley, Bounty Killer, Etana and Gyptian.

This year sees the introduction of a new category at the EMEs — Artiste of the Decade (2001-2010). According to founder of the awards, broadcaster Richie B, the award will be given to the artiste who had the biggest impact as a hit maker, performer and touring act.

The public will be able to cast their vote for their favourite nominee at the awards’ website www.emeawards.com. Already Richie B has announced that rappers Eve and Trina will be attending this year’s show, which will be co-hoted by US-based comedian Raymond ‘Rayzor’ Davis.

The full list of nominees:

DJ OF THE YEAR (MALE)

Beenie Man

Aidonia

Bounty Killer

Vybz Kartel

Busy Signal

Assassin

DJ OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)

Stacious

Lady Saw

Ce’Cile

D’Angel

Timberlee

Spice

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (MALE)

Hezron

Stevie Face

Jah Cure

Christopher Martin

Romain Virgo

Tarrus Riley

Richie Stephens

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)

Tami Chynn

Queen Ifrica

Etana

Alaine

Cherine Anderson

Phyllisia

PRODUCER/LABEL OF THE YEAR (DANCEHALL)

Sankofa Records — Sankofa Crew

Equinoxx Productions — Gavin Blair

Chimney Records — Jordan Mc Lure

Big Ship — Stephen Mcgregor

Seanizzle Records — Sean Reid

Notnice Productions — Ainsley Morris

Cash Flow Records — DJ Neil, DJ X & Fada P

CR203 Records — ZJ Chrome

Head Concussion Records — Tariq Johnson

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)

Kemar ‘DJ Flava’ Mc Gregor — No Doubt Records

Donovan Bennett — Don Corleon Label

Sly & Robbie — Taxi Label

Donovan Germain — Penthouse Records

Jeremy Harding — 2hard Music

DJ Neil, DJ X & Fada P — Cash Flow

DJ Frass — Frass Productions

BEST NEW ARTISTE (MALE)

Vybrant

Richie Loop

Popcaan

Versatile

Protojé

DJ Liquid

T’nez

BEST NEW ARTISTE (FEMALE)

Toya

Gaza Slim

Misteree

Ikaya

Sheba

Denyque

DJ Sunshine

Keida

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR

RDX

Andrew & Wada Blood

TOK

Voicemail

Roots Revealers

Twin of Twins

Nomaddz

BIGGEST COMEBACK ARTISTE

Ras Charmer

Warrior King

Junior X

Mr G

Future Fambo

Andy Livingston

Mr Lexx

SONG OF THE YEAR (DANCEHALL)

Clarks — Vybz Kartel, Popcaan & Gaza Slim

Stulla — Mavado

Hold You — Gyptian

Rum & Red Bull — Beenie Man and Future Fambo

Mad Over — Mavado

Dumper Truck — Vybz Kartel

This is how we do it — Elephant Man and Bounty Killer

Nah sell out mi fren dem — Khago

My Cupp — Richie Loop

Jim Screechie — Spice

SONG OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)

We shall find a way — Hezron

Unconditional Love — Jah Cure/ Phyllisha

Wildfire — Tarrus Riley

Free — Etana

My Life — I-Octane

Life — Shawn Storm

Night Shift — Busy Signal

Lose a Friend — I-Octane

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Pon di Gaza 2.0 — Vybz Kartel

Romain Virgo — Romain Virgo

Distant Relatives — Junior Gong & Nas

Infallible — Tanya Stephens

Hold You — Gyptian

My Way — Lady Saw

Before the Dawn — Buju Banton

Black Gold — Duane Stephenson

CULTURAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Tarrus Riley

Queen Ifrica

Richie Spice

Jah Cure

I-Octane

Etana

Chuck Fender

BREAKTHROUGH ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Tony Anthony

D’Major

Khago

I-Octane

Tiana

The Jolly Boys

Shawn Storm

G Whizz

SINGJAY OF THE YEAR (MALE)

Mavado

Mr Vegas

I-Octane

Chino

Konshens

Gyptian

Wayne Marshall

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR (LOCAL)

Clarks – Vybz Kartel, Popcaan & Gaza Slim

Come Into My Room — mavado & stacious

How We Do It — Elephant Man & Bounty Killer

Unconditional Love — Jah Cure & Phyllisia

Drinking Rum & Red Bull — Beenie Man & Fambo

For Ur Eyes Only — Shaggy & Alaine

My Heart — Wayne Marshall & Mavado

Stronger — Cham, Mykal Rose & Bounty Killer

Certified Diva — Tami & Tifa

RIDDIM OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)

Big Stage — Penthouse

Classic — No Doubt

Minor — Don Corleon

City Life — 2hard Music

Pleasure — Cash Flow

Cardio Bass — CR203

Feel So Good — Romeich Records

RIDDIM OF THE YEAR (DANCEHALL)

Mad Collabo — CR203

Bank Inna Mi Pocket — Romeich

12 Furlong — Ballaz/Sankofa

Cosa Nostra — Ward 21

Bad People — Stephen McGregor

One Day — Seanizzle

Smokin — CR203

MOST IMPROVED ARTISTE

Nicky B

Chi Ching Ching

David M

Delus

Danielle aka DI

Zamunda

G Warren

GOSPEL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Goddy Goddy

Jabez

Prodigal Son

DJ Nicholas

Jermaine Edwards

Omari Edwards

Junior Tucker

Judith Gayle

Carlene Davis

Kevin Downswell

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Gyptian

Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley

Laza Morgan

Shaggy

Mavado

Sean Paul

Vybz Kartel

Cherine Anderson

BEST THEATRICAL PRODUCTION

The Pummer

Puppy Love

Passa Passa Daily

House Arrest

Ghettout

What Is Fi Yuh

BEST INSTRUMENTAL GROUP WITH VOCALS (BAND)

Raging Fire

Dubtonic Kru

C-Sharp

Live Wyya

Rootz Underground

Public Secret

ARTISTE OF THE DECADE (2001-2010)

Capleton

Elephant Man

Sean Paul

Sizzla

Beenie Man

Shaggy

Bounty Killer

Luciano

Lady Saw

Buju Banton

Junior Gong

Beres Hammond

Marcia Griffiths

Wayne Wonder