The British Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards are back after a two-year hiatus, and five Jamaican artists will vie for the Best Reggae Act award.
Announced yesterday, the nominees are Popcaan, Koffee, Lila Iké, Buju Banton and Protoje. The winner of this category will be determined by the MOBO Best Reggae Act Committee.
At the ceremony's last staging in 2017, Damian Marley won in the category. Popcaan took the award in 2016 and the year prior.
The contenders have been buzzing over the past year with Popcaan releasing two EPs; his debut OVO project Vanquish and the Fixtape alongside DJ Chromatic. The deejay recently received Billboard plaques for both EPs which charted number two on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.
Koffee is still riding the waves of her 2020 Grammy award for Best Reggae Album (Rapture). She has also maintained relevance during the slow period of COVID-19 with the popular track 'Lockdown'.
Iké released her debut EP 'My ExPerience' during quarantine, which was also her first release for RCA Records.
Iké and Koffee were featured on Protoje's fifth album, 'In Search of Lost Time', which was released in August.
Banton also released his feature-full album Upside Down 2020 in the summer.
Meanwhile, Popcaan and Koffee have also been nominated for Best International Act through a public vote. Shenseea is also a nominee in this category; likewise American acts Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, H.E.R, Summer Walker, Drake, Pop Smoke, Lil Baby and Roddy Rich.
The MOBOs will unfold on December 9 and will livestream for the first time on YouTube. The 90-minute ceremony is lauded as the UK's biggest celebration of black music and culture.