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VIDEO: Claims That I’m Hip Hop’s First Billionaire Is False – Diddy

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Diddy is undoubtedly one of hip-hop’s most successful artists. From owning his own record label and a liquor brand to restaurants and two clothing lines, the man born Sean Combs has given little reason to question his massive net worth. He recently released a “motivational video” on YouTube, where he seemingly delivered the news that rap fans have long waited for: “A young boy from Harlem, I couldn’t even be a waiter. They didn’t want me to be a waiter! So you know what I did? I became a billionaire.”

Many took the video to be an official announcement that Diddy had made history as hip-hop’s first billionaire. However, according to Diddy, that is not actually the case. The mogul took to YouTube again on Wednesday to set the record straight on exactly where his monetary situation is at. “A lot of blogs took that as I had become hip-hop’s first billionaire,” Diddy explains, “that is not the case.” He went on to say that “the race is still on,” and that “any of you hustlers out there can come and get it,” including Jay-Z and Dr. Dre.

Dr. Dre reached near-billionaire status after selling Beats to Apple. But he’s still trailing behind Diddy in net worth.

Diddy’s current net worth is estimated at $750 million.

“It really ain’t about the money at the end of the day,” Diddy explained, “It’s about the impact that you have on the world. Only speak the truth.” Check out the full video below.

First Chris Brown and Soulja Boy, Now Meek Mill Says He Would fight Drake for $5 Million

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Meek Mill claims he would fight Drake for $5 million in a new video that surfaced today.

This celebrity boxing trend is getting out of control. Just yesterday RiFF RaFF said he wanted to fight 50 Cent for $2 million. Now it appears that Meek Mill is the next celebrity to propose a boxing match for an insane amount money.

In a new video that surfaced on Instagram yesterday, Meek appears to be in the gym training while also simultaneously declaring his interest in fight Drake. DJ Akademiks posted the video and claims that it was originally streamed on Instagram live. While we have no idea of when the video was recorded, you can clearly hear Meek proclaiming that he would fight Drake for $5 million as well as stating “We gone let Nicki be the ring girl.”

Akademiks also tagged 50 Cent to instigate that the rapper promote the fight as he has been hyping the Soulja Boy and Chris Brown boxing match.

Drake has seemingly been making attempts to squash the beef between himself and Meek Mill as he recently told fans he would never perform “Back To Back” again. But given the track record of beef between the two rappers, and now this video, it is not 100% out of the question that the fight could happen.

Check out the videos below from DJ Akademiks and place your bets in the comments below.

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/drake/

 

Sex Sells Music, Even Without Talent – Ghanaian Singer, Mzvee Reveals.

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Ghanaian singer, Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda, better known by her stage name MzVee, believes that sex is a powerful tool in the hands of singers, even those who have little or no talent.

 

The fast-rising singer in a chat with PlanetTV urged ladies who want to go into entertainment to ensure that they were doing it for the passion and to be patient while at it as they could get stuck if they rushed things.

 

She said, ‘It sells definitely, 100%. It even sells when the talent is not good. It will sell you all the way.”

 

MzVee clinched the New Artiste of the Year award at the 2015 Ghana Music Awards

Solange Marrying Music & Art Is Pure Magic, See What She Did At Jimmy Fallon Show

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The “Cranes In The Sky” diva keeps raising the bar of creativity in every live performance. Solange Knowles of Saint Records once again brought magic to the Jimmy Fallon show with an unusual connection (literally) with her back up singers.
Draped in pink on a pink background, Solange stayed tied up with her back up singers in a dress or three dresses rather, which were attached to each other. The sight was pure art, music and magic.
See photos below:
Jimmy Fallon Tonight ? Love and honor to Revelations by Ailey ? Singers: Isadora Mendez and Franchelle Lucas Costumes : Tina and Tim White Choreography/Creative Direction: Myself Band: Drums- John Key Jr. Bass - David "DJ" Raymond Jr. Keys- Reshard Baham Co Musical Director - Pj Morton Dance coordinator- Maya Taylor

On @jimmyfallon tonight ?

On @jimmyfallon tonight ???

  • These are jumpsuits that I designed and Tim White made for Solanges performance on Jimmy Fallon, they make our work look good ! I am soo proud of my baby ??can't wait to see the performance. Jimmy Fallon ? Solange 's idea to connect them she's always thinking out the box??

Solange preparing for performance on Jimmy Fallon Tonight! In the outfits that me and Tim White Created! ??

73-year old Mick Jagger welcomes 8th child with his 29-year old girlfriend

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A rep for Jagger released a statement confirming the birth of the rocker’s son.

The rep said:

“Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger’s son was born today in New York and they are both delighted”.“Mick was at the hospital for the arrival.” The rep added that both Hamrick, who is more than 40 years Jagger’s junior, and the baby are “doing well,”
 
The rep added:
“We request that the media respect their privacy at this time.”
 
The couple began dating in 2014, after his former longtime girlfriend, fashion designer L’Wren Scott, committed suicide.
Mick Jagger now has 8 children in total. A daughter, Karis Hunt Jagger, 46, from his relationship with Marsha Hunt and a daughter, Jade Jagger, now 45, with his ex-wife Bianca. He had four children with his ex-partner Jerry Hall – Elizabeth, 32, James, 31, Georgia, 24, and Gabriel, 18.
He also has five grandchildren and became a great-grandfather on 19 May 2014, when Jade’s daughter Assisi gave birth to her daughter.

VIDEO: OritseFemi Beaten Up After He Allegedly Stabbed A Bouncer At Quilox.

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Popular Nigerian singer, Majemite Ekele, aka Oritsefemi, was involved in a brawl at the Quilox nightclub in Lagos on Saturday.

According to the ‘Double Wahala’ crooner, violence ensued when one of the club security officers pushed him aside when he tried to exit the VIP section of the nightspot.

Eyewitnesses say the artiste was hanging out at the VIP section of the club when he noticed one of the club security personnel trying to restrict his fellow artistes, Sound Sultan and Rocksteady, from joining the VIP.

He reportedly made attempts to explain to the club official that the A-list artistes be allowed to enter. His request was however overturned as the security officer insisted that they wouldn’t be allowed in based on an instruction from the management.

He was advised to join the regular section since he was keen on hanging out with his colleagues.

A video capturing the entire episode is currently making rounds on social media.

Meanwhile the management of the Delta State-born artiste has purportedly released a statement.

It reads, “On Friday 11th 2016, at exactly 2am at Quilox Night Club. Oritse Femi was attacked by a bouncer just because he was trying to stand for an older Colleague and a friend. Oritse Femi was at the VIP corner when he noticed Sound Sultan and Rock Steady were being bounced from entering the VIP section of the club. Oritse Femi who was not happy with the bouncers behaviour stood up to ask the bouncer why he was putting up such attitude to An A list Artiste and a brother, the bouncer replied that An order was placed down by Shina Peller the CEO of the club that no A list Artist should be allowed into the VIP section, claiming the A list Artistes were not his costumers and they have no value at his club just because of his rift with Davido.

The bouncer told him to keep to his section or go join his colleague at the regular section. Femi accepted the offer to join his colleague at the regular section but was pushed back by the bouncer, Before he could say Jack the other bouncer was already rough handling him. Oritse Femi who was holding a cup of wine had to defend himself by slapping the bouncer with the wine cup, which gave the bouncer a scar on the face. Without waiting for explanation, the other bouncers in the club came in and attacked Oritse Femi and in the process of the attack Oritse Femi’s N8.5 million worth of jewellery was stolen by the club bouncers.

Femi was injured and held down by the bouncers, claiming they were waiting for the arrival of police. On the arrival of police, Femi and the bouncer were arrested and taken to the police station where the IPO in charge of the case ordered Femi to treat the injured bouncer which he did and even gave the bouncer extra cash for self-medication.?The IPO also ordered the bouncer and the club management to provide Oritse Femi’s jewellery, which he hasn’t received till now. If we all will recall, this same Quilox was the same place Dammy Krane got messed up by bouncers, same club Davido got confronted by this same bouncers.”

Watch the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoraHSpzVN4

Full list of nominees for the 2016 Headies Awards

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Organisers of the Headies Awards, Hip TV has released its nominees for the 2016 edition. There are 21 categories in this year’s awards focusing on activities between July 2015 to June 2016.

 

See full list of nominations below:

 

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

  1. Emergency – D’banj
  2. Pray For Me – Darey Feat. Soweto Choir
  3. Love Don’t Care – Simi
  4. Orente – Adekunle Gold
  5. Something Good Is Happening – Brymo

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

  1. Dj Coublon – ‘Good Time & Raba’
  2. Pheels – ‘Pick Up & Lagos Boys’ – Olamide
  3. Legendury Beats – ‘Final – Baba Nla’ Wizkid
  4. Young John – ‘Mama’ – Kiss Daniel
  5. Mastakraft – ‘Fada Fada’, ‘Connect’ – Phyno
  6. Oscar Herman-Ackah – ‘Pray For Me’ – Darey

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

  1. Emergency (D’banj) – Unlimited La
  2. Mary (Seyi Shay) – Meji Alabi
  3. Soldier (Falz Tha Bad Guy) – Clarence Peters
  4. Made For You – Banky W
  5. Bad – Tiwa Savage Feat. Wizkid – Sesan

BEST R&B/POP ALBUM

  1. New Era – Kiss Daniel
  2. Wanted – Wande Coal
  3. Klitoris – Brymo
  4. 4. Naked – Darey
  5. Seyi Or Shay – Seyi Shay

BEST R&B SINGLE

  1. Love Don’t Care – Simi
  2. Made For You – Banky W
  3. Super Woman – Wande Coal
  4. Pray For Me – Darey
  5. Aduke – Tjan
  6. Smile – Shaydee

BEST POP SINGLE

  1. Mama – Kiss Daniel
  2. Final (Baba Nla) – Wizkid
  3. Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
  4. Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
  5. Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat. Orezi, Iyanya, Olamide, Kcee
  6. Emergency – D’banj
  7. Fada Fada – Phyno Feat. Olamide
  8. Money – Timaya Feat. Flavour

BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE

  1. No Kissing’ – Patoranking Ft Sarkodie
  2. Body Hot – Praiz Ft. Jesse Jagz & Stone Bwoy
  3. Jaga Love – Jesse Jagz
  4. Olowo – Cynthia Morgan
  5. Pam Pam – Ketchup
  6. Timaya – I Like The Way

BEST RAP ALBUM

  1. Eyan Mayweather – Olamide
  2. Powerful – Ill Bliss
  3. Stories That Touch – Falz
  4. Lil’ Kesh – Yagi

BEST COLLABO

  1. Soldier – Falz Feat. Simi
  2. Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat. Orezi, Iyanya, Olamide, Kcee
  3. Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
  4. Wait – Solidstar Feat. Tiwa Savage
  5. No Kissing – Patoranking Feat. Sarkodie
  6. Money – Timaya Feat. Flavour

BEST RAP SINGLE

  1. Eyan Mayweather – Olamide
  2. Asamalekun – Reminisce
  3. Jagaban – Ycee
  4. Chukwu Agozi Gogi – Ill Bliss
  5. Agu Ji Ndi Men – A-Q
  6. Show You Something – Boogey

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE(MALE)

  1. Brymo – Something Good Is Happening
  2. Darey Feat. Soweto Choir – Pray For Me
  3. Shaydee – Smile
  4. Wande Coal – Super Woman
  5. Ric Hassani – Gentleman

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

  1. Simi – Love Don’t Care
  2. Seyi Shay – Right Now
  3. Aramide Feat. Adekunle Gold – Love Me
  4. Omawumi Feat. Angelie Kidjo – Play Na Play

NEXT RATED

  1. Ycee
  2. Tekno
  3. Mr. Eazi
  4. Humblesmith
  5. Aramide

HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION

  1. Kiss Daniel – New Era
  2. Seyi Shay – Seyi Or Shay
  3. Lil’ Kesh – Yagi
  4. Runtown – Ghetto University

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

  1. Ill Bliss – Chukwu Agozi Gogi
  2. Reminsce – Asalamaleku
  3. Ycee – Jagaban
  4. Boogey – Show You Something
  5. A-Q – Agu Ji Ndi Men’
  6. Modenine – No Matter What

BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE

  1. Olamide – Who You Epp
  2. Ajebutter Feat. Falz – Bad Gang
  3. Koker – Ko Le Werk
  4. Ycee – Jagaban
  5. Small Dokta – Gbera
  6. 2t Boys – Customer Dada Ni

BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG

  1. Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
  2. Something Good Is Happening – Brymo
  3. You Suppose Know – Bez
  4. Wait For Me – Johnny Drille
  5. Gentleman – Ric Hassani

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

  1. Stories That Touch – Falz
  2. New Era – Kiss Daniel
  3. Wanted – Wande Coal
  4. Seyi Or Shay – Seyi Shay

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

  1. Wizkid
  2. Tiwa Savage
  3. Falz
  4. Yemi Alade
  5. Olamide

SONG OF THE YEAR

  1. Final (Baba Nla) – Wizkid
  2. Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
  3. Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
  4. Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat.
  5. Fada Fada – Phyno Feat. Olamide

AFRICAN ARTISTE

  1. Sauti Sol
  2. Casper Nyovest
  3. Dj Maphorisa
  4. Stonebwoy
  5. Sarkodie

Taylor Swift Beats Adele, Rihanna and Beyonce to Become the Richest Female Musician

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Taylor Swift is the richest female musician. Swift amassed earnings of 170 million US dollars (£137.8m) over the past year.

Her earnings are mainly due to her 1989 World Tour raking in a quarter of a billion dollars. She also has lucrative endorsement deals with brands such as Diet Coke, Apple and more.

British singer Adele was second on the list, with 80.5 million US dollars (£65.2 million). Forbes estimated the pre-tax income of personalities from June 1 2015 through to June 1 2016 from a variety of sources, including data from Pollstar, Nielsen and the Recording Industry Association of America, as well as interviews with managers, lawyers and some of the stars themselves. See the full list as you continue.

Full List Of Top Earning Female Musicians for 2016

1. Taylor Swift – $170m (£137.8m)

2. Adele – $80.5m (£65.2m)

3. Madonna – $76.5m (£62m)

4. Rihanna – $75m (£60.8m)

5. Beyonce – $54m (£43.8m)

6. Katy Perry – $41m (£33.2m)

7. Jennifer Lopez – $39.5m (£32m)

8. Britney Spears – $30.5m (£24.7m)

9. Shania Twain – $27.5m (£22.3m)

10. Celine Dion – $27m (£21.9m)

I’m happy for him – Ubi Franklin on Iyanya Signing With Mavin Records

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CEO of Made Men Music Group (MMMG) and Iyanya’s former manager, Ubi Franklin, has reacted to the singer’s major move to Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records.

Speaking exclusively to Linda Ikejis Blog (LIB), Ubi states that he’s happy for his former partner and does not feel betrayed by his move to a competing music label.

News broke this morning that your former partner, Iyanya has signed onto Don Jazzy’s music label, Mavin Records. We would love to know your stance and reaction to this?
I’m happy for Iyanya. The truth is that, if you are happy for somebody, God will be happy with you and you will be happy with yourself. I don’t have anything against him.

This is music business and everything you do – as far your music is right and you are making the music for the world, it doesn’t depend on the label that you are in for all to enjoy it. I’m happy he is where great music comes out from, a label with one of the best music producers in Africa. I’m so happy for him, today is his birthday and I wish him all the best.

Iyanya informed everyone initially that he was going to start up his own label. This has however changed. Do you feel betrayed?
We are all human beings; today Iyanya is 30 by age. As a 30-year-old man, you are able to take any decision on your own, you can change your mind, you can do whatever you want to do. The most important thing is that from what I’ve seen, trust me he is happy. Nobody takes a decision that is going to be bad for him.. I still know he still has his own plans for his Label. But at this point, I know Iyanya is where good music comes from.

So you don’t feel betrayed?
No No! The only way I will feel betrayed is if there was something he owed me and he didn’t give back to me, but there is nothing like that. I’m happy for him.

Do you see any more collaborations between your team and Iyanya in the future?
That’s the funny thing about music, everything is possible. When you see people in music having issues, just leave them, the wheel goes round, if you check my snapchat, I’m always dancing to his music. There might be a future collaboration, I’m open to anything. I’m a business man, there is nothing we are fighting for.

(Credit: LIB)

I Will Invest 1 Billion On Simi — Davido

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DMW boss, Davido has revealed that he doesn’t think he can sign any female artist but he can put a billion on SIMI. 

He said this during a radio interview where he was asked if he would bring in a female artiste in his record label. He said,”I don’t think I can handle a female artiste, but if I’m going to sign anybody, I’ll put a billion on SIMI” 

Simi is currently signed to the Steve Babaeko-led X3M Music and has been tagged one of the fastest growing artists in the music industry who is also rumoured to be having a relationship with Adekunle Gold and Falz. 

Davido has Danagog, Dammy Krane, Mayorkun, Ichaba and Dremo in label.

Davido Reacts to Kaffy’s Rants

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Davido spoke to Planet Radio TV about Kaffy‘s Instagram video vent.

The dancer and choreographer told the world how Davido canceled last minute, disappointing many backup dancers who had spent hours rehearsing and getting ready to perform with him at the 3 Thrones concert on Sunday.

Davido said he was “shocked” and if he sees her he will say “hi, hello what’s up” and add, “I hope there’s no problem”.

Trevor Noah Pulls Out of The 2016 MAMAs

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Stand-up comic and host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” Trevor Noah has pulled out as host of the sixth edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) due to a severe upper respiratory and ear infection.

 

A day before the awards ceremony is set to take place in a 2-hour telecast at the Dome in Johannesburg MTV announced that Bonang Matheba will replace Noah as host of the MAMAs.

Noah issued the following statement:

To all my fans and everyone who makes what I do possible

I’ve been fighting a severe upper respiratory and ear infection this week and despite tons of medication the infection has gotten the better of me.

Due to the infection and strain on my vocal chords the doctor has ordered me to rest my voice and recover my health. I desperately wish I could dismiss the doctor but the added risk of flying means that decision would be highly irresponsible and may cause further damage.

I love the Mama’s and more importantly I love performing in my country. Myself and MTV Africa have been trying to make the Mamas a reality for a few years and I was so excited because this was finally the year where the pieces fell into place and the date was one I could do. 

I push myself as hard as I can all the time because I appreciate every opportunity I am afforded in life. Unfortunately there comes a day like today when it all catches up and my body cannot do what my mind wishes I could. 

I’m so sorry if I’ve disappointed you but please know that I love performing more than anything in life and so having to cancel any show, breaks my heart.   

Sorry isn’t enough of a word to convey how I feel and again to all my fans I will do my utmost to make it up to you.

   

Kind Regards

Trevor Noah

The MTV Africa Music Awards will broadcast live on MTV Base and MTV on Saturday 22 October at 21:00 CAT. The show will also be transmitted worldwide on partner stations and content platforms from October onwards‚ while MTV channels around the world will broadcast a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage.

Smashing Video!!: Lil Kesh ft. Reminisce – Ibile (Remix)

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Mr. YAGI – Lil Kesh returns with a remix to the already massive street number – Ibile. This time, he teams up with Alaga – Reminisce.

This one is straight up fire!

“It’s about time Lil Kesh gave us something new to look at, and we couldn’t take our eyes off the screen.

After releasing his well compose debut album YAGI, the rapper, singer and songwriter lil Kesh delivers the accompanying visuals to the hit track, “Ibile” teamed up with Alaga Ibile Reminisce for the remix. 

Video: Olamide – Owo Blow

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Multi-talented artiste Olamide, whom become well known for his hit back to back since 2009 till date, Baddosneh turns up for all the dancers out there with the brand new compelling music video for his August-released single “Owo Blow.

Olamide says “My music is different and it’s real. I don’t try to copy anyone, and I’m only going to spread a positive message while having fun doing it”.

Check out the hitmaker’s new video below, Clarence Peters Shot It!”

AUDIO DOWNLOAD

Watch video below!

“Panda” Hitmaker Desiigner Stars In Mini-Documentary “I Am Def Jam”

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Desiigner wants to make a difference. The “Panda” hitmaker shares this hope in his new mini-documentary, “I Am Def Jam: Desiigner.”

“I can’t sell no drugs,” he explains in the three-minute clip. “I sell music. Music definitely saved me and took me out, man. Music definitely saved me. My community is rough out there. My job is to come back to my community and change it.”

In the video, Desiigner is joined by his mother and other family members while he explains their importance.

There’s plenty more things to change,” he adds. “Having this, these jewels, all this, it’s about nothing. It’s all about keeping your family strong, staying strong, and keeping focus.”

Recently, the “Tiimmy Turner” hitmaker was arrested after an alleged dispute on the road. Since then, he’s been released and some of the major charges have been dropped, including a felony gun charge and a felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell charge.

“I heard ni**as say we had to sell pills?” Desiigner later said on Instagram. “We don’t gotta do that shit no more, baby. We don’t do this no more, baby…Out here, man. Back in the city.”

Next up, Desiigner is readying his Halloween-themed short film, Zombiewalk, which he directed.

Video: Sauti Sol ‘Kuliko Jana’ Featuring Upperhill School Choir

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Kenya’s award winning pop band Sauti Sol and the RedFourth Choir (Upperhill School), after stunning the industry with a viral clip of the song ‘Kuliko Jana’ have done one better and released an official video.

‘Kuliko Jana’ is off their third album: Live and Die in Afrika. The meaning behind the song is; the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end – they are new every morning.”

Featuring Redfourth Chorus (Upper Hill School), the song’s beautiful yet powerful message has stormed the charts and resonated with fans across Africa and beyond.

A viral clip of Sauti Sol in an a-cappella version of ‘kuliko jana’ with the Redfourth Chorus caught the attention of international celebrities and media to the point where Amber Riley, star of the Emmy award-winning Show ‘Glee’, posted on Instagram, “I don’t understand what they’re saying but I know it’s beautiful. Sounds angelic- anyone know if there’s a full video?”

Other celebrities who posted the viral video include Master P, Anthony Hamilton, Jb Smoove and WorldstarHipHop, among other international news sites.

Watch the stunning video below:

 

Source:

http://nairobiwire.com/2016/09/watch-sauti-sols-official-video-of-kuliko-jana-feat-upperhill-school-choir.html

 

Jay Z’s Music Streaming Service Tidal Posts Huge Loss

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Jay Z’s music streaming service Tidal reportedly posted huge losses last year…

From The Daily Mail:

Jay-Z’s music streaming service Tidal reportedly posted heavy losses and struggled to make payments on time last year. Tidal’s parent group Aspiro had a loss of $28 million (239.5 million Swedish kronor) last year, according to the Norwegian business daily Dagens Naeringsliv. The outlet discovered the huge losses after examining the accounts of the Swedish-based company.

Tidal is Aspiro’s core holding.

According to the newspaper, Tidal received about 100 payment default records since Jay-Z bought the company through his holding group, Project Panther Bidco, for $56 million in March 2015.

Kanye West destroyed D’banj’s music career, and it was all for nothing

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How do you go from the leading artiste in Africa, to a guy who every loves and rates as a celebrity, but whose music is no longer in demand? How do you tell if a record deal – which at the time signified the greatest aspirational goal of your music career – will become a Trojan Horse?

Let’s not coat it. Kanye West’s GOOD Music ruined D’banj’s career. There, we said it.

2011 was a crucial year for Nigerian music. It was the year when the rulers of pop music made a decision that was to cost them their dominance. D’banj and Don Jazzy, co-owners of Mo’Hits Records had found a way to meet up with Kanye West, where they sold him the Nigerian dream and sound. Kanye did buy it.

D'banj and Kanye West during his GOOD Music Days

“D’Banj travelled to Dubai, at Dubai airport he met Kanye West just like anybody can meet any superstar at the airport.” Don Jazzy said, explaining the root of the end of Mo’Hits.

“He had the courage to go and meet him and introduce himself and that he wants to break into America and that he has done a song with Snoop Dogg and please listen to the song and tell me if it is good. And he understood and he listened to it and he liked it. And he asked us to drop by New York when we were going to LA for the video shoot with Snoop. So when we got to New York, we called them and his manager said we should meet up at Wyclef’s studio and the rest is history.”

The rest simply became history. Mo’Hits became history due to the irreconcilable differences between the business partners. D’banj, ever the opportunist, wanted in on the deal from GOOD Music. Don Jazzy hesitated, and wanted none of it. They argued and split.

D’banj revealed this to Olisa Adibua on his chat show, ‘The Truth: “Maybe Dr Sid? We came back from New York, and we had a meeting with Jazzy. Me and Jazzy. And Jazzy really expressed his discomfort that ‘listen, this place is too expensive. We are spending money, we are going to stay there, things dey happen for Nigeria, we are already bosses here, we don’t need all these…make we just stay here..

“And I’m like ‘we are almost there, like it’s expensive but I know it’s not really guaranteed, because it’s a dog eat dog world out there. And in his own words, ‘you can’t leave certainty for uncertainty,’ which makes sense.

“But I said to him that listen brother this is not uncertainty. For Kanye West to see us is not a joke. He saw us in Dubai, na God. Is it not the same Nigeria that we are doing music that took us there.

“And I asked him that, and he said he didn’t want to go, he didn’t want us to do it again, he said he wasn’t interested. So Jazzy literally said that he wasn’t interested, and I told him, because I had sensed it…before the last concert I had told the lawyers that I felt that it wasn’t…that’s why we had legal papers.

“So they were trying to get him to come around, but I understood totally, which is what I said to you. So when he came back home, he had a meeting and that was in July, and he said he doesn’t want us to do Mo’Hits again. That he doesn’t want us to do Mo’Hits again. And I said to him, ‘Please give me 6 months’.

“So I told him to give me 6 months, that he should please just…for me I was even trying to sell my shares, to convince him again, to sell my shares to someone else, take the money, go abroad and try. To do anything I could, because I had seen that it wasn’t working, and him and Sid had formed this synergy. It was very clear the way…I could see it. He wasn’t very comfortable around me, I didn’t understand what was happening, and me I didn’t…everybody knows that I don’t have time. I was always on the move.

“I wasn’t always on ground to see, and I think that was my mistake – I wasn’t sensitive enough to have noticed. And prior to that, if I felt anything, just as you would do as a boss, you should do whatever needed to be done. So I told him to give me 6 months. I remember December, Iwe had a meeting, and everybody was there, and Don Jazzy also said the same thing which was after 6 months. That was December 2011, and he said, that he had thought about it, and he wasn’t interested. In fact, not just me, that this one wasn’t interested (pointing to others).

“I was heartbroken, I think Kayswitch was with them, it was one voice, and I felt like…what’s happening here? And that’s where I started hearing few things that people just felt that they were not comfortable with me.”

D'banj and Kanye West during his GOOD Music Days

The end of Mo’Hits, signaled the music end for D’banj. He was signed to GOOD Music, and Kanye West gave him his blessings, his chain, a remix of ‘Scapegoat’, and hummed his way into ‘The Morning’. Cosigns by other artistes helped make the charade continue, but the facts remained clear,; D’banj did not release any solo project under good music.

D’banj lost Don Jazzy, lost Mo’Hits Records, and lost his momentum. ‘Oliver Twist’ ( a Don Jazzy production), kept him alive musically, and so did the 2013 album, “D Kings Men”.  But ultimately, the damage was done. He has never recovered.

Ever since his split with Don Jazzy in 2011, there’s been a steady decline of D’banj’s musical powers, even though his celebrity went the other way. Each year brings another D’banj power move and endorsement deal, but the quality of the music takes a hit. 2013’s compilation album “D King’s Men” was a fantastic project which still stands as his best DB Records body of work, but it failed to catch on, with many attributing it to the lack of love from core fans who still blame him for splitting the indomitable Mo’Hits Records.

D'banj

But subsequent singles have found plenty of marketing yield little fruits, and the dissent from critics and listeners have always been felt. A few bright spots have made his case salvageable; ‘Top of the world’, ‘Feeling the nigga’ and 2016’s ‘Emergency’ have still kept his case for music credibility alive, but he manages to find new ways to come up with less-inspired sounds.

2016 has had his record label undergo severe changes, and almost fallen apart. His producer DeeVee split from the group, so also did his joker, Tonto Dikeh, who is seeking fulfilment from motherhood and other familial concerns. His other signees, 2kriss, have been without buzz nor content.

But he is coming through with two new singles for an album. And you begin to wonder if he still has enough juice left in the tank to push through another album release. This year marks his 11 year in the music industry. Three studio albums, two compilation albums, and an EP is a good run for the Nigerian music industry, but he intends to change that number with another project.

The singer’s album will be purportedly be dropping before the end of the year, and plans are already underway to commence the rollout of singles, and other promotional materials. With a bashed musical credibility, and a fanbase that pretty much has very little contemporary reason to follow the new music, only time and the content of his album will be determinants on if there’s enough left in D’banj for another D’banj album.

Without GOOD Music, chances are that the story would have been different. Maybe the split with Don Jazzy would have stilled happened, but for other reasons. GOOD Music hastened it, and took away from D’banj, more than it offered.

Drake Supports Lil Wayne In His Fight To Quit Music

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Following Lil Wayne’s tweet on his frustrations about his ongoing battle with Cash Money and Birdman, saying, “I AM NOW DEFENSELESS AND mentally DEFEATED & I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I’m dun. Ain’t lookin for sympathy, just serenity”; Drake posted a message to Instagram showing his support for his “boss”.

See his IG post and caption below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ9wzDcDTB8/

 

Video: Falz ft. Poe & Chyn – “Chardonnay”

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Falz is out with the official music video of “Chardonnay Music,” a track off his recent album, ‘Stories That Touch.’

Check on the fun video and ENJOY

 

DOWNLOAD VIDEO HERE

 

Falz-ft-poe-chyn-chardonnay-Video-Ent-Redefined_org

 

Photographer TY Bello Returns To Music, Drops New Single

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After a brief hiatus, Singer and Photographer Toyin Sokefun-Bello, better known as TY Bello, is making a return back to music. She’s released a new single titled Land Of Promise (It is well). A comforting song with a sound that resonates across humanity itself. In her own words, she writes.

“I finished writing this song on my travel to the destroyed parts of Northern Nigeria. I saw first hand what it means to lose hope and how powerful and necessary hope is in moving forward. This song put hope on my lips and I hope it fires up the same in the heart of everyone that listens”. Listen to the song below…

 

Oga Boss Retires From Music?

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Nigerian rapper/hip-hop recording artiste, Tobechukwu Melvin Ejiofor, popularly known by his stage name Illbliss, announced his supposed retirement from music, via his Instagram page, today.
Do we just believe and say Good bye to Our Very own Notorious BIG or just know this is another stunt and the Goretti Boss would be back soon? Watch this space.

Frank Ocean Thanks Fans In Note Following Blonde Release

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It’s been a good weekend for fans of Frank Ocean, who has released two albums since Thursday — but it’s been a long wait, one he vaguely acknowledged in a note posted to his Tumblr.

“I had the time of my life making all of this,” he wrote. “Thank you all. Especially those of you who never let me forget I had to finish. Which is basically every one of ya’ll. Haha. Love you.”

By “all of this,” Ocean’s referring to visual album Endless, released Thursday, and Blonde, a collection that dropped Saturday. He also released a Boys Don’t Cry magazine at pop-up shops in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and London Saturday. A car-themed excerpt from the magazine is now available on his Tumblr.

These records are the first Ocean’s put out since 2012’s beloved Channel Orange. He’s been teasing new music for over a year now, and Channel Orange producer Malay Ho recently addressed the holdup in a Reddit AMA. 

“To be fair, art cannot be rushed,” he said. “It’s about making sure the perfect aesthetic for the situation has been reached, to do that, takes constant tweaking, trial and error… That goes for any creative [situation].”

Endless is now available to stream on Apple Music, while Blonde is available both to stream on the service and for purchase on iTunes. 

Rapper Falz Opens Up On Negative Effects Of Winning AMVCA

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Actor, rapper and comedian, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falzthebahdguy, has opened up on winning the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMCVA) as Best Actor in a Comedy.
Falz revealed that the award has brought lots of beef and now he always watches his back each time he walks.

He also claimed it is not easy winning the award as several actors who have been in the industry for a long time still do not have the award but he got it at his first shot at comedy acting.

The actor plays the role of a hairdresser, Segun, who works in the same salon with Jenifa. Along the line, they fell in love and had an affair.

Falz made his acting debut in the movie ‘A Couple of Days,’ in which he stars alongside Adesua Etomi, Lilian Esoro, Kiki Omeili and Enyinna Nwigwe among others.

AFRIMA Mourns Papa Wemba

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The International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission, AU, mourns the death of Papa Wemba, real name Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba.

The iconic musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo died in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, during the FEMUA urban music festival on Sunday April 24, 2016. He was 66.

Papa Wemba was considered an African icon and world music star after fusing his Central African musical heritage with Western pop, rock and rap. He pioneered a blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds, which became one of Africa’s most popular music styles. This earned him the nickname “King of Rhumba Rock”. Besides his musical influence, Wemba popularised Sapeur fashion, an eccentric look with three-piece suits, shiny black leather shoes and flashy accessories.
Chairperson African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Chairperson, African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
President and Executive Producer AFRIMA Mr Mike Dada.

President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr Mike Dada

Reacting to the death of Papa Wemba, President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr Mike Dada said: “At AFRIMA, we feel a sense of humongous loss since the announcement of the death of Papa Wemba. This is the time we at AFRIMA and Africa at large need him the most. He was one of the African music legends that had shown interest in attending AFRIMA 3.0 in November this year. He was a voice of Africa, an icon of African music and epitome of Africanness. His pride and commitment to African music and sense of dressing were part of the narratives of African culture. These are the African narratives we shared and are propagating across the world.”

Wizkid Becomes First Nigerian Artist To Feature On Billboard Charts

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Wizkid has become the first Nigerian artist to emerge on Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours chart courtesy of his feature in Drake’s ’One dance‘ song.

Two days ago, Drake dropped two singles, ‘Pop style’ featuring Kanye West and Jay Z, and ‘One dance’ featuring Wizkid and Kyla. On ‘One Dance,’ the 6 God gets assists from Wizkid, who he worked with last year, and Kyla, sampling the Crazy Cousinz remix of her song, ‘Do You Mind’.

This raises the bar a lot higher for the star pop singer helping to improve his brand visibility. The tune ‘One dance‘ features production by Ninteen85 with co-production credits by 40.

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Wizkid already featured Drake in a remix to his ‘Ojuelegba‘ fan favourite and award-winning song.

The single ‘One dance‘ is off Drake’s forthcoming album, following his successful “What a time to be alive” released in 2015.

The collaboration was said to have come about thanks to Skepta, a friend of Wizkid, who introduced the song to Drake during a Wireless Music Festival held in London.

image

The crossover tune has gone on to have other covers and refixes with top artistes such as Sarkodie.

The star pop singer has had other international collaborations preceding this one with Drake. He has worked with Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo, Ty Dolla $ign, and recorded a hook with Coldplay’s Chris Martin for pop star Rihanna.

A performance with Chris Brown was in the works also in South Africa at the ‘X Tour’, so was another recording with UK star Tinie Tempah, and Norwegian pop icons Nico & Vinz. The ‘Baba nla‘ singer is also likely to put out new music with American- Nigerian singer Jidenna.

Congrat Wizzy!!!

Man Slashes Neighbour’s Throat Over Loud Music

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A 42 year old man, Thomas McIntyre slashed his neighbour’s throat, 27 year old James Gunn, at his doorstep after complaining that the music from his housewarming party in his home in Glasgow was too loud and was keeping his child awake, according to the Daily Record reports.

The attack happened at James’ apartment in October 2014. He had moved to the property just weeks before.
James said he heard a knock very early in the morning at his door, which he answered, he said McIntyre told him ‘the music is too loud… I have been banging down to tell you to shut up’.”

He said he apologized to McIntyre but didn’t expect what happened next. He said:

“He swung the knife and I stepped back when I saw it coming towards me. “It got me on the neck from the jugular down the jawline.”

He said he managed to slam the door shut, but then slumped into the arms of a friend.
He said:

“I saw that there was a lot of blood, so I screamed for help. My friend wrapped a shirt around my neck to stop the bleeding.”

Fortunately, James survived the attempted murder, he was rushed to hospital and required a number of stitches including one to repair an artery.

McIntyre went on trial last week accused of attempted murder but he denied the charge, stating he was in bed at the time of the attack. He said he would never complain about his child being kept awake as she could “sleep in a nightclub”.

However, a jury convicted him after five people recognised him as the knifeman who attacked James.
The 42-year-old was remanded in custody and faces a lengthy jail term when he returns to the dock next month for sentencing.

Naughty By Nature Looking For Money For Their 25th Anniversary Album …Asks Fans To Donate $100k

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Naughty By Nature, one of the hottest rap groups in the 90’s, have launched a KickStarter Campaign to fund their 25th anniversary album…They are hoping to raise $100k to put out their 25th anniversary album and are going directly to the fans. They are offering fan experiences for whoever donates. So far, they’ve raised $23,000

Video: DJ Lambo – “The Motion” ft. Seyi Shay, Cynthia Morgan & Eva Alordiah

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Chocolate City Music presents the much awaited visuals of Africa’s foremost female disc jockey, DJ Lambo’s hit single ‘The Motion’featuring the fore-running Nigerian divas in Seyi Shay, Cynthia Morgan and Eva Alordiah.

The very classy video was directed by Clarence Peters on  location in Lekki, Lagos and features cameos from Skales, Derenle Edun, DJ Caise, Jesse Jagz, Pryse, DJ Sose, TJan, Zeez, Loose Kaynon, Yung L, Beverly Osu and M.I Abaga.

Watch Below

We Can’t Wait To Show Davido To The World – Sony Music Global

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Sony Music has finally spoken about the deal they signed with Davido despite many Nigerians doubting it. Even when his name was listed on Sony Music’s website and we brought it here, some still said anyone could have altered that and insert his name. Anyway, the body has finally confirmed Davido has one of their artists and now says they can’t wait to show him to the world.

‘Working with incredible talent like Davido heralds a new era for Sony Music Entertainment Africa on the continent. We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with Davido and we are extremely keen to support his vision to succeed at the highest level in our industry,’ Sean Watson, Managing Director, Sony Music Entertainment Africa said.

Adam Granite, President, Northern & Eastern Europe and Africa also said;

‘We are thrilled to welcome Davido into the Sony Music family.  We are very much looking forward to bringing one of Africa’s biggest stars to the world. We are also excited to partner with Kamal Ajiboye, Davido’s manager as well as Efe Ogbeni, who will be executive producing the album on our behalf.’

President Buhari Enjoys Dinner With Guards Brigade, And Becomes The Music Director

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President Muhammadu Buhari was in a relaxed atmosphere in an evening of wining and dining at a dinner organized for the Guards Brigade Scorpion of the Nigerian Army on the 4th of January, 2015.

President Buhari even acted as the music director.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. TY Buratai and other top officials were present at the event.

All work and no play makes Baba a dull boy.

Buhari_musicbuhari-chillbuhari-chill2buhari-chill4buhari-winemusic_wine3

 

Chris Brown To Release One New Video Everyday Till His “Royalty”Album Drops

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R’n’b Superstar Chris brown has just dropped an amazing and exciting “One video everyday Until The Album” News for his Fans that definitely would get everyone excited about the New King Of Dance for his Royalty Album. Chris brown who dropped Back to Sleep a video off the Album last week  has received brilliant reviews from Fans and Critics alike and is definitely letting us know that He isn’t planning on backing down anytime giving us what he knows how to do best with Good music and Spanking Videos. See his tweet Below.

Kanye West Album Release Date: Rapper May Pull A Beyonce And Drop New Album “Swish” As A Surprise

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Kanye West is yet to confirm a release date for his new album and it may be part of a master plan. Fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of his seventh album, Swish, but the rapper’s close friend Pusha T has hinted West may be taking a leaf out of Beyonce’s book of success by releasing the LP without warning.

While details about Swish are sparse, Pusha T, who was appointed president of West’s record label G.O.O.D. Music in November 2015, has dropped hints about West’s promotional plans for the album. Pusha T told Entertainment Weekly: “I think the world is psyched for the new Kanye album. [He’s] super meticulous about the messaging around his album. It’s incredible. There won’t be much warning, I’m sure. It’s gonna drop out of the sky.”

https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/675934047332261888

Adding fuel to the surprise release claims, West himself said in February 2015 that his upcoming record is unlikely to have an official release date. The All Day rapper is still in the process of working on Swish and has pleaded with the public to give him time and space to finish the record. West told his Twitter followers: “I’m finishing my album and my next collection. No offence to anyone… I’m asking everyone DON’T ASK ME FOR ANYTHING TILL AFTER I’M FINISHED WITH MY ALBUM.”

Kanye West
Kanye West’s sixth album Yeezus received mixed reviews following its release in June 2013Def Jam

Although a tracklist for Swish has not been unveiled, West, 38, has delivered a number of songs since 2014, including Only One, All Day and Fade, while he features on Rihanna’s single FourFiveSeconds alongside Paul McCartney. In September 2015, West stated he would not be rushing Swish in order to present a complete album he is proud of to fans. The rapper explained to Vanity Fair: “I’m not sure. I’m not worried about the years. I’m worried about the life and the body of work that I can put out while I’m breathing… It’s currently called Swish. I’m forgetting even what the last name of it was now.”

West, who became a father again after welcoming son Saint on 5 December 2015, released his sixth studio album Yeezus in June 2013 and it topped the charts worldwide with singles including Bound 2, Black Skinhead and New Slaves.

MTV Base Names Olamide As Hottest Nigerian Artiste 2015 (See Full List)

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Olamide has been named MTV Base hottest Nigerian artist 2015 .This follows his release of several singles that topped the MTV Base Official Naija Top Ten for many weeks, in addition to his successful promotion of protégé, Lil Kesh, and the recent surprise release of his fifth studio album, “Eyan Mayweather”
On the panel that ranked ten of the hottest artists in Nigeria for the year 2015 were, OAPs Omalicha, Do2dtun and Sade Ladipo,Olisa Adibua, entertainment journalist Osagie Alonge, DJ Spinall and VJ Ehiz. See Full List below:

1.Olamide
2.Wizkid
3.Davido
4.Patoranking
5.Yemi Alade
6.Korede Bello
7.Kiss Daniel
8.Burna Boy
9.Lil Kesh
10.Phyno

Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift And The Weeknd Top Grammy Nominations; Full List

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The awards show will air on CBS on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016

The nominations for the 58th annual Grammy Awards were announced on Monday morning.

Kendrick Lamar scored a leading 11 nominations, with Taylor Swift and The Weeknd each earning seven nominations. Drake scored five nominations. Lamar, Swift and The Weeknd will face off in the category of album of the year, going up against Alabama Shakes and Chris Stapleton.

Swift’s “Blank Space” is also up for record of the year, as is The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face.” They’re up against D’Angelo and the Vanguard’s “Really Love”; “Uptown Funk,” from Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars; and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”

Lamar and Swift will also vie for the song of the year Grammy, with Lamar’s “Alright” going up against Swift’s “Blank Space.” Other nominees in the category, which awards the songwriter, are Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”

The best new artist nominees are Courtney Barnett, James Bay, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly and Meghan

Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s Furious 7 soundtrack hit “See You Again” scored three nominations, including ones for song of the year, best pop duo/group performance and best song written for visual media. Two songs from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack — Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” and The Weeknd’s “Earned It” — also scored multiple nominations. “Love Me Like You Do” is up for best pop solo performance and best song written for visual media. “Earned It” is up for best R&B performance, best R&B song and best song written for visual media. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre’s Straight Outta Compton-inspired release Compton is up for best rap album.

The best song written for visual media category includes a number of Oscar hopefuls. Beyond “See You Again” and the Fifty Shades selections, Lady Gaga and Diane Warren’s “Til It Happens to You” from The Hunting Ground is up for the Grammy. Those songs will face off against last year’s Oscar winner for best song, Common and John Legend’s “Glory.”

Past and present Oscar hopefuls are also represented in the categories of best compilation soundtrack for visual media and best score soundtrack for visual media. The first category includes the soundtracks from best song Oscar hopefuls, Fifty Shades of Grey and Pitch Perfect 2 as well as the soundtracks for 2015 Oscar nominee and winner, respectively, Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me and Selma. The latter category includes the soundtracks of 2015 Oscar winners Birdman, The Imitation Game, Interstellar, The Theory of Everything and Whiplash.

Amy Poehler is up for best spoken word album for the audio book of Yes Please. Other nominees in that category are Patti Smith (Blood On Snow), Dick Cavett (Brief Encounters), Jimmy Carter (A Full Life) and Janis Ian & Jean Smart (Patience and Sarah). In the category of best comedy album, Louis C.K.’s Live at Madison Square Garden is up against Lisa Lampanelli’sBack to the Drawing Board, Wyatt Cenac’s Brooklyn, Jay Mohr’s Happy. And A Lot. and Craig Ferguson’s Just Being Honest.

The first batch of nominees was announced on CBS This Morning with the full list released later on Monday.

The 58th annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET, live from L.A.’s Staples Center.

The full list of Grammy nominees follows.

General Field
Category 1 – Record Of The Year
(Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist.)

• Really Love
D’Angelo And The Vanguard
D’Angelo, producer; Russell Elevado & Ben Kane, engineers/mixers; Dave Collins, mastering engineer
Track from: Black Messiah
[RCA Records]

• Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Jeff Bhasker, Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson, producers; Josh Blair, Serban Ghenea, Wayne Gordon, John Hanes, Inaam Haq, Boo Mitchell, Charles Moniz & Mark Ronson, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Track from: Uptown Special
[RCA Records]

• Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran
Jake Gosling, producer; Jake Gosling, Mark ‘Spike’ Stent & Geoff Swan, engineers/mixers; Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineer
Track from: X
[Atlantic]

• Blank Space
Taylor Swift
Max Martin & Shellback, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Sam Holland & Michael Ilbert, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Track from: 1989
[Big Machine Records]

• Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd
Max Martin & Ali Payami, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Sam Holland, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
[Republic]

General Field
Category 2 – Album Of The Year
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.)

• Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes
Alabama Shakes & Blake Mills, producers; Shawn Everett, engineer/mixer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer
[ATO Records]

• To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Bilal, George Clinton, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat & Anna Wise, featured artists; Taz Arnold, Boi-1Da, Ronald Colson, Larrance Dopson, Flying Lotus, Fredrik “Tommy Black” Halldin, Knxwledge, Koz, Lovedragon, Terrace Martin, Rahki, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Thundercat, Whoarei & Pharrell Williams, producers; Derek “Mixedbyali” Ali, Thomas Burns, James “The White Black Man” Hunt, 9th Wonder & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
[TDE/Aftermath/Interscope]

• Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Dave Cobb & Chris Stapleton, producers; Vance Powell, engineer/mixer; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
[Mercury Nashville]

• 1989
Taylor Swift
Jack Antonoff, Nathan Chapman, Imogen Heap, Max Martin, Mattman & Robin, Ali Payami, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Ryan Tedder & Noel Zancanella, producers; Jack Antonoff, Mattias Bylund, Smith Carlson, Nathan Chapman, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Imogen Heap, Sam Holland, Michael Ilbert, Brendan Morawski, Laura Sisk & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
[Big Machine Records]

• Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd
Lana Del Rey, Labrinth & Ed Sheeran, featured artists; Dannyboystyles, Ben Diehl, Labrinth, Mano, Max Martin, Stephan Moccio, Carlo Montagnese, Ali Payami, The Pope, Jason Quenneville, Peter Svensson, Abel Tesfaye & Kanye West, producers; Jay Paul Bicknell, Mattias Bylund, Serban Ghenea, Noah Goldstein, John Hanes, Sam Holland, Jean Marie Horvat, Carlo Montagnese, Jason Quenneville & Dave Reitzas, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne & Dave Kutch, mastering engineers
[Republic]

General Field
Category 3 – Song Of The Year
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Alright
Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
[TDE/Aftermath/Interscope; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, SonyATV]

• Blank Space
Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
Track from: 1989
[Big Machine Records; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Taylor Swift Music/MXM admin. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Inc.]

• Girl Crush
Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Track from: Pain Killer
[Capitol Records Nashville; Publisher(s): Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Hoodie Songs, HillarodyRathbone Music admin. by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC]

• See You Again
Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
[Atlantic; Publisher(s): Artist Publishing Group West/J Franks Publishing/Andrew Cedar Publishing admin. by WB Music Corp./Wiz Khalifa Publishing admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Charlie Puth Music Publishing/Artist 101 Publishing Group admin. by Warner Chappell Music, Universal Pictures Music, UPG Music Publishing]

• Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
Track from: X
[Atlantic; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Music Publishing/BDi Music Limited]

General Field
Category 4 – Best New Artist
(For a new artist who releases, during the eligibility year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.)

• Courtney Barnett

• James Bay

• Sam Hunt

• Tori Kelly

• Meghan Trainor

Field 1 – Pop
Category 5 – Best Pop Solo Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.)

• Heartbeat Song
Kelly Clarkson
Track from: Piece By Piece
[RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited]

• Love Me Like You Do
Ellie Goulding
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
[Republic]

• Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran
Track from: X
[Atlantic]

• Blank Space
Taylor Swift
Track from: 1989
[Big Machine Records]

• Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd
Track from: Beauty Behind The Madness
[Republic]

Field 1 – Pop
Category 6 – Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.)

• Ship To Wreck
Florence + The Machine
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
[Republic]

• Sugar
Maroon 5
Track from: V
[222 Records/Interscope]

• Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Track from: Uptown Special
[RCA Records]

• Bad Blood
Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
[Big Machine Records]

• See You Again
Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth
Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
[Atlantic]

Field 1 – Pop
Category 7 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new traditional pop recordings.)

• The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern
Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap
[RPM Records/Columbia Records]

• Shadows In The Night
Bob Dylan
[Columbia]

• Stages
Josh Groban
[Reprise]

• No One Ever Tells You
Seth MacFarlane
[Republic]

• My Dream Duets
Barry Manilow (& Various Artists)
[Verve Music Group]

Field 1 – Pop
Category 8 – Best Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal pop recordings.)

• Piece By Piece
Kelly Clarkson
[19/RCA]

• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Florence + The Machine
[Republic]

• Uptown Special
Mark Ronson
[RCA Records]

• 1989
Taylor Swift
[Big Machine Records]

• Before This World
James Taylor
[Concord Records]

Field 2 – Dance/Electronic Music
Category 9 – Best Dance Recording
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.)

• We’re All We Need
Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
Andrew Bayer, Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, producers; Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, mixers
[Ultra/Anjunabeats]

• Go
The Chemical Brothers
Tom Rowlands & Ed Simons, producers; Steve Dub Jones & Tom Rowlands, mixers
[Astralwerks]

• Never Catch Me
Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Steven Ellison, producer; Kevin Marques Moo, mixer
Track from: You’re Dead!
[Warp Records]

• Runaway (U & I)
Galantis
Linus Eklöw, Christian Karlsson & Svidden, producers; Linus Eklöw, Niklas Flyckt & Christian Karlsson, mixers
Track from: Pharmacy
[Big Beat/Atlantic]

• Where Are Ü Now
Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber
Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, producers; Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, mixers
Track from: Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü
[Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic]

Field 2 – Dance/Electronic Music
Category 10 – Best Dance/Electronic Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)

• Our Love
Caribou
[Merge Records]

• Born In The Echoes
The Chemical Brothers
[Astralwerks]

• Caracal
Disclosure
[Capitol Records]

• In Colour
Jamie XX
[Young Turks Recordings]

• Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü
Skrillex And Diplo
[Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic]

Field 3 – Contemporary Instrumental Music Field
Category 11 – Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
(For albums containing approximately 51% or more playing time of instrumental material. For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings.)

• Guitar In The Space Age!
Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
[Okeh]

• Love Language
Wouter Kellerman
Wouter Kellerman
[Listen 2 Entertainment Group]

• Afrodeezia
Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller
[Blue Note Records]

• Sylva
Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest
Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest
[Impulse!]

• The Gospel According To Jazz, Chapter IV
Kirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum
[Mack Avenue Records]

Field 4 – Rock
Category 12 – Best Rock Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative rock recordings.)

• Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes
[ATO Records]

• What Kind Of Man
Florence + The Machine
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
[Republic]

• Something From Nothing
Foo Fighters
Track from: Sonic Highways
[RCA Records]

• Ex’s & Oh’s
Elle King
Track from: Love Stuff
[RCA Records]

• Moaning Lisa Smile
Wolf Alice
Track from: My Love Is Cool
[RCA Records/Dirty Hit]

Field 4 – Rock
Category 13 – Best Metal Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative metal recordings.)

• Identity
August Burns Red
[Fearless Records]

• Cirice
Ghost
[Loma Vista Recordings]

• 512
Lamb Of God
Track from: VII: Sturm Und Drang
[Epic Records]

• Thank You
Sevendust
[7Bros Records]

• Custer
Slipknot
Track from: .5: The Gray Chapter
[Roadrunner Records]

Field 4 – Rock
Category 14 – Best Rock Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes, songwriters (Alabama Shakes)
[ATO Records; Publisher(s): Alabama Shakes Publishing/Break Mirrors Music]

• Ex’s & Oh’s
Dave Bassett & Elle King, songwriters (Elle King)
Track from: Love Stuff
[RCA Records; Publisher(s): Elle King Music/EMI Music Publishing, Inc./Bassett Songs/EMI April Music, Inc.]

• Hold Back The River
Iain Archer & James Bay, songwriters (James Bay)
Track from: Chaos And The Calm
[Republic; Publisher(s): B-Unique/Kobalt/Iain Archer/Kobalt]

• Lydia
Richard Meyer, Ryan Meyer & Johnny Stevens, songwriters (Highly Suspect)
Track from: Mister Asylum
[300 Entertainment; Publisher(s): MCID]

• What Kind Of Man
John Hill, Tom Hull & Florence Welch, songwriters (Florence + The Machine)
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
[Republic; Publisher(s): Rodeoman Music/EMI April Music/Universal Music Publishing]

Field 4 – Rock
Category 15 – Best Rock Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new rock, hard rock or metal recordings.)

• Chaos And The Calm
James Bay
[Republic]

• Kintsugi
Death Cab For Cutie
[Atlantic]

• Mister Asylum
Highly Suspect
[300 Entertainment]

• Drones
Muse
[Warner Bros. Records]

• .5: The Gray Chapter
Slipknot
[Roadrunner Records]

Field 5 – Alternative
Category 16 – Best Alternative Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

• Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes
[ATO Records]

• Vulnicura
Björk
[One Little Indian]

• The Waterfall
My Morning Jacket
[Capitol Records]

• Currents
Tame Impala
[Interscope]

• Star Wars
Wilco
[Anti/Dbpm]

Field 6 – R&B
Category 17 – Best R&B Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental R&B recordings.)

• If I Don’t Have You
Tamar Braxton
Track from: Calling All Lovers
[Epic Records]

• Rise Up
Andra Day
Track from: Cheers To The Fall
[Warner Bros. Records]

• Breathing Underwater
Hiatus Kaiyote
Track from: Choose Your Weapon
[Flying Buddha / Sony Masterworks]

• Planes
Jeremih Featuring J. Cole
[Def Jam Recordings]

• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
The Weeknd
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
[Universal Studios/Republic Records]

Field 6 – R&B
Category 18 – Best Traditional R&B Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental traditional R&B recordings.)

• He Is
Faith Evans
Track from: Incomparable
[Prolific Music Group/BMG]

• Little Ghetto Boy
Lalah Hathaway
[Entertainment One/8Th Floor]

• Let It Burn
Jazmine Sullivan
Track from: Reality Show
[RCA Records]

• Shame
Tyrese
[Voltron Recordz]

• My Favorite Part Of You
Charlie Wilson
Track from: Forever Charlie
[RCA Records]

Field 6 – R&B
Category 19 – Best R&B Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Coffee
Brook Davis & Miguel Pimentel, songwriters (Miguel)
Track from: Wildheart
[RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment; Publisher(s): Art Dealer Chic, Pop Killer/Dleaurean]

• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
[Universal Studios/Republic Records; Publisher(s): SONGS Music Publishing, LLC, o/b/o Songs Of SMP, Songs Of Universal, Inc. and Sing Little Penguin, Universal Music Corp, CP Music Group, Inc., Universal Pictures Music and UPG Music Publishing]

• Let It Burn
Kenny B. Edmonds, Jazmine Sullivan & Dwane M. Weir II, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Reality Show
[RCA Records; Publisher(s): JazLady Publishing, Dwane M. Weir II/Sean Michael Anderson Music LLC/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Sony/ATV Songs LLC]

• Really Love
D’Angelo & Kendra Foster, songwriters (D’Angelo And The Vanguard)
Track from: Black Messiah
[RCA Records; Publisher(s): Ah Choo Music Publishing/12:00 AM Music admin. by Universal Polygram International Publishing, Ear Kandy Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.]

• Shame
Warryn Campbell, Tyrese Gibson & DJ Rogers Jr, songwriters (Tyrese)
[Voltron Recordz; Publisher(s): Peer Music/Sounds From The Soul/Campbell Kids Music/Warner Chappell/@PenTorious D.J. Rogers Jr. Sounds From The Soul/Gibson & Gibson Music Publishing]

Field 6 – R&B
Category 20 – Best Urban Contemporary Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded contemporary vocal tracks derivative of R&B.)

• Ego Death
The Internet
[Odd Future/Columbia]

• You Should Be Here
Kehlani
[Tsunami Mob/Atlantic]

• Blood
Lianne La Havas
[Nonesuch]

• Wildheart
Miguel
[RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment]

• Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd
[Republic]

Field 6 – R&B
Category 21 – Best R&B Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new R&B recordings.)

• Coming Home
Leon Bridges
[Columbia Records]

• Black Messiah
D’Angelo And The Vanguard
[RCA Records]

• Cheers To The Fall
Andra Day
[Warner Bros. Records]

• Reality Show
Jazmine Sullivan
[RCA Records]

• Forever Charlie
Charlie Wilson
[RCA Records]

Field 7 – Rap
Category 22 – Best Rap Performance
(For a Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

• Apparently
J. Cole
Track from: 2014 Forest Hills Drive
[Roc Nation/Columbia Records]

• Back To Back
Drake
[Cash Money Records]

• Trap Queen
Fetty Wap
Track from: Fetty Wap
[300 Entertainment/RGF Productions]

• Alright
Kendrick Lamar
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
[Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath Records/Interscope Records]

• Truffle Butter
Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
Track from: The Pinkprint
[Young Money/Cash Money]

• All Day
Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney
[Def Jam Recordings]

Field 7 – Rap
Category 23 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
(For a newly recorded Rap/Sung collaborative performance by artists who do not normally perform together.)

• One Man Can Change The World
Big Sean Featuring Kanye West & John Legend
Track from: Dark Sky Paradise
[Universal/Def Jam]

• Glory
Common & John Legend
[Def Jam Recordings]

• Classic Man
Jidenna Featuring Roman GianArthur
[Epic Records]

• These Walls
Kendrick Lamar Featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
[Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath Records/Interscope Records]

• Only
Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown
Track from: The Pinkprint
[Young Money/Cash Money]

Field 7 – Rap
Category 24 – Best Rap Song
(A song must contain music and lyrics and must be either a new song or a song first achieving prominence during the eligibility year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))

• All Day
Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)
[Def Jam Recordings; Publisher(s): Please Gimme My Publishing/EMI Blackwood Music Inc./MPL Communications Inc./TYLER BRANT PUBLISHING/WB Music Corp./ Hard Working Black Folks Inc./Top Dawg Music/Excuse My French Music/EMI Blackwood Music Inc./Monarch Music/Abou Thiam Publishing/Victor Kwesi Mensah Publishing Designee/ALLEN KYARIGA/EMI Blackwood Music o/b/o Papa George Publishing/Kaya and Ethan Music/Primary Wave Brian/Noah Goldstein admin. by Reach Music Publishing/Ritter Boy LLC/Mario Winans Publishing Designee/Broken Locks/Songs of Universal Inc./Jabriel Iz Myne /Universal Music/Patrick Reynolds Publishing Designee/Smooth Thug Music/Noel Ellis Publishing Designee/Justin Combs Music Publishing administered by EMI April Music]

• Alright
Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
[TDE/Aftermath/Interscope; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, SonyATV]

• Energy
Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O’Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters (Drake)
Track from: If Youre Reading This Its Too Late
[Young Money/Cash Money; Publisher(s): Sandra Gale/EMI Music Publishing, 1damentional publishing LLC/Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC, Matthew O’Brien/otek north/WB Music Corp./Jack Russell Music Ltd./Notting Hill Music Ltd.]

• Glory
Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
Track from: Selma (Music From The Motion Picture)
[Universal/Def Jam; Publisher(s): Paramount Pictures/Pathe Productions Limited]

• Trap Queen
Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters (Fetty Wap)
Track from: Fetty Wap
[300 Entertainment/RGF Productions; Publisher(s): RGF Publishing, Zoovier, BMG Gold Songs, Tony Fadd Beats]

Field 7 – Rap
Category 25 – Best Rap Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new rap recordings.)

• 2014 Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole
[Roc Nation/Columbia Records]

• Compton
Dr. Dre
[Aftermath/Interscope]

• If Youre Reading This Its Too Late
Drake
[Cash Money/Young Money]

• To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
[Aftermath/Interscope]

• The Pinkprint
Nicki Minaj
[Young Money/Cash Money]

Field 8 – Country
Category 26 – Best Country Solo Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental solo country recordings.)

• Burning House
Cam
Track from: Welcome To Cam Country
[Sony Music Entertainment]

• Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Track from: Traveller
[Mercury Nashville]

• Little Toy Guns
Carrie Underwood
Track from: Greatest Hits: Decade #1
[19 Recordings/Arista Nashville]

• John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
Keith Urban
[Capitol Records Nashville]

• Chances Are
Lee Ann Womack
Track from: The Way I’m Livin’
[Sugar Hill Records]

Field 8 – Country
Category 27 – Best Country Duo/Group Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative country recordings.)

• Stay A Little Longer
Brothers Osborne
[EMI Records Nashville]

• If I Needed You
Joey+Rory
Track from: Country Classics
[Gaither Music Group]

• The Driver
Charles Kelley, Dierks Bentley & Eric Paslay
[Capitol Records Nashville]

• Girl Crush
Little Big Town
Track from: Pain Killer
[Capitol Records Nashville]

• Lonely Tonight
Blake Shelton Featuring Ashley Monroe
[Warner Bros]

Field 8 – Country
Category 28 – Best Country Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Chances Are
Hayes Carll, songwriter (Lee Ann Womack)
Track from: The Way I’m Livin’
[Sugar Hill Records; Publisher(s): Highway 87 Music admin. by BMG/Chrysalis]

• Diamond Rings And Old Barstools
Barry Dean, Luke Laird & Jonathan Singleton, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
Track from: Sundown Heaven Town
[Big Machine Records/McGraw Music; Publisher(s): Songs of Universal, Inc./Creative Nation Music/Twangin and Slangin Songs/Country Paper/Pulse Nation/BMG Gold Songs /Glassbean/We Jam Writers Group]

• Girl Crush
Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Track from: Pain Killer
[Capitol Records Nashville; Publisher(s): Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Hoodie Songs, HillarodyRathbone Music admin. by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC]

• Hold My Hand
Brandy Clark & Mark Stephen Jones, songwriters (Brandy Clark)
Track from: 12 Stories
[Warner Bros Records; Publisher(s): Songs of Parallel/Vista Loma Music admin. by Amplified Administration and Harlan Howard Songs]

• Traveller
Chris Stapleton, songwriter (Chris Stapleton)
Track from: Traveller
[Mercury Nashville; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp./Ken Tucky Music]

Field 8 – Country
Category 29 – Best Country Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new country recordings.)

• Montevallo
Sam Hunt
[MCA Nashville]

• Pain Killer
Little Big Town
[Capitol Records Nashville]

• The Blade
Ashley Monroe
[Warner Bros.]

• Pageant Material
Kacey Musgraves
[Mercury Nashville]

• Traveller
Chris Stapleton
[Mercury Records]

Field 9 – New Age
Category 30 – Best New Age Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental new age recordings.)

• Grace
Paul Avgerinos
[Round Sky Music]

• Bhakti Without Borders
Madi Das
[Kuli Mela]

• Voyager
Catherine Duc
[MG Music Ltd]

• Love
Peter Kater
[Mysterium Music]

• Asia Beauty
Ron Korb
[Humbledragon]

Field 10 – Jazz
Category 31 – Best Improvised Jazz Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter’s name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)

• Giant Steps
Joey Alexander, soloist
Track from: My Favorite Things
[Motema Music]

• Cherokee
Christian McBride, soloist
Track from: Live At The Village Vanguard (Christian McBride Trio)
[Mack Avenue Records]

• Arbiters Of Evolution
Donny McCaslin, soloist
Track from: The Thompson Fields (Maria Schneider Orchestra)
[ArtistShare]

• Friend Or Foe
Joshua Redman, soloist
Track from: The Bad Plus Joshua Redman (The Bad Plus Joshua Redman)
[Nonesuch]

• Past Present
John Scofield, soloist
Track from: Past Present
[Impulse!]

Field 10 – Jazz
Category 32 – Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal jazz recordings.)

• Many A New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein
Karrin Allyson
[Motema Music]

• Find A Heart
Denise Donatelli
[Savant Records]

• Flirting With Disaster
Lorraine Feather
[Jazzed Media]

• Jamison
Jamison Ross
[Concord Jazz]

• For One To Love
Cécile McLorin Salvant
[Mack Avenue Records]

Field 10 – Jazz
Category 33 – Best Jazz Instrumental Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.)

• My Favorite Things
Joey Alexander
[Motema Music]

• Breathless
Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
[Blue Note Records]

• Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios
Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
[Blue Note Records]

• Beautiful Life
Jimmy Greene
[Mack Avenue Records]

• Past Present
John Scofield
[Impulse!]

Field 10 – Jazz
Category 34 – Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new ensemble jazz recordings.)

• Lines Of Color
Gil Evans Project
[Blue Note/ArtistShare]

• Köln
Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band
[Alternate Side Records]

• Cuba: The Conversation Continues
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
[Motema Music]

• The Thompson Fields
Maria Schneider Orchestra
[ArtistShare]

• Home Suite Home
Patrick Williams
[BFM Jazz]

Field 10 – Jazz
Category 35 – Best Latin Jazz Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.)

• Made In Brazil
Eliane Elias
[Concord Jazz]

• Impromptu
The Rodriguez Brothers
[Criss Cross Jazz]

• Suite Caminos
Gonzalo Rubalcaba
[5Passion]

• Intercambio
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet
[Patois Records]

• Identities Are Changeable
Miguel Zenón
[Miel Music]

Field 11 – Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music
Category 36 – Best Gospel Performance/Song
(This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best traditional Christian, roots gospel or contemporary gospel single or track.)

• Worth [Live]
Anthony Brown & Group Therapy
Anthony Brown & Group Therapy; Anthony Brown, songwriter
Track from: Everyday Jesus [Live]
[Tyscot Records; Publisher(s): Key Of A Music/Tyscot Music]

• Wanna Be Happy?
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
[RCA Records/Fo Yo Soul Recordings; Publisher(s): Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing admin. by Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs and Irving Music, Inc. admin. by Universal Music Publishing]

• Intentional
Travis Greene
Travis Greene; Travis Greene, songwriter
[RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Greenlight InternationalVNavidavi Music]

• How Awesome Is Our God [Live]
Israel & Newbreed Featuring Yolanda Adams
Israel & Newbreed Featuring Yolanda Adams; Neville Diedericks, Israel Houghton & Meleasa Houghton, songwriters
Track from: Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
[RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Integrity’s Praise! Music, RGM-Newbreed Publishing, Sound Of The New Breed, Aaron Lindsey Publishing, CCMG Publishing, Neville D. Publishing]

• Worth Fighting For [Live]
Brian Courtney Wilson
Brian Courtney Wilson; Aaron Lindsey & Brian Courtney Wilson, songwriters
Track from: Worth Fighting For [Live]
[Motown Gospel; Publisher(s): ACER/Aaron Lindsey Music/Capitol Christian Music Publishing admin. by Capitol CMG]

Field 11 – Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music
Category 37 – Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
(This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best contemporary Christian pop, Christian rap/hip-hop, or Christian rock single or track.)

• Holy Spirit
Francesca Battistelli
Francesca Battistelli
Track from: If We’re Honest (Deluxe Edition)
[Fervent/Curb/Word]

• Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)
Crowder
Crowder; Ed Cash, David Crowder & Seth Philpott, songwriters
Track from: Neon Steeple (Deluxe Edition)
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records; Publisher(s): sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Songs/Worship Together Music admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Alletrop Music]

• Because He Lives (Amen)
Matt Maher
Matt Maher
Track from: Saints And Sinners
[Essential Records/Provident Label Group]

• Soul On Fire
Third Day Featuring All Sons & Daughters
Third Day Featuring All Sons & Daughters; Tai Anderson, Brenton Brown, David Carr, Mark Lee, Matt Maher & Mac Powell, songwriters
Track from: Lead Us Back: Songs Of Worship (Deluxe)
[Essential Records/Provident Label Group; Publisher(s): DATAMAMA MUSIC, Thankyou Music, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, I Am A Pilgrim Songs]

• Feel It
Tobymac Featuring Mr. Talkbox
Tobymac Featuring Mr. Talkbox; Cary Barlowe, David Arthur Garcia & Toby McKeehan, songwriters
[ForeFront Records; Publisher(s): Achtober Songs/Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing/D Soul Music admin. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Castle Bound Music, Inc./We Be Pawtying]

Field 11 – Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music
Category 38 – Best Gospel Album
(This award is given to the artist(s) and any producer(s) or engineer(s) responsible for at least 51% playing time of an album containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional or contemporary/R&B gospel music recordings.)

• Destined To Win [Live]
Karen Clark Sheard
[Karew Records/Entertainment One]

• Living It
Dorinda Clark-Cole
[Entertainment One/Light Records]

• One Place Live
Tasha Cobbs
[Motown Gospel]

• Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Israel & Newbreed
[RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration]

• Life Music: Stage Two
Jonathan McReynolds
[Entertainment One/Tehillah Music]

Field 11 – Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music
Category 39 – Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
(This award is given to the artist(s) and any producer(s) or engineer(s) responsible for at least 51% playing time of an album containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, contemporary Christian music, including pop, rap/hip-hop, or rock recordings. (Subject to eligibility criteria))

• Whatever The Road
Jason Crabb
[Reunion Records/Provident Label Group]

• How Can It Be
Lauren Daigle
[Centricity Music]

• Saints And Sinners
Matt Maher
[Essential Records/Provident Label Group]

• This Is Not A Test
Tobymac
[ForeFront Records]

• Love Ran Red
Chris Tomlin
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]

Field 11 – Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music
Category 40 – Best Roots Gospel Album
(This award is given to the artist(s) and any producer(s) or engineer(s) responsible for at least 51% playing time of an album containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional/roots gospel music, including country, Southern gospel, bluegrass, and Americana recordings. (Subject to eligibility criteria))

• Still Rockin’ My Soul
The Fairfield Four
The Fairfield Four
[Fairfield Four Records]

• Pray Now
Karen Peck & New River
Karen Peck & New River
[Daywind Records]

• Directions Home (Songs We Love, Songs You Know)
Point Of Grace
Point Of Grace
[Word/Curb]

Field 12 – Latin
Category 41 – Best Latin Pop Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new Latin pop recordings.)

• Terral
Pablo Alborán
[Warner Music Latina]

• Healer
Alex Cuba
[Caracol Records]

• A Quien Quiera Escuchar  (Deluxe Edition)
Ricky Martin
[Sony Music Latin]

• Sirope
Alejandro Sanz
[Universal Music Latino]

• Algo Sucede
Julieta Venegas
[Sony Music Latin]

Field 12 – Latin
Category 42 – Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new Latin rock, urban or alternative recordings.)

• Amanecer
Bomba  Estereo
[Sony Music Latin]

• Mondongo
La Cuneta Son Machín
[Round Whirled Records]

• Hasta La Raíz
Natalia Lafourcade
[Sony Music Latin]

• Caja De Música
Monsieur Periné
[Sony Music Entertainment]

• Dale
Pitbull
[Mr. 305 / Sony Music Latin]

Field 12 – Latin
Category 43 – Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new regional Mexican (banda, norteño, corridos, gruperos, mariachi, ranchera and Tejano) recordings.)

• Mi Vicio Mas Grande
Banda El Recodo De Don Cruz Lizarraga
[Fonovisa]

• Ya Dime Adiós
La Maquinaria Norteña
[Fonovisa]

• Zapateando
Los Cojolites
[Round Whirled Records]

• Realidades – Deluxe Edition
Los Tigres Del Norte
[Fonovisa]

• Tradición, Arte Y Pasión
Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

Field 12 – Latin
Category 44 – Best Tropical Latin Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new tropical Latin recordings.)

• Tributo A Los Compadres: No Quiero Llanto
José Alberto “El Canario” & Septeto Santiaguero
[Los Canarios Music]

• Son De Panamá
Rubén Blades With Roberto Delgado & Orchestra
[Ruben Blades Productions]

• Presente Continuo
Guaco
[Latin Pulse / Sony Music Latin]

• Todo Tiene Su Hora
Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
[Universal Music Latino/Capital Latin]

• Que Suenen Los Tambores
Victor Manuelle
[Kiyavi / Sony Music Latin]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 45 – Best American Roots Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental American Roots recordings.  This is for performances in the style of any of the subgenres encompassed in the American Roots Music field including Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots. Award to the artist(s).)

• And Am I Born To Die
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Track from: Béla Fleck And Abigail Washburn
[Rounder]

• Born To Play Guitar
Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
Track from: Born To Play Guitar
[RCA Records/Silvertone Records]

• City Of Our Lady
The Milk Carton Kids
The Milk Carton Kids
Track from: Monterey
[Anti]

• Julep
Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers
Track from: The Phosphorescent Blues
[Nonesuch]

• See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
Track from: Your Good Fortune
[Anti]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 46 – Best American Roots Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• All Night Long
The Mavericks
Raul Malo, songwriter (The Mavericks)
Track from: Mono
[The Valory Music Co.; Publisher(s): Big Machine Music/Raul Malo Music]

• The Cost Of Living
Don Henley & Merle Haggard
Don Henley & Stan Lynch, songwriters (Don Henley & Merle Haggard)
Track from: Cass County
[Capitol Records; Publisher(s): Wisteria Music (GMR) admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Matanzas Music]

• Julep
Punch Brothers
Chris Eldridge, Paul Kowert, Noam Pikelny, Chris Thile & Gabe Witcher, songwriters (Punch Brothers)
Track from: The Phosphorescent Blues
[Nonesuch; Publisher(s): Chris Thile Music, Money Baby Music, Noam Tunes, Silver Hammer Music, Paul Kowert]

• The Traveling Kind
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Cory Chisel, Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, songwriters (Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell)
Track from: The Traveling Kind
[Nonesuch; Publisher(s): Criterion Music o/b/o Coolwell Music/Almo Music Corp. o/b/o Poodlebone Music/Chisel Publishing]

• 24 Frames
Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)
Track from: Something More Than Free
[Southeastern Records; Publisher(s): Songs Of Emchant]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 47 – Best Americana Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Americana recordings.)

• The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Brandi Carlile
[ATO Records]

• The Traveling Kind
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
[Nonesuch]

• Something More Than Free
Jason Isbell
[Southeastern Records]

• Mono
The Mavericks
[The Valory Music Co.]

• The Phosphorescent Blues
Punch Brothers
[Nonesuch]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 48 – Best Bluegrass Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.)

• Pocket Full Of Keys
Dale Ann Bradley
[Pinecastle Records]

• Before The Sun Goes Down
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
[Compass Records Group]

• In Session
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
[Mountain Home Music Company]

• Man Of Constant Sorrow
Ralph Stanley & Friends
[Red River Entertainment]

• The Muscle Shoals Recordings
The Steeldrivers
[Rounder]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 49 – Best Blues Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental blues recordings.)

• Descendants Of Hill Country
Cedric Burnside Project
[Cedric Burnside Project]

• Outskirts Of Love
Shemekia Copeland
[Alligator Records]

• Born To Play Guitar
Buddy Guy
[RCA Records/Silvertone Records]

• Worthy
Bettye LaVette
[Cherry Red]

• Muddy Waters 100
John Primer & Various Artists
[Raisin Music Records]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 50 – Best Folk Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental folk recordings.)

• Wood, Wire & Words
Norman Blake
[Plectrafone Records]

• Béla Fleck And Abigail Washburn
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
[Rounder]

• Tomorrow Is My Turn
Rhiannon Giddens
[Nonesuch]

• Servant Of Love
Patty Griffin
[PGM]

• Didn’t He Ramble
Glen Hansard
[Anti]

Field 13 – American Roots Music
Category 51 – Best Regional Roots Music Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental regional roots music recordings.)

• Go Go Juice
Jon Cleary
[FHQ Records]

• La La La La
Natalie Ai Kamauu
[KEKO Records]

• Kawaiokalena
Keali’i Reichel
[Punahele Productions]

• Get Ready
The Revelers
[The Revelers]

• Generations
Windwalker And The MCW
[MCW Productions / PK Productions LLC]

Field 14 – Reggae
Category 52 – Best Reggae Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new reggae recordings.)

• Branches Of The Same Tree
Rocky Dawuni
[Cumbancha]

• The Cure
Jah Cure
[VP Records]

• Acousticalevy
Barrington Levy
[Doctor Dread Presents]

• Zion Awake
Luciano
[Vpal Music]

• Strictly Roots
Morgan Heritage
[CTBC Music Group]

Field 15 – World Music
Category 53 – Best World Music Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental world music recordings.)

• Gilbertos Samba Ao Vivo
Gilberto Gil
[Masterworks]

• Sings
Angelique Kidjo
[429 Records]

• Music From Inala
Ladysmith Black Mambazo With Ella Spira & The Inala Ensemble
[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]

• Home
Anoushka Shankar
[Deutsche Grammophon]

• I Have No Everything Here
Zomba Prison Project
[Six Degrees]

Field 16 – Children’s
Category 54 – Best Children’s Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new musical or spoken word recordings that are created and intended specifically for children.)

• ¡Come Bien! Eat Right!
José-Luis Orozco
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

• Dark Pie Concerns
Gustafer Yellowgold
[Apple-Eye Productions]

• Home
Tim Kubart
[Tim And The Space Cadets]

• How Great Can This Day Be
Lori Henriques
[Human Puppy Records]

• Trees
Molly Ledford & Billy Kelly
[Yay! Music]

Field 17 – Spoken Word
Category 55 – Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)

• Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø)
Patti Smith
[Random House Audio]

• Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks
Dick Cavett
[Macmillan Audio]

• A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety
Jimmy Carter
[Simon & Schuster Audio]

• Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller)
Janis Ian & Jean Smart
[Audible Studios]

• Yes Please
Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)
[HarperAudio]

Field 18 – Comedy
Category 56 – Best Comedy Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings.)

• Back To The Drawing Board
Lisa Lampanelli
[Comedy Dynamics]

• Brooklyn
Wyatt Cenac
[Other Music Recording]

• Happy. And A Lot.
Jay Mohr
[Lolflix Inc.]

• Just Being Honest
Craig Ferguson
[Lionsgate Records]

• Live At Madison Square Garden
Louis C.K.
[Comedy Dynamics]

Field 19 – Musical Theater
Category 57 – Best Musical Theater Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings. Award to the principle vocalist(s) and the album producer(s) of 51% or more playing time of the album. The lyricist(s) and composer(s) of a new score are eligible for an Award if they have written and/or composed a new score which comprises 51% or more playing time of the album.)

• An American In Paris
Leanne Cope, Max Von Essen, Robert Fairchild, Jill Paice & Brandon Uranowitz, principal soloists; Rob Fisher & Scott Lehrer, producers (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
[Masterworks Broadway]

• Fun Home
Michael Cerveris, Judy Kuhn, Sydney Lucas, Beth Malone & Emily Skeggs, principal soloists; Philip Chaffin & Tommy Krasker, producers (Jeanine Tesori, composer; Lisa Kron, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
[PS Classics]

• Hamilton
Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos & Phillipa Soo, principal soloists; Alex Lacamoire, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bill Sherman, Ahmir Thompson & Tarik Trotter, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
[Atlantic]

• The King And I
Ruthie Ann Miles, Kelli O’Hara, Ashley Park, Conrad Ricamora & Ken Watanabe, principal soloists; David Caddick, David Lai & Ted Sperling, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2015 Broadway Cast)
[Universal Music Classics]

• Something Rotten!
Heidi Blickenstaff, Christian Borle, John Cariani, Brian d’Arcy James, Brad Oscar & Kate Reinders, principal soloists; Kurt Deutsch, Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Lawrence Manchester, Kevin McCollum & Phil Reno, producers; Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick, composers/lyricists (Originial Broadway Cast)
[Ghostlight]

Field 20 – Music for Visual Media
Category 58 – Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
(Award to the artist(s) and/or ‘in studio’ producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album.  In the absence of both, award to the one or two individuals proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. Award also goes to appropriately credited music supervisor(s).)

• Empire: Season 1
(Various Artists)
[Columbia]

• Fifty Shades Of Grey
(Various Artists)
[Republic Records]

• Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
(Various Artists)
[Big Machine Records]

• Pitch Perfect 2
(Various Artists)
[Universal Music Enterprises/Republic Records]

• Selma
(Various Artists)
[Paramount Pictures/Pathé Productions]

Field 20 – Music for Visual Media
Category 59 – Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
(Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series, video games or other visual media.)

• Birdman
Antonio Sanchez, composer
[Milan Records]

• The Imitation Game
Alexandre Desplat, composer
[Sony Classical]

• Interstellar
Hans Zimmer, composer
[WaterTower Music]

• The Theory Of Everything
Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
[Back Lot Music]

• Whiplash
Justin Hurwitz, composer
[Varèse Sarabande]

Field 20 – Music for Visual Media
Category 60 – Best Song Written For Visual Media
(A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television, video games or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey
[Universal Studios/Republic Records; Publisher(s): SONGS Music Publishing, LLC, o/b/o Songs Of SMP, Songs Of Universal, Inc. and Sing Little Penguin, Universal Music Corp, CP Music Group, Inc., Universal Pictures Music and UPG Music Publishing]

• Glory
Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
Track from: Selma
[Def Jam/ARTium Records; Publisher(s): Paramount Pictures/Pathé Productions Limited]

• Love Me Like You Do
Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey
[Republic Records; Publisher(s): MXM admin. by Kobalt, Wolf Cousin/Warner/Chappell Music SCAND, Shellbeck Industries, Universal Pictures Music]

• See You Again
Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
Track from: Furious 7
[Atlantic; Publisher(s): Artist Publishing Group West/J Franks Publishing/Andrew Cedar Publishing admin. by WB Music Corp./Wiz Khalifa Publishing admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Charlie Puth Music Publishing/Artist 101 Publishing Group admin. by Warner Chappell Music, Universal Pictures Music, UPG Music Publishing]

• Til It Happens To You
Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
Track from: The Hunting Ground
[Streamline/Interscope; Publisher(s): Diane Warren Trust d/b/a REALSONGS/Sony ATV songs LLC/House of Gaga Publishing Inc./GloJoe Music Inc.]

Field 21 – Composing/Arranging
Category 61 – Best Instrumental Composition
(A Composer’s Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.)

• The Afro Latin Jazz Suite
Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa)
Track from: Cuba: The Conversation Continues
[Motema Music]

• Civil War
Bob Mintzer, composer (Bob Mintzer Big Band)
Track from: Get Up!
[MCG Jazz]

• Confetti Man
David Balakrishnan, composer (Turtle Island Quartet)
Track from: Confetti Man
[Azica Records]

• Neil
Rich DeRosa, composer (University Of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band)
Track from: Lab 2015
[North Texas Jazz]

• Vesper
Marshall Gilkes, composer (Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band)
Track from: Köln
[Alternate Side Records]

Field 21 – Composing/Arranging
Category 62 – Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
(An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Bruno Mars
Paul Allen, Troy Hayes, Evin Martin & J Moss, arrangers (Vocally Challenged)
[PMG Records]

• Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado & Kevin Olusola, arrangers (Pentatonix)
Track from: That’s Christmas To Me
[RCA Records]

• Do You Hear What I Hear?
Armand Hutton, arranger (Committed)
Track from: Home For Christmas
[Mixed Bag Music Group, LLC.]

• Ghost Of A Chance
Bob James, arranger (Bob James & Nathan East)
Track from: The New Cool
[Yamaha Entertainment Group Of America]

• You And The Night And The Music
John Fedchock, arranger (John Fedchock New York Big Band)
Track from: Like It Is
[Mama Records]

Field 21 – Composing/Arranging
Category 63 – Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
(An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Be My Muse
Shelly Berg, arranger (Lorraine Feather)
[Jazzed Media]

• 52nd & Broadway
Patrick Williams, arranger (Patrick Williams Featuring Patti Austin)
Track from: Home Suite Home
[BFM Jazz]

• Garota De Ipanema
Otmaro Ruiz, arranger (Catina DeLuna Featuring Otmaro Ruiz)
Track from: Catina Deluna Lado B Brazilian Project Featuring Otmaro Ruiz
[Catina DeLuna]

• Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)
Maria Schneider, arranger (David Bowie)
Track from: Nothing Has Changed
[Legacy/Columbia]

• When I Come Home
Jimmy Greene, arranger (Jimmy Greene With Javier Colon)
Track from: Beautiful Life
[Mack Avenue Records]

Field 22 – Package
Category 64 – Best Recording Package

• Alagoas
Alex Trochut, art director (Alagoas)
[Better Problems]

• Bush
Anita Marisa Boriboon, art director (Snoop Dogg)
[Doggy Style/ Iamother/ Columbia Records]

• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Deluxe Edition)
Brian Roettinger, art director (Florence + The Machine)
[Republic]

• My Happiness
Nathanio Strimpopulos, art director (Elvis Presley)
[Third Man Records]

• Still The King: Celebrating The Music Of Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves, art directors (Asleep At The Wheel)
[Bismeaux Records]

Field 22 – Package
Category 65 – Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package

• Beneath The Skin (Deluxe Box Set)
Leif Podhajsky, art director (Of Monsters And Men)
[Republic]

• I Love You, Honeybear (Limited Edition Deluxe Vinyl)
Sasha Barr & Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty)
[Sub Pop]

• The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)
Susan Archie, Dean Blackwood & Jack White, art directors (Various Artists)
[Third Man Records / Revenant Records]

• Sticky Fingers (Super Deluxe Edition)
Stephen Kennedy & James Tilley, art directors (The Rolling Stones)
[Universal Music Enterprises, A Division Of UM]

• 30 Trips Around The Sun
Doran Tyson & Steve Vance, art directors (Grateful Dead)
[Rhino]

• What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World (Deluxe Box Set)
Jeri Heiden & Glen Nakasako, art directors (The Decemberists)
[Capitol Records]

Field 23 – Notes
Category 66 – Best Album Notes

• Folksongs Of Another America: Field Recordings From The Upper Midwest, 1937-1946
James P. Leary, album notes writer (Various Artists)
[Dust-To-Digital/University of Wisconsin Press]

• Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
Jeff Place, album notes writer (Lead Belly)
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

• Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be Danced
Joni Mitchell, album notes writer (Joni Mitchell)
[Rhino]

• Portrait Of An American Singer
Ted Olson, album notes writer (Tennessee Ernie Ford)
[Bear Family Productions]

• Songs Of The Night: Dance Recordings, 1916-1925
Ryan Barna, album notes writer (Joseph C. Smith’s Orchestra)
[Archeophone Records]

Field 24 – Historical
Category 67 – Best Historical Album

• The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11
Steve Berkowitz, Jan Haust & Jeff Rosen, compilation producers; Peter J. Moore, mastering engineer (Bob Dylan And The Band)
[Columbia/Legacy]

• The Complete Concert By The Sea
Geri Allen, Jocelyn Arem & Steve Rosenthal, compilation producers; Jessica Thompson, mastering engineer (Erroll Garner)
[Columbia/Legacy]

• Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, And Country 1966–1985
Kevin Howes, compilation producer; Greg Mindorff, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
[Light In The Attic Records]

• Parchman Farm: Photographs And Field Recordings, 1947–1959
Steven Lance Ledbetter & Nathan Salsburg, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
[Dust-To-Digital]

• Songs My Mother Taught Me
Mark Puryear, compilation producer; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Fannie Lou Hamer)
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

Field 25 – Production, Non-Classical
Category 68 – Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
(An Engineer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.))

• Before This World
Dave O’Donnell, engineer; Ted Jensen, mastering engineer (James Taylor)
[Concord Records]

• Currency Of Man
Maxime Le Guil, engineer; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Melody Gardot)
[Verve/Universal]

• Recreational Love
Greg Kurstin & Alex Pasco, engineers; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer (The Bird And The Bee)
[Rostrum Records]

• Sound & Color
Shawn Everett, engineer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Alabama Shakes)
[ATO Records]

• Wallflower
Steve Price, Jochem van der Saag & Jorge Vivo, engineers; Paul Blakemore, mastering engineer (Diana Krall)
[Verve Music Group/Universal]

Field 25 – Production, Non-Classical
Category 69 – Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
(A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.))

• Jeff Bhasker

• Ain’t Gonna Drown (Elle King) (T)

• Burning Doves (Mikky Ekko) (T)

• Burning House (Cam) (T)

• Grand Romantic (Nate Ruess) (A)

• Last Damn Night (Elle King) (T)

• Never Let You Down (Woodkid Featuring Lykke Li) (T)

• Runaway Train (Cam) (T)

• Uptown Special (Mark Ronson) (A)

• Dave Cobb

• Delilah (Anderson East) (A)

• Little Neon Limelight (Houndmouth) (A)

• Smoke (A Thousand Horses) (S)

• Something More Than Free (Jason Isbell) (A)

• Southernality (A Thousand Horses) (A)

• 3 (Honeyhoney) (A)

• Traveller (Chris Stapleton) (A)

• Diplo

• B**** I’m Madonna (Madonna Featuring Nicki Minaj) (S)

• Doctor Pepper (Diplo Featuring CL, Riff Raff & OG MacO) (S)

• Golden (Travie McCoy Featuring Sia) (S)

• Lean On (Major Lazer Featuring MØ & DJ Snake) (S)

• Peace Is The Mission (Major Lazer) (A)

• Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü (Skrillex And Diplo) (A)

• Where Are Ü Now (Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber) (T)

• Larry Klein

• Currency Of Man (Melody Gardot) (A)

• Freedom & Surrender (Lizz Wright) (A)

• Heartland (Indra Rios-Moore) (A)

• I’m Leaving You (Florence K) (A)

• Parker’s Place (Parker Bent) (A)

• Speaking In Tongues (Luciana Souza) (A)

• Tenderness (JD Souther) (A)

• Blake Mills

• Sound & Color (Alabama Shakes) (A)

Field 25 – Production, Non-Classical
Category 70 – Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
(A Remixer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses for identification.) Singles or Tracks only.)

• Berlin By Overnight (CFCF Remix)
CFCF, remixer (Daniel Hope)
Track from: Berlin By Overnight
[Deutsche Grammophon]

• Hold On (Fatum Remix)
Bill Hamel & Chad Newbold, remixers (JES, Shant, & Clint Maximus)
[Intonenation Records]

• Runaway (U & I) (Kaskade Remix)
Ryan Raddon, remixer (Galantis)
Track from: Runaway (U&I) Remixes
[Big Beat/Atlantic]

• Say My Name (RAC Remix)
André Allen Anjos, remixer (Odesza Featuring Zyra)
Track from: Say My Name Remixes
[Counter Records]

• Uptown Funk (Dave Audé Remix)
Dave Audé, remixer (Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars)
[RCA Records]

Field 26 – Surround Sound
Category 71 – Best Surround Sound Album
(Classical or non-classical. For vocal or instrumental albums in any genre. Must be commercially released on DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, SACD, Blu-Ray or surround download and must provide a new surround mix of four or more channels. Award to the surround mix engineer, surround producer (if any) and surround mastering engineer (if any).)

• Amdahl: Astrognosia & Aesop
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ingar Heine Bergby & Norwegian Radio Orchestra)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]

• Amused To Death
James Guthrie, surround mix engineer; James Guthrie & Joel Plante, surround mastering engineers; James Guthrie, surround producer (Roger Waters)
[Columbia/Legacy]

• Magnificat
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Øyvind Gimse, Anita Brevik, Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondheimsolistene)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]

• Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7
Erdo Groot, surround mix engineer; Erdo Groot, surround mastering engineer; Philip Traugott, surround producer (Paavo Järvi & Russian National Orchestra)
[Pentatone]

• Spes
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Tove Ramlo-Ystad & Cantus)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]

Field 27 – Production, Classical
Category 72 – Best Engineered Album, Classical
(An Engineer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))

• Ask Your Mama
Leslie Ann Jones, John Kilgore, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Justin Merrill, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (George Manahan & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)
[Avie Records]

• Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
Dmitriy Lipay, engineer; Alexander Lipay, mastering engineer (Ludovic Morlot, Augustin Hadelich & Seattle Symphony)
[Seattle Symphony Media]

• Monteverdi: Il Ritorno D’Ulisse In Patria
Robert Friedrich, engineer; Michael Bishop, mastering engineer (Martin Pearlman, Jennifer Rivera, Fernando Guimarães & Boston Baroque)
[Linn Records]

• Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Beyong Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Chorale & Kansas City Chorale)
[Chandos]

• Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3, ‘Organ’
Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
[Reference Recordings]

Field 27 – Production, Classical
Category 73 – Producer Of The Year, Classical
(A Producer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))

• Blanton Alspaugh

• Hill: Symphony No. 4; Concertino Nos. 1 & 2; Divertimento (Peter Bay, Anton Nel & Austin Symphony Orchestra)

• Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Chorale & Kansas City Chorale)

• Sacred Songs Of Life & Love (Brian A. Schmidt & South Dakota Chorale)

• Spirit Of The American Range (Carlos Kalmar & The Oregon Symphony)

• Tower: Violin Concerto; Stroke; Chamber Dance (Giancarlo Guerrero, Cho-Liang Lin & Nashville Symphony)

• Manfred Eicher

• Franz Schubert (András Schiff)

• Galina Ustvolskaya (Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Markus Hinterhäuser & Reto Bieri)

• Moore: Dances & Canons (Saskia Lankhoorn)

• Rihm: Et Lux (Paul Van Nevel, Minguet Quartet & Huelgas Ensemble)

• Visions Fugitives (Anna Gourari)

• Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin

• Dances For Piano & Orchestra (Joel Fan, Christophe Chagnard & Northwest Sinfonietta)

• Tempo Do Brasil (Marc Regnier)

• Woman At The New Piano (Nadia Shpachenko)

• Dan Merceruio

• Chapí: String Quartets 1 & 2 (Cuarteto Latinoamericano)

• From Whence We Came (Ensemble Galilei)

• Gregson: Touch (Peter Gregson)

• In The Light Of Air – ICE Performs Anna Thorvaldsdottir (International Contemporary Ensemble)

• Schumann (Ying Quartet)

• Scrapyard Exotica (Del Sol String Quartet)

• Stravinsky: Petrushka (Richard Scerbo & Inscape Chamber Orchestra)

• What Artemisia Heard (El Mundo)

• ZOFO Plays Terry Riley (ZOFO)

• Judith Sherman

• Ask Your Mama (George Manahan & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)

• Fields: Double Cluster; Space Sciences (Jan Ku?era, Gloria Chuang & Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra)

• Liaisons – Re-Imagining Sondheim From The Piano (Anthony de Mare)

• Montage – Great Film Composers & The Piano (Gloria Cheng)

• Multitude, Solitude (Momenta Quartet)

• Of Color Braided All Desire – Music Of Eric Moe (Christine Brandes, Brentano String Quartet, Dominic Donato, Jessica Meyer, Karen Ouzounian, Manhattan String Quartet & Talujon)

• Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Ursula Oppens)

• Sirota: Parting The Veil – Works For Violin & Piano (David Friend, Hyeyung Julie Yoon, Laurie Carney & Soyeon Kate Lee)

• Turina: Chamber Music For Strings & Piano (Lincoln Trio)

Field 28 – Classical
Category 74 – Best Orchestral Performance
(Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.)

• Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
[Reference Recordings]

• Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
[Seattle Symphony Media]

• Shostakovich: Under Stalin’s Shadow – Symphony No. 10
Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

• Spirit Of The American Range
Carlos Kalmar, conductor (The Oregon Symphony)
[Pentatone]

• Zhou Long & Chen Yi: Symphony ‘Humen 1839’
Darrell Ang, conductor (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra)
[Naxos]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 75 – Best Opera Recording
(Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.)

• Janá?ek: Jen?fa
Donald Runnicles, conductor; Will Hartmann, Michaela Kaune & Jennifer Larmore; Magdalena Herbst, producer (Orchestra Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin; Chorus Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin)
[Arthaus]

• Monteverdi: Il Ritorno D’Ulisse In Patria
Martin Pearlman, conductor; Fernando Guimarães & Jennifer Rivera; Thomas C. Moore, producer (Boston Baroque)
[Linn Records]

• Mozart: Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Diana Damrau, Paul Schweinester & Rolando Villazón; Sid McLauchlan, producer (Chamber Orchestra Of Europe)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

• Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade
Seiji Ozawa, conductor; Isabel Leonard; Dominic Fyfe, producer (Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus & SKF Matsumoto Children’s Chorus)
[Decca]

• Steffani: Niobe, Regina Di Tebe
Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Karina Gauvin & Philippe Jaroussky; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)
[Erato]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 76 – Best Choral Performance
(Award to the Choral Conductor, and to the Orchestra Conductor if an Orchestra is on the recording, and to the Choral Director or Chorus Master if applicable.)

• Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Bernard Haitink, conductor; Peter Dijkstra, chorus master (Anton Barachovsky, Genia Kühmeier, Elisabeth Kulman, Hanno Müller-Brachmann & Mark Padmore; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
[BR Klassik]

• Monteverdi: Vespers Of 1610
Harry Christophers, conductor (Jeremy Budd, Grace Davidson, Ben Davies, Mark Dobell, Eamonn Dougan & Charlotte Mobbs; The Sixteen)
[Coro]

• Pablo Neruda – The Poet Sings
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (James K. Bass, Laura Mercado-Wright, Eric Neuville & Lauren Snouffer; Faith DeBow & Stephen Redfield; Conspirare)
[Harmonia Mundi]

• Paulus: Far In The Heavens
Eric Holtan, conductor (Sara Fraker, Matthew Goinz, Thea Lobo, Owen McIntosh, Kathryn Mueller & Christine Vivona; True Concord Orchestra; True Concord Voices)
[Reference Recordings]

• Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Charles Bruffy, conductor (Paul Davidson, Frank Fleschner, Toby Vaughn Kidd, Bryan Pinkall, Julia Scozzafava, Bryan Taylor & Joseph Warner; Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Chorale)
[Chandos]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 77 – Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
(For new recordings of works with chamber or small ensemble (twenty-four or fewer members, not including the conductor). One Award to the ensemble and one Award to the conductor, if applicable.)

• Brahms: The Piano Trios
Tanja Tetzlaff, Christian Tetzlaff & Lars Vogt
[Ondine]

• Filament
Eighth Blackbird
[Cedille Records]

• Flaherty: Airdancing For Toy Piano, Piano & Electronics
Nadia Shpachenko & Genevieve Feiwen Lee
Track from: Woman At The New Piano
[Reference Recordings]

• Render
Brad Wells & Roomful Of Teeth
[New Amsterdam Records]

• Shostakovich: Piano Quintet & String Quartet No. 2
Takács Quartet & Marc-André Hamelin
[Hyperion]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 78 – Best Classical Instrumental Solo
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor when applicable.)

• Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L’Arbre Des Songes
Augustin Hadelich; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
Track from: Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
[Seattle Symphony Media]

• Grieg & Moszkowski: Piano Concertos
Joseph Moog; Nicholas Milton, conductor (Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern)
[Onyx Classics]

• Mozart: Keyboard Music, Vol. 7
Kristian Bezuidenhout
[Harmonia Mnudi]

• Rachmaninov Variations
Daniil Trifonov (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

• Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
Ursula Oppens (Jerome Lowenthal)
[Cedille Records]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 79 – Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
(Award to: Vocalist(s), Collaborative Artist(s) (Ex: pianists, conductors, chamber groups) Producer(s), Recording Engineers/Mixers with 51% or more playing time of new material.)

• Beethoven: An Die Ferne Geliebte; Haydn: English Songs; Mozart: Masonic Cantata
Mark Padmore; Kristian Bezuidenhout, accompanist
[Harmonia Mundi]

• Joyce & Tony – Live From Wigmore Hall
Joyce DiDonato; Antonio Pappano, accompanist
[Erato]

• Nessun Dorma – The Puccini Album
Jonas Kaufmann; Antonio Pappano, conductor (Krist?ne Opolais, Antonio Pirozzi & Massimo Simeoli; Coro Dell’Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia; Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia)
[Sony Classical]

• Rouse: Seeing; Kabir Padavali
Talise Trevigne; David Alan Miller, conductor (Orion Weiss; Albany Symphony)
[Naxos]

• St. Petersburg
Cecilia Bartoli; Diego Fasolis, conductor (I Barocchisti)
[Decca]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 80 – Best Classical Compendium
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) and Engineer(s) of over 51% playing time of the album, if other than the artist.)

• As Dreams Fall Apart – The Golden Age Of Jewish Stage And Film Music (1925-1955)
New Budapest Orpheum Society; Jim Ginsburg, producer
[Cedille Records]

• Ask Your Mama
George Manahan, conductor; Judith Sherman, producer
[Avie Records]

• Handel: L’Allegro, Il Penseroso Ed Il Moderato, 1740
Paul McCreesh, conductor; Nicholas Parker, producer
[Signum Classics]

• Paulus: Three Places Of Enlightenment; Veil Of Tears & Grand Concerto
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
[Naxos]

• Woman At The New Piano
Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers
[Reference Recordings]

Field 28 – Classical
Category 81 – Best Contemporary Classical Composition
(A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.)

• Barry: The Importance Of Being Earnest
Gerald Barry, composer (Thomas Adès, Barbara Hannigan, Katalin Károlyi, Hilary Summers, Peter Tantsits & Birmingham Contemporary Music Group)
[NMC Recordings]

• Norman: Play
Andrew Norman, composer (Gil Rose & Boston Modern Orchestra Project)
Track from: Norman: Play
[BMOP/Sound]

• Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances
Stephen Paulus, composer (Eric Holtan, True Concord Voices & Orchestra)
Track from: Paulus: Far In The Heavens
[Reference Recordings]

• Tower: Stroke
Joan Tower, composer (Giancarlo Guerrero, Cho-Liang Lin & Nashville Symphony)
Track from: Tower: Violin Concerto; Stroke; Chamber Dance
[Naxos]

• Wolfe: Anthracite Fields
Julia Wolfe, composer (Julian Wachner, The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street & Bang On A Can All-Stars)
[Cantaloupe Music]

Field 29 – Music Video/Film
Category 82 – Best Music Video
(Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.)

• LSD
ASAP Rocky
Dexter Navy, video director; Shin Nishigaki, video producer
[RCA Records/A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music]

• I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
The Dead Weather
Cooper Roberts & Ian Schwartz, video directors; Candice Dragonas & Nathan Scherrer, video producers
[Third Man Records]

• Alright
Kendrick Lamar
The Little Homies & Colin Tilley, video directors; Brandon Bonfiglio, Dave Free, Andrew Lerios & Luga Podesta, video producers
[Aftermath Records/Interscope Records]

• Bad Blood
Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Joseph Kahn, video director; Ron Morhoff, video producer
[Big Machine Records]

• Freedom
Pharrell Williams
Paul Hunter, video director; Candice Dragonas & Nathan Scherrer, video producers
[Columbia]

Field 29 – Music Video/Film
Category 83 – Best Music Film
(For concert/performance films or music documentaries. Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.)

• Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown
James Brown
Alex Gibney, video director; Peter Afterman, Blair Foster, Mick Jagger & Victoria Pearman, video producers
[Inaudible Films]

• Sonic Highways
Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl, video director; John Cutcliffe, John Silva, Gaby Skolnek & Kristen Welsh, video producers
[RCA Records/Roswell Records]

• What Happened, Miss Simone?
Nina Simone
Liz Garbus, video director; Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby, Jayson Jackson & Justin Wilkes, video producers
[Netflix]

• The Wall
Roger Waters
Sean Evans & Roger Waters, video directors; Clare Spencer & Roger Waters, video producers
[Back Lot Music]

• Amy
Amy Winehouse
Asif Kapadia, video director; James Gay-Rees, video producer
[Universal Music Enterprises]

Don Moen, Donnie McClurkin, Frank Edwards & More Arrive For The Experience Lagos

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The clock is rapidly ticking as House on the Rock church, host of the world’s biggest gospel concert, welcome the batch of international artistes and ministers lined up for performance at the 10th edition of The Experience 2015; holding today Friday, 4th of December from 7:00pm till 6am at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

Don Moen, Donnie McClurkin and others arrived Lagos Thursday evening and will be present at the Experience 2015 Press Conference which kicks off the event, to be held at Eko Hotel Conference Centre 9.00am today. Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker and Kim Burrell, Jessica Reedy, Micah Stampley, Frank Edwards, Sonnie Badu, Chioma Jesus, Nathaniel Bassey, Sammie Okposo, Midnight Crew, Julius Nglass and the Lagos City Chorale, are also billed to perform at The Experience Lagos on the 4th of December.

You may want to arrive the venue early enough to secure your space at the TBS! Follow the buzz on the official #Experience10 website: www.theexperiencelagos.com and on social media: @theexepriencelagos(Facebook), @theexperiencelg(twitter), @theexperiencelagos(Instagram).

GET READY FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!

“I Don’t Get Awards Because Of Politics In The Industry” – Burna Boy

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Burna boy, has opened up on why he does not consider himself a part of the Nigerian music industry.According to him,there is too much politics.
Speaking to The Fader magazine, he said:

He said, “It’s political, man. To be honest, I don’t really feel like I’m a part of the industry. Check out awards, I don’t get awards because the powers that be don’t really like me. I’m not like everyone else; I won’t do what everyone else does. They don’t like
it.Everything is really political, too much politics in the industry and I’m not a very good politician.
So I don’t really involve myself in all that. I just drop hit songs, and my fan base keeps increasing.“If I was a part of the industry then I wouldn’t have shit today. Think about it. It would just be one of the songs you hear in the club and then that’s it.“But right now, you see, I don’t have the most Twitter followers or the most Instagram numbers or whatever, but the things that I do the people with one million followers can’t do it.”

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Diamond Platnumz, Casper Ynovest, Yemi Alade, AKA, Olamide, Davido, And 162 Other African Superstars Confirm Attendance For AFRIMA 2015 In Lagos.

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In celebration of African music and culture, the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in league with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) has announced AFRIMA 2015 nominees and the multiple award-winning male choral group from South Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo to lead the invasion of over one hundred and sixty two (162) African superstars who have confirm attendance to the 2015 AFRIMA Awards slated for Sunday, November 15 at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ladysmith is arguably the most decorated male group in Africa, having won multiple awards including four Grammys in 1988, 2004, 2009 and 2013 respectively. Formed by Joseph Shabalala in 1960, the group had been singing together since the early 1950s. However, it was Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s collaboration with Paul Simon in 1986 for the Graceland album that brought it the much needed international acclaim.

Confirming their performance at AFRIMA Awards, band’s manager, Majozi Christopher Zolisile, stated: “AFRIMA 2015 will be staged in November which coincidentally is the month for Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s 55th anniversary. It will be amazing and electrifying to perform on a big stage like All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) 2015 in Nigeria. We are looking forward to it.”

Other artistes billed to perform at the award ceremony include Yemi Alade from Nigeria, who broke records with her hit single, ‘Johnny’ in 2013. Her counterpart from Cameroon, Charlotte Dipanda, an Afro pop singer, who has worked with Congolese singer, Papa Wemba and provided background vocals for Manu Dibango,  Rokia Traore and Axelle Red will also grace the AFRIMA stage. The duo of Diamond Platnumz, a Bongo Flava recording artist and dancer from Tanzania and Olamide from Nigeria will set the stage on fire at the AFRIMA 2015. Both have won numerous awards.

Other artistes and nominees that that have confirmed attendance from Eastern Africa include Vanessa Mdee, Bebe Cool, Tsedenia, Alikiba, H_Art the Band, Dr. Jose Chameleone, Danny Kalima, Makadem, Lilian Mbabazi, Sauti Sol, Cindy, Lulu & the Zakaleo Band, Liron, Suzanna Owiyo, Ben Pol, THT, and Teddy Afro.

From Southern Africa are top acts like AKA, Busiswa, Amantle, Cindy Munyavi, Gazza, Blade Deep/Delura, The Soil, Kunle Ayo, Cassper Nyovest, and KO while representing Central Africa are Awilo Logomba, Stanley Enow, Charlotte Dipanda, NG Bling, Jovi, Daphne, M’vula, Betty Akna, Mani Bella, Featurist, Vumomse, Missy BK, and DJ Malvado.

Confirming attendance from West Africa region are Sarkodie, Stoneboy, Toofan, Kiff No Beat, Dark Suburb “The Skeleton”, DJ Arafat, Wiyaala, Sekou Kouyate, Gangbe Brass Band etc. Representing the host, Nigeria include Davido, Wizkid, P-Square, Timaya, Nneka, Flavour, Darey, Brymo, Seyi Shay, Wande Coal, Praiz, Niyola, Patoranking, Adekunle Gold, Kiss Daniel, Aramide, Timi Dakolo, and J. Martins among others.

The Central and Northern Africa regions’ delegates will be led by Awilo Logomba, Stanley Enow, Charlotte Dipanda, NG Bling, Jovi, Daphne, M’vula, Betty Akna, Mani Bella, Featurist, Vumomse, Missy BK, and DJ Malvado, and Manal, Don Bigg, Monsif Jilali and Ahmed Soultan, Cheba Sabrine, Alsarah, Souad Massi, Samira Said, Gabacho Maroconnection among others.

The 2015 AFRIMA Awards will be broadcast live to 84 countries on 109 television stations across the world with the support of AFRIMA media partners.

Lil Wayne Tweets RIP to Lamar Odom

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Rapper Lil Wayne has incorrectly pronounced Lamar Odom dead on Twitter. To make matters worse, Twenty Three hours later, the tweet is still up.

Former Laker (and ex of Khloe Kardashian) Lamar Odom is currently in critical condition at Las Vegas’ Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center after being found unconscious in a nearby brothel over the weekend. Meanwhile, back in 2013, the YMCMB head honcho, Lil Wayne was “killed” by the internet when rumors began circulating that he was near death and had been read his last rites.

One might think that an experience like that would make Dwayne a bit more sensitive to the accurate announcement of someone’s death on social media. But it hasn’t.

Davido To Premiere Five Unreleased Videos On MTV Base

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With just a few weeks to the release of his sophomore album, “Baddest”, multiple award winning pop star, Davido is set to premiere five fresh videos off his first album, OBO Genesis on Africa’s biggest music channel, MTV Base.

The videos which include, New Skul Tinz featuring label mates, Sina Rambo and B-Red, Bless Me featuring May D, Dollars in The Bank featuring Kayswitch, Video and MaryJane are all unreleased videos from his debut album, OBO and will air on MTV Base’ show tagged, Davido Exposed on Saturday, October 10, 2015.

Davido who speaks about all five videos on the exclusive show reveals that “New Skul Tins” is his least liked video and he would have loved to re-enact the Michael Jackson concept for “MaryJane”. The talented performer also revealed that he will be shooting his next video in Tokyo or Jamaica as no one in the Nigerian market has really explored those countries.

He also makes a hilarious promise to “jump out” of the plane like his popular hit video, “The Sound” featuring Uhuru. An excited Davido commented, I’m glad I am releasing these videos now… Took me a while to decide whether I wanted to release them before the new album dropped but I’m happy I’m releasing them now… Nobody has seen this video! It’s about to be shown to the world for the first time and exclusively on MTV Base.

The Revolution In Entertainment Reward System, Eliworld International Announces Program Schedule For The Beatz Awards 2015

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Eliworld International Limited an event activation and marketing company is set to host the first of her kind in this continent THE BEATZ AWARDSTMat The Shell Hall, Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos Island, 17thDecember, 2015.

THE BEATZ AWARDSTM is fashioned to honor the hottest recording professionals and business executives in Nigeria who are responsible for the boom the industry is enjoying now. It’s no hidden fact that the recording artistes bask in the spotlight when a song becomes a hit, but its architects are often left in the shadows.

The show provides an exceptional opportunity for the music industry to pay tribute to the best of their professionals, i.e. Disc Jockeys, Music Producers, Mixing Engineers, Mastering Engineers, Industry Professionals and Business Executives whose talent and dedication plays an integral role in the success of chart topping music.

They will all be recognized with dedicated award categories, which is the first of her kind in this continent.

“THE BEATZ AWARDSTMis a step in the right direction, because there is no platform appreciating we the producers like this event” – Wole Oni

“We need to celebrate the creative contribution of the guys behind the scene, which makes the hit song what it is” I endorse THE BEATZ AWARDSTM. – Masterkraft

“I endorse THE BEATZ AWARDSTM because it is the only award show that celebrates us the creative minds behind the music production and business. – Phat E

“This is a great concept, to honor those behind the music production and business and that’s what THE BEATZ AWARDSTMis all about” – Tola Odunsi

The event time- line for the award is as follows:

ACTIVATION DATE
Nominee List Open October 1st
Nominee List Close October 31st
Unveiling of Nominees [Media Parley] November 7th
Voting Starts November 9th
Pre- Awards Party November 29th
Voting Ends December 5th
Awards Nite December 17th

For more Information & Sponsorship Call 08066533635, 08023030701 or

email us: info@thebeatzawards.com

Twitter:@thebeatzawards.

Instagram:@thebeatzawards.

www.thebeatzawards.com

Victor Terhemba: My Thoughts And Opinion On The Wizkid Vs Davido Who Is Better Debate

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In 2011, my friend and artiste, Cashkeed, said, after listening to Davido’s first single ‘’Back when’’, that finally somebody has come out that will displace Wizkid from the top. I was skeptical that anybody would be able to that knowing fully how abundantly talented Wizkid is but deep down inside of me I hoped it would happen. Cashkeed has an uncanny knowledge of music that sometimes I don’t doubt him, while I always foresee the future of Nigerian musicians and I rightly predict the outcome of any artiste I take interest in. Luckily, Cashkeed was opportune to meet Davido at an event and they chatted for a while even though Davido’s bodyguards (B-Red, Shina Rambo, Asika, etc) tried to prevent him from talking to the ‘’superstar’’. After the encounter, Cashkeed was full of praise for the young lad and his humility.

In contrast, I’ve met Wizkid several times and at different places before and after becoming a superstar and honestly, I was more than disappointed in this young man’s demeanor. That was almost the same problem I had with Mo’chedah in her her days ( I remember I predicted she won’t last beyond her first album in the music industry and so far she hasn’t proved me wrong).

Personally, I don’t think there is any basis of comparison between Wizkid and Davido because they are both different artistes safe they are young boys making it big in the industry. While Davido is a skilled singer, Wizkid’s talented is naturally bequeathed to him by God. Davido’s musical skill is borne out of his passion and many hours and years of practise. Wizkid is so talented he can suit well just on any beat and genre of music, something Davido cannot do.

I once told a very good friend, Victor Etim and later much to Terry Tha Rapman (now known as T.R), that I doubt very much if Wizkid would ever be able to replicate anything near the success he enjoyed with his first album “super star’’. This is because, while Davido writes his songs or buy songs from others, Wizkid has transited from writing songs to mostly doing freestyles on songs. This, you will often hear him repeat the same lines in a song or same contents in most of his songs and sometimes confuses us about what the theme of the song really is yet fans still love his song (albeit with a short life span), this is something Davido cannot dare do, if he dares, that song will just be a disaster.

When Wizkid first came to limelight he gave the broke guys some sort of hope of getting laid. At least then we could compete with yahoo boys for girls. Wizkid came with swag which all the girls fell in love with and quickly awon boys emulated his swag. Wizkid’s dressing and style was always on point. Whatever Wizkid wore and looks good, boys will quickly go and buy the same. Then girls would love boys who got swag, with swag boys could get laid. Ochuko learnt from wizkid and outsmarted him in sparkling glee. Ochuko could lack money but not girls.

This went on until one David Adeleke a.k.a O.B.O came to the scene and changed the permutations of everything. Because of this boy, girls realized that swag don’t pay bills, he was all about money, Damn!!! That guy can brag about his money and backs it with unnecessary exhibition of his superfluous wealth. Then, we the broke guys started losing our girlfriends to yahoo boys who made easy cash. Even the loyal girlfriends who vowed to stick with you constantly reminded you of the importance of money and if you are not careful you would just wake up one day and find your girl in the comfort of a yahoo boy and nothing you can do about it than sulk and moan.

Nevertheless, that didn’t deter people like me, instead we worked hard to make our money as I now have my own mansion, fleets of exotic cars and unparalleled luxury. It is free to dream right? Let no body wake me from this dream as I am working assiduously hard towards achieving it,

In summary, it is in my own professional opinion that Wizkid is a  better artiste than Davido and if you have followed me so far you would agree with me. But Davido is the bigger artiste between the two. None of Wizkid’s hits is as big as “Dami Duro’’ or ‘’Skelewu’’. Both acts have won all that is within their reach to win both locally and internationally. You don’t have to argue about this, my decision is final!

Victor Terhemba Is a talent manager, political analyst and social commentator from Lagos.

Follow me on Twitter: @inkrediblesmog

Victor.terhemba6@gmail.com

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates

Watch The Latest “Empire” Teaser, Cookie Brings War This Time (+Music)

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Empire‘s most recent drama-filled teaser includes a brand new song from cast member Jussie Smollett.

Included in Fox’s clip is a snippet from a duet called ‘No Doubt It’, pairing Smollett’s aspiring mogul Jamal Lyon with ‘Mr 305’ himself… Pitbull!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVNXC60ZEAs

Credit: cosmopolitan

Music : MackDams – “Moonlight Senrenre”

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This is a thrilling one for the fans from fast rising act MackDams, As he marked his birthday last week. It’s another sweet & melodious tune titled “Moonlight Senrenre”

Mackdams has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in this industry with his versatility. Listen to Moonlight Senrenre and share your thoughts. Listen,  Download and Enjoy!

King Sunny Ade Set To Launch Radio Station

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King Sunny Ade, popularly known as KSA is set to float a radio station. The radio station which has been under works for years now will start transmission before the end of the year. According to him, the station will be the first music and culture station in Nigeria. It has also been named M&C (Music and Culture) Station. When asked why the commencement of the radio station took so long, the musician said;

Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. The NBC has its operational standard, so do I. I deliberately took time off to carefully select a team of loyal partners who share same vision on what a music station should be. Don’t forget also that this will be the first radio station in Nigeria that will be solely devoted to promoting our culture and our music, he said. We say big congrats to him.

Rapper Meek Mill Shades Toronto Mayor, Questions His Audacity And Authority To Ban Him

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After the Toronto Mayor Norm Kerry tweeted at Meek and said he was no longer welcome to Toronto, Meek Mill lashed back; he took to Twitter too, to call out the interfering Councillor and ask what gave him the ‘audacity’ to make such statements.

Meek Mill was prebilled to perform at the Pink Print Tour on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, in Toronto, Canada, alongside Nicki Minaj, Dej Loaf and Tinashe.
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Kendrick Lamar Joins Jidenna On ‘Classic Man’ Remix #Video

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Dressed for a gentleman’s club, Jidenna is back on the scene with the “Classic Man” remix and is accompanied by the Hip-Hop heavyweight Kendrick Lamar. Groomed and polished with a perfect hair swirl, Jidenna bounces over the beat with the same vibe felt in the original “Classic Man.”  Jhene Monae and Ty Dolla $ign make guest appearances as well as some nice classic cars.  A good jam to end the summer “Classic Man” remix will continue to keep the party going with Jidenna’s addictive chords and Kendrick Lamar’s rough raps that pleases R&B listeners, Hip-Hop heads, and partygoers.

The party will also continue for Iggy Azalea who receives royalties for her “Fancy” sample in “Classic Man.” Last year was her year with “Fancy”and “Black Widow” and with her sample being used for the chart topper “Classic Man”, the same can be said for this year.

Nigerian Artists And International Collabos: What’s Next? By JJ, Omojuwa

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I might as well digress from the start. I ought not to be the one writing this because for starters, I am not an artist and I am definitely not an expert of the music industry or any industry for that matter. But someone has to say something and I’ve got the microphone now. We have put our super stars in a box where they can hardly share their opinions on an issue without such opinions being deemed as them hating on the successes of others or being condemned as some sort of subliminal. That leaves us in a place where such people would rather keep their thoughts to themselves. In writing this, one sought the opinion of some top artists, all of whom currently have songs on the top ten and one also got the opinion of some soon to be great performers too. Some of their thoughts are crystallized in my own words below.

Gone are the days where the Nigerian or African music consumer is excited about a collabo between our artists and those from across the ocean, mostly from the U.S. Hip-Hop community. We have seen 2face and R-Kelly, we have seen D’Banj and Snoop Dogg, P-Square and Rick Ross, Vector and Movado, Akon and everybody, Davido and Meek Mill and down to the most recent one, Wizzy, Skepta and Drake. Some of the tracks that came off such collaborations came off as great, some just there somewhere above mediocrity and for some others, their place in oblivion will never be threatened. Best forgotten.

Davido-Meek-Mill

This piece is hardly about the art as it is about the business end of such collaborations. Whether the featured artist phones in his/her part of the track or actually gets into the studio to do the recording, at the bottom of each move is the desire to make a name for one self and also cash some money. One for the money!

We can take it from the point of an artist who is already doing great numbers on the continent. When such an artist features say a Jay Z on a new track, the purpose has to then go beyond being recognized or respected on the continent. At the point D’banj and Don Jazzy had Snoop Dogg on Endowed remix, they were arguably bigger on the continent than Snoop was so one cannot claim that the collaboration was to make the then Mo’Hits artists bigger. It raised their street cred no doubt but Snoop Dogg will not make Africans buy an African artist they are already very much into. It did help D’banj’s resume that he had some relationship with Snoop when Kanye West came calling; that feature had bolstered his resume. Akon has been on tracks with WizKid, P-Square, D’Banj, Davido (and others too numerous to mention) and many would probably even consider him some sort of African artist now. But today, virtually all the artists who featured Akon are doing better in African clubs than Akon is. Does featuring Akon boost your resume? Of course yes! Does it add to your popularity in Africa if you are say a P Square or Davido? Not much.

It is a false assumption to think that by featuring T.I. you have broken into the American market. Not that easy except T.I. goes out of his way to put that song on his own album and you are on tour with him to promote the said track. How have featured International artists treated virtually all the collabos with African artists? Like something they’d rather forget as soon as the production was done. You don’t see them tweeting links to the song as they would features with their contemporaries in America. You do not see them big up such tracks on Hot 97 or other respected Hip-Hop platforms in America.

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At times, it does feel like a relationship between a guy and a sex worker. You pay for the service, she serves you, and you are out. The hooker does not reference you, your relationship ended after you paid. The sex was nothing but her doing her job. You had fun, she had money! The relationship between our artists and these International acts is not as graphic but anyone who is sincere enough would get the drift; the International artist gets his/her cash, does the motions and is off. No promotion, no sustained acknowledgement on social media and zilch mentions on U.S. radio on television networks.

There is a next step to these transatlantic collaborations. Let me state that we are closer into breaking into the U.S. market today than we were say five years ago. I mean, even Jay Z used Nigeria’s Hip-Hop market to prop up some reputation for his Tidal! So we are close but we could remain close for the next five years and not actually break in if we are just okay with featuring these artists and not looking to cash in on such collabos in the American market.

Collaborations should come with agreements that include expectations on the featured artist’s post-studio work. Why feature an artist who’s got a combined 10 million Twitter, Facebook, Instragram and YouTube fans if such will not sign up to post links to our feature across all those channels on an agreed number of times? Our artists also need to commit the artists to TV and radio mentions. This music business is more of a business today than it is music; is that not why those involved in the business are making more money than most of those making the music?

We are desperate to see a home boy or girl break into the U.S. market. It is more likely to happen via a collabo with an established star (say Rihanna) than with a solo effort. See what the Beyonce feature did to Chimamanda Adichie and Aunty Ngozi no be artist o. Breaking into the U.S. market is one thing, sustaining it is another but we can have that discussion after we break in.

According to PwC, the global music revenue for 2015 is expected to be $48 billion . That is some $18 billion above Nigeria’s average yearly national budget. The U.S. market share of that is $15 billion. Note that revenue is not the same as investment. Our industry is not yet a $1 billion industry . Can we offer the featured artists more than the cash they get paid? We cannot at the moment. The African music industry is still at an inchoate stage at best and the numbers are not juicy enough for an established U.S. artist to want to commit to. The potentials are vast and with increasing Internet penetration, our artists and other stakeholders can start making top dollar from the digital sales of their content. For now, what the International act gets is the cash at hand, but can our artists start making their dollars count beyond being able to say “I have featured several International stars” in an interview to saying on U.S. TV, “I am not a one hit wonder. I have produced several hits in Africa and I am sure I will add more hits to my current track enjoying airplay across America.” It is possible if we start thinking along that line.

Japheth J Omojuwa is a Nigerian blogger, socio-economic and political commentator, environmental consultant, and social media expert. He’s the curator of Omojuwa.com.

“Sound Sultan Is The Father I Never Had” – Seyi Shay

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In a fresh interview, Nigerian songstress Seyi Shay has explained how Sound Sultan and his wife have been her backbone ever since she returned to Nigeria in 2012. According to the singer, she never lived with her father because she was from a polygamous family, but lived with her mom all her life, who is now sadly late, and that is why she sees Sultan as the father she never had because he has been a father figure to her. She also praised Flytime boss, Cecil Hammonds for giving her a leader to climb. Hear her;

Sound Sultan is like my dad really, the dad I never had. He is my mentor, he’s also my song writer; he and his wife are like my mum and dad. It’s a relationship that’s indescribable, God just used him as a vessel to really expose me. I used to go round with Naija Ninjas and Radio tours and he kept introducing me as his protégé. Cecil also used to tell people to put me on their shows that I’m good. Between the two of them, I flourished a lot.

Bigiano Now A Father In South Africa

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Hit maker, Bigiano who is popularly known as Shayo Master, due to his hit song, Shayo years back is now a father in Cape Town, South Africa where he has been residing for the past 3 years. We hear Bigiano has been ‘dealing’ with the Southy girls ‘appropriately’ especially those calling for his eggplant. He gives it to them at will. One of them has however put to bed for him making him a father.

Diddy Falls Into Hole On Stage During Performance At BET Awards

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Rapper disappears out of sight as he performs a medley of hits alongside Lil’ Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, 112 and the Lox at Los Angeles show.
Rapper Diddy fell during an exciting performance at the BET awards in Los Angeles on Sunday that celebrated Bad Boy Records’ 20th year anniversary.

The hip hop star briefly dropped out of sight as he walked towards the back of the stage, dropping into a hole that was used by Lil’ Kim to make her entrance. He soon recovers, with fans offering a helping hand.

The mishap happened as Lil’ Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, 112 and the Lox joined Diddy to perform a medley of past hits. A video montage of rap king Notorious BIG played in the background as his verse from Mo Money Mo Problems played.

Elsewhere, awards co-host Anthony Anderson brought on the laughs when he dressed as singer Sam Smith, who won best new artist but didn’t attend the awards show.

Anderson sported a suit similar to Smith’s taste and rocked a wig that mirrored the British singer’s hairstyle.

“Sam Smith isn’t here tonight because he’s white and he didn’t think he would win at the BET Awards,” Anderson said as the audience at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles burst into laughter. “He didn’t think he could win. But we showed him that we love him, too.”

“This award is going to stay with me for you not showing up to BET,” Anderson sang, referencing Smith’s ubiquitous hit Stay With Me.

The show Sunday brought a mix of funny and serious moments. Rapping on top of a police car with a large American flag waving behind him, hip-hop prince Kendrick Lamar kicked off the BET awards with a dose of seriousness, but also brought a fiery energy thanks to his charisma and his song’s beat.

Members in the audience rapped along to Alright, while background dancers danced in the aisles and others onstage wore black and waved the American flag behind Lamar. He later won best male hip-hop artist.

“This is for Compton, this is for Watts,” the Los Angeles-born rapper said.

Janelle Monae and Jidenna also brought a serious vibe to the stage when they performed Classic Man: The singers and their background dancers wore large “I’m a Classic Man” signs around their necks, a reference to the historic “I Am a Man” civil rights era protest signs.

Anderson and fellow “Black-ish” actor Tracee Ellis Ross followed Lamar’s performance with a song poking fun at pop culture, including Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines case, Pharrell’s signature hat and Rachel Dolezal, the former president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP.

“Is white really the new black,” Anderson sang as two photos of Dolezal – one old, the other recent – appeared on screen.

Rihanna was among the A-listers who sat in the audience, and she sang along during Omarion and Chris Brown’s performance of the pop hit, Post to Be. Alicia Keys surprised the audience when she joined The Weeknd to sing his hit, Earned It.

Smokey Robinson received the Lifetime Achievement Award, performed a medley of his hits and earned a standing ovation from the audience when he spoke about Hollywood and humility. Ne-Yo, Thicke and rising singer Tori Kelly paid tribute to the icon.

Nicki Minaj, who won her sixth consecutive best female hip-hop artist award, brought her mother onstage. She gave a shout-out to fellow nominee and rising rapper DeJ Loaf, as well as her rapper-boyfriend Meek Mill, who sat next to her at the show (and she later joined him onstage for his performance).

“Momma, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you’ve done for me. I love you so much,” she said. “Shout-out to all the girls nominated … DeJ Loaf … you’ve been very, very interesting to me and super forward.”

Terrence Howard, star of the hit Fox series Empire, won the first award for best actor.

“To the Empire!” he yelled three times. “I got to thank Taraji P Henson because she stood up for a brother.”

Minaj and Brown, who have won a handful of BET awards over the years, were the top nominees with six each. Brown was nominated twice for video of the year with his hits Loyal and New Flame. Other nominees for the top prize included Minaj’s eye-popping video for Anaconda, Beyonce’s 7/11, Big Sean’s IDFWU and Common and John Legend’s Oscar-winning Glory, from the film Selma.

The BET Awards is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Source – www.theGuardian.com

Kim & Kanye Made Sure Their Next Child Was A Boy By Only Choosing Male Embryos

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According to reports, a source claimed that Kim and Kanye made sure their new baby was a boy by choosing only male embryos.
From Us Magazine:

Reality star Kim Kardashian, 34, and husband Kanye West underwent an IVF gender-selection process this spring to predetermine baby No. 2’s sex. “She only had boy embryos implanted,” says a source close to Kardashian, who confirmed the gender on Monday June 21, after Us Weekly broke the news. During the procedure — which can start at roughly $17,000 — doctors isolate fertilized embryos of the preferred sex in a lab, then transfer them to a uterus.

“Kanye and Kim are so excited to complete their family,” says another source of the parents of daughter North, 2. “Kanye loves Nori more than anything, but to make his world complete, he wanted a little boy, an heir,” says a source close to West.

Woman Charged After Breaking Into Will Smith’s Home & Refusing To Leave

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A 26-year-old Virginia woman has been charged with trespassing after entering Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Calabasas home and refusing to leave.

A housekeeper found Ariel Archer, of Richmond, Va., in the Smiths’ kitchen on March 21, and she refused to leave, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. The family was away from the house at the time.

Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said Archer was escorted off the property and given a citation.

Archer has been charged with one misdemeanor count of trespassing and refusing to leave private property, according to the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 18.

Archer faces a possible maximum sentence of six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

Quitting Music Finally ? Banky W Begs Don Jazzy To Work On His Proposed ‘Last Album’

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Banky W has announced he may be working on his final album and stated it won’t be complete without Donjazzy on it. Banky has recently delved into other forms of art like directing and producing…

He also took time out to gush over music producers Cobhamas and Masterkraft, calling them the
most talented people he knows..

It’s no news that Cohbams produced some of Banky W’s biggest hits including ”Strong Thing”,Masterkraft who also doubles as Flavour’s producer has produced most of Banky’s latest hits..

Banky also announced this may be his last album and says he wants Donjazzy to be on it…

All extraordinary producers..See his tweets below:

Usher Raymond And Justin Bieber Sued For Ripping Off Another Artist

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Justin Bieber and Usher are being sued for their song, “Somebody to Love,” because some powerful judges just ruled that they may have ripped off another artist.
According to TMZ:

The Bieber/Usher collaboration is “Somebody to Love,” recorded in 2010. A guy named Devin Copeland, known as De Rico, and his songwriting partner Mareio Overton claim the famous pair ripped off their 2008 song by the same name.

Problem for Copeland and Overton … a federal judge ruled the songs weren’t similar at all and booted them out of court in 2014.

But a federal appeals court just ruled, the first judge was way off base, concluding, the Bieber/Usher hook have an “almost identical rhythm and strikingly similar melody.”

So the case now goes back for a full-blown trial where they’re seeking $10 million in damages. Listen to the songs. If you were on the jury, would you nail the Biebs?

Miley Cyrus Stuns At The 2015 AmfAR Inspiration Gala

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Miley Cyrus led the A-list glamour at the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala in New York on Tuesday night arriving with her ‘date,’ a 24-year-old pal named Tyler Ford.She walked the red carpet in a stunning red gown.

She introduced her friend Tyler on twitter as ‘Agender’. She wrote: ‘Tyler is a queer, biracial, agender person, whose pronouns are they/them/theirs.’ More photos after the cut…

Miley with her Dad Billy Ray Cyrus and her Mum Tish

Nicki Minaj Replies Ex Boyfriend Safaree

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There were reports some days ago that Safaree is dropping a diss track on his ex Nicki. The scorned ex lover sounded bitter and made some allegation against nicki including kissing Nas, Aborting his babies and turning him into a puppet because he wants to launch a solo music career.

Well Nicki replied this moning with insinuations that Safaree cheated on her. Safaree, allegedly cheated on her with porn star Beauty Dior and many other women.

But prophet Laila has this to say. These two will get back together. mark my words. They are not happy apart no matter how much and how long they pretend about it.

Haters Motivate Me To Achieve More, I’m Made – Iyanya

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Music act, Iyanya who took to his IG page few minutes ago has said he has become successful at what he does, and even though people think haters make them feel bad and down, they actually motivate him to work harder. Here’s what the singer who is just excited about success and what God has done for him so far said;

‘From project fame to the man I’ve become today..everyday God shows me so much love.i work hard,I dream and believe in my dreams,my haters motivate me to achieve more.what you see Is the half of me.i don’t sit down with jobless people who have free wifi to gossip about others..me and Ubi
came In this game driving that messed up deranged rover ?????? buh now we are MADEMEN.whats your story ?’

i Am so happy for him

Davido Is The Only Graduating Student From His Department

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At the ongoing 13th convocation ceremony at Babcock University, NET has exclusively gathered that HKN boss, Davido is the only graduating student from his department. Davido is graduating from the university’s Department of Music today, Sunday, June 7, 2015 and we gathered that Davido is the pioneer student of the department.

His manager, Kamal Ajiboye, and producer, Shizzi, are also current students in the department having followed in the footsteps of the ‘Aye’ singer. However, they are both set to graduate next year.

Sources in his camp say Davido began his university education at Oakwood University in the United
States of America where he was studying Business Administration before he transferred to Babcock University to study music….

This Ghanaian Twin Insist They Are Better Than P-Square

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A France-based Ghanaian group, Los Grumos, is itching for the spotlight with an outrageous claim: that they are better than Nigeria’s P-Square.

They are also a set of twins, named Rey (born Panyin Yaw Amponsah) and Ro (born Kakra Yaw Amponsah). Though relatively unknown, the twins are said to write and perform songs and are not constricted within any certain genre. Now, they are out to ‘dethrone’ Africa’s most famous twins, P-Square.

In an interview with Ghanaian blog Myjoyonline, Rey and Ro are quoted to have said:

“What makes us bigger than P-Square is that we are big in Europe. Our music cuts across the
European market, our band also cuts across the USA market. Our music is big just that we are not more focused in Africa that’s why we promoting our new single ‘Adjoa’ for all Africans to know we are the best across the globe and also make Africans proud (sic).”

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“We have performed on almost all the biggest shows in Europe. That makes us different from P-Square and also bigger than them.”

Meanwhile, P-Square’s Peter and Paul have just returned from Morocco where they headlined the massive 2015 Mawazine Music Festival alongside Jennifer Lopez, Pharrell Williams, Sean Paul and others.

Los Grumos, who were born in France, reportedly started recording in 2006 and have over 40 songs under their belt.

Now they are promoting their new single, ‘Adjoa’, which is a “tasteful mixture of Afrobeat and hiphop style that reflects our African and French backgrounds.”

P-Square is yet to respond to the ‘challenge.’.

P square

Do you think they have enough to challenge the Okoye’s

Bobbi Kristina Became An Addict By 12, Almost Stabbed Whitney Houston

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The Canadian bestselling author and investigative journalist, Ian Halperin, who is famous for digging into the lives of superstars and writing their stories is back with another possible best-seller: Whitney & Bobbi Kristina: The Deadly Price of Fame, which tells the story of what a bad mother Whitney Houston was and how Bobbi Kristina ‘never stood a chance.’

The ‘explosive’ book states that Bobbi Kristina was already a drug addict at the age of 12. The book also claims that Whitney Houston, whose sexuality the media speculated about, exposed her daughter to drugs after Bobbi escorted her to rehab at the age of 12, and soon afterwards, Bobbi began using too. It also claims that at 15, Bobbi was admitted to a psychiatric ward after she slashed her wrists and tried to stab her mother.

To trace the history of Houston’s drug use, Halperin revisited the age-long speculation that Whitney Houston could have had a sexual relationship with her former assistant and very close friend, Robyn Crawford. And to back up his claim, he quoted Bobby Brown’s memoir:
“The media was accusing her of having a bisexual relationship with her assistant,” Brown wrote. “In Whitney’s situation, the only solution was to get married and have kids.”
Halperin’s book highlights similarities between how Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012, and how her daughter was found six months ago: both were discovered in bathtubs. For Houston, she accidentally drowned in a Beverly Hills Hotel while her 22-year-old daughter was found face down in a tub of cold water.
Halperin then went on to speculate on what led to Bobbi Kristina being found unresponsive in that tub. Facts were supposedly drawn from his interviews with friends and relatives of the family.
The book, Daily Mail reports, is a possible bestseller. Halperin’s story on Michael Jackson (Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson) was a New York Times no. 1 bestseller.

Source: Daily Mail

The Voice Contestant Anthony Riley Commits Suicide At 28

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Anthony Riley, a contestant from the most recent season of ‘The Voice’ was found dead at his home on Friday June5th. He is believed to have committed suicide. NBC confirmed his passing on Sunday.

“We are sad over the passing of Anthony Riley. We offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this very difficult time” they said in a statement

The Philadelphia resident made it to the battle rounds on “The Voice” this spring before dropping out to enter rehab.
“At the time, being on the show wasn’t working for me and I felt like I needed to go, instead of taking on more responsibility than I could handle,” he said in March.

Riley specialized in 1960s R&B, performing “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Get Ready” during his time on the show.

Sister Act Movie Is Getting a Reboot

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Now that 23 years have passed since the original, it appears Sister Act is due for a reboot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney plans on having even more singing nuns, this time with the live-action Cinderella producer Alli Shearmur and Legally Blonde writers Kristen “Kiwi” Smith and Karen McCullah onboard. No word yet on whether or not Whoopi Goldberg or Maggie Smith will return as Sister Mary Clarence and Mother Superior, respectively. But Lauryn Hill (who co-starred in the 1993 sequel) was spotted at the Apollo Theater this week, taking all of Harlem to church. A career comeback as a rapping nun? We’ll follow her wherever she may go.

‘Mariah Carey Would Soon Die Like Whitney Houston From Drug Use’ – Mariah’s Brother Speaks Out

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MARIAH Carey’s brother fears her drinking will kill her, claiming the star could end up like doomed singer, Whitney Houston.

Carey’s brother, Morgan — who hasn’t spoken to the singer in two years — fears the star is unable to care for her four-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe because he believes she is trying to numb her problems with alcohol.

Alleging that she has been a heavy drinker since suffering from mental health problems in 2001, Morgan said: ‘Mariah was drinking through her pregnancy, even while she was nursing. I can’t say that I have ever been around her when she was sober, and that’s very scary.’ Morgan also claimed his 45-year-old sister takes a daily cocktail of medications including Zyprexa, Ativan and Depakote, and fears she will ‘die like Whitney Houston’.

He added to the National Enquirer magazine:
‘She does not have a support system, and she is not mentally capable.’ Morgan is concerned the ‘Without You’ singer has ‘pushed away the only people who’ve been trustworthy and will blame her entourage if anything does happen to her.’ He said: ‘If my sister turns up dead … I’m not going to look the other way! Anyone who’s filling her glass is jeopardising her life!’

Mariah’s brother also branded her estranged husband, Nick Cannon a ‘crock of s**t’ who wasn’t good for his sister and was only interested in money. He said: ‘Nick listened to people who said, ‘Get with Mariah, she thinks you’re cute, have kids and ride it to the bank.’ Nick was there for the cash from day one. He doesn’t give a damn about Mariah.’ ‘Nick took tremendous advantage of her and continues to do so.’­­­­­­­…

Amber Rose Claims She Was Drugged The Night She Slammed Kanye

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Remember when Amber Rose dissed Kanye at a club and said he doesn’t write his own music,and the club DJ should play songs of nig**a’s she’s f-ked with? Now she claims her actions was not normal and her drink may have been laced with drugs.
Appearing on Big Boy’s Neighborhood,she said:

I really feel like someone put something in my drink that night,” she said. “I’ma be honest, one; I don’t talk like that and two; I had two cocktails … and a couple sips of champagne and that’s it. I literally blacked out and threw up all night and woke up in my
bed naked with no clothes on.
I don’t do drugs, I don’t even smoke weed … It was very weird. It was like a week later when it came out and I was like, ‘Whoa!’ I didn’t know it happened until a week later. If you look at the video, I couldn’t even stand up. I’m just not going to go to the clubs anymore.

I Was Given N2m For Mentioning Akpabio’s Name In A Song – MC Galaxy

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Comedian and dancer turned Musician, MC Galaxy has opened up on how he delved in to music. He came into limelight as the notable dancer in Iyanya’s Kukere..Fast forward to 2015, he recently launched his “Breakthrough ” album, got a brand new 2015 Prado jeep from immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State,Godwill Akpabio. He told Punch:

I never knew I was going to become a musician. I went to Davido’s studio with a friend and that was where I met Shizzy. He came up with the idea of doing a song to eulogise Akpabio. I told him I did not have money to record a song and he still went ahead to compose a beat for me. Davido fell in love with the beat and wanted it for himself. At the end of the day, we all came together, came up with lyrics and recorded the song.
The song went viral and a man called Mr. Tony came from nowhere and said because I mentioned Akpabio’s name in the song, he was going to give me money to shoot a video for the song. He gave me N2m which was used for the purpose it was designated. The video had more than 10 million views on YouTube.

On Davido beating him and having him thrown out of a studio

He is my very good friend and I don’t have a problem with him. We have come a long way and we do things together. If you have a friend and you don’t have one or two misunderstandings, then you don’t love each other. It is only okay for friends to disagree and then, they make up again.

On plans to have a babymama

No, I don’t. That is the trend now but have you heard of any prominent artiste from Akwa Ibom who has a baby mama? It is not our style. I am very different; I don’t smoke or drink and I don’t even have a tattoo. People question the kind of person I am but I love hanging out with ladies.

White Nigerian Performs At The Lebanese Diaspora Energy Event In Beirut!

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White Nigerian performed in Beirut over the weekend alongside, Massari (Canadian Singer), Anthony Salame from Virgin Radio and Rima Fakih Miss USA 2010 at the Lebanese Diaspora Energy 2015. They were each presented with an award of recognition by the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, Lebanon. White Nigerian performed his hit songs Taka Rawa, Dirty Wine and Tsun Sani which are all in Hausa and Pidgin English. It was his first time ever in Lebanon and he proudly represented Nigeria! See more pics below 

Kanye West Reacts To Being Severely Censored At The Billboard Music Awards

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Fans complained that Kanye’s performance was so censored, they couldn’t hear entire sentences and his words kept getting bleeped….
His statement reads…

Kanye West was grossly over-censored at the Billboard Music Awards,’ the statement released by his publicist said. ‘Non-profane lyrics such as ‘with my leather black jeans on’ were muted for over 30 second intervals. As a result, his voice and performance were seriously misrepresented.’
It is ridiculous that in 2015, unwarranted censorship is something that artists still have to fight against,’ the statement continued. ‘Although West was clearly set up to face elements beyond his control during the live broadcast, he would like to apologize to the television audience who were unable to enjoy the performance the way he envisioned.’

I guess he recently employed a publicist because in the past, Kanye would have addressed this the Kanye way..

Nicki Minaj Flaunts Major Cleavage As She Gushes Over Kanye

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 Stunning Nicki Minaj showed off her massive curves on the set of new video for ‘The Night Is Still Young’ on Wednesday.Speaking to Mailonline, she talked about glorifying curvy girls

‘I felt like we had come to a place where we were all worshipping the skinny girls, and I I think that we always need to be reminded there are lots of different kinds of girls out there and they need to feel like we represent them too.’

Nicki also praised her pal Kanye West.

 ‘I adore him. He gave me a great opportunity, there’s no way I could ever outshine him I mean he’s just brilliant.’He done something that I’ll never forget

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nicki 3

Music: MackDams (@MackDams)- All The Way

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MackDams dropped this fresh tune a sweet song already receiving massive airplay, We should expect a lot more  from the versatile artiste this year. All The Way is a big dance track that is sure to find its way into the clubs in no time. Download and Enjoy!

mack dams

 

 

mack dams

 

 

Miley Cyrus At It Again As She Says Women Need To Masturbate Every Day

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If we needed any more evidence of how far Miley Cyrus has gone off the rails, her latest Instagram post surely supplies it.

The former child star shared a snap of a girl with her hand plunged deep in her shorts.

‘A masturbate a day keeps the haters away,’ she wrote.

Out of control: Miley Cyrus posts picture of a girl with her hands down her shorts as she makes crude reference to masturbation

Out of control: Miley Cyrus posts picture of a girl with her hands down her shorts as she makes crude reference to masturbation

While her role as Hannah Montana means Miley has a host of youthful fans, she has left her past as a Disney star far behind her.

Indeed from swinging naked on a Wrecking Ball, to grinding against teddy bears onstage, Miley has done her best to ditch her nice-girl image.

The final nail in the coffin was surely the images of the once squeaky-clean youngster surrounded by drugs and paraphernalia at a recording studio.

Controversial: Miley walks her pet dog in Studio City on Thursday morning

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Controversial: Miley walks her pet dog in Studio City on Thursday morning

No more Disney star: Miley has seemingly made it her mission to ditch her good girl image

No more Disney star: Miley has seemingly made it her mission to ditch her good girl image

Published last week the 22-year-old singer – who has been open about experimenting with drugs in the past – is seen working on her laptop with what appears to be a pile of cannabis, a rolled up bank note and a vial of white powder on a table in front of her.

Miley, who was filmed using a bong to smoke the psychedelic herb salvia in 2010 – has also confessed to using ‘happy drugs’, including cannabis and ecstasy, in the past.

She said during an interview in 2013: ‘Those are happy drugs, social drugs. They make you want to be with friends.’

Iggy Azalea And Nick Young Put On An Affectionate Display As He Shows Support For College Basketball Team

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She is usually pictured courtside cheering on her boyfriend as he takes centre stage.

But on Wednesday evening Iggy Azalea was joined by beau Nick Young at Los Angeles’ Galen Center where they watched UCLA take on USC.

Sitting in the front row for the game, Iggy, 24, and Nick, 29, put on an affectionate display as he pulled her in close for an embrace and stroked her face. 

Affectionate: Iggy Azalea and her boyfriend Nick Young looked loved up on Wednesday night as they watched a basketball match at Los Angeles' Galen Center
 

Affectionate: Iggy Azalea and her boyfriend Nick Young looked loved up on Wednesday night as they watched a basketball match at Los Angeles’ Galen Center

He's got a sweet tooth! Nick was seen chomping down on some candy as he stroked Iggy's face
 

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He’s got a sweet tooth! Nick was seen chomping down on some candy as he stroked Iggy’s face

Sitting side by side, Nick couldn’t keep his hands to himself as he chomped down on some candy. 

Dressed down for their date night, Iggy wore a pair of distressed jeans with a knitted jumper and printed top.

Wearing her blonde hair down in loose waves, the 24-year-old rapper topped her look with a navy beanie which featured two pom-poms.

Meanwhile Young looked laid back in a straw USC fedora teamed with a white T-shirt and jeans. 

Whispering sweet nothings... The 24-year-old rapper leaned over as she shared some information with Nick
 

Whispering sweet nothings… The 24-year-old rapper leaned over as she shared some information with Nick

Serving up that good tea! Young seemed a little shocked by what his girlfriend had to tell him 
 

Serving up that good tea! Young seemed a little shocked by what his girlfriend had to tell him 

Having a ball: The happy couple were pictured laughing as they cheered on the USC Trojans
 

Having a ball: The happy couple were pictured laughing as they cheered on the USC Trojans

Showing support for his university basketball team, during the game Nick and Iggy posed for a picture which was posted to USC’s Twitter page.

The caption on the image read: ‘USC’s own @NickSwagyPYoung and his girlfriend @IGGYAZALEA are at the Galen Center to cheer on the Trojans! #FightOn’.

Despite their best efforts the USC Trojans lost the match to the UCLA Bruins who proved victorious with 83 points. 

'We’ve been getting really close lately': Nick recently opened up to DuJour magazine about their relationship
 

‘We’ve been getting really close lately’: Nick recently opened up to DuJour magazine about their relationship

'I’ve never been with somebody like this': The Lakers player didn't hold back in the interview about his feelings towards the Australian chart-topping rapper 
 

‘I’ve never been with somebody like this’: The Lakers player didn’t hold back in the interview about his feelings towards the Australian chart-topping rapper 

'I’m taking it as a challenge': The couple started dating in October 2013 after a few Twitter exchanges

‘I’m taking it as a challenge’: The couple started dating in October 2013 after a few Twitter exchanges

Things have been getting serious between Iggy and Nick, who began dating in October 2013, as they recently purchased a house together – Selena Gomez’s former property.

In an interview with DuJour magazine, Young, also known by his nickname Swaggy P, revealed tying the knot is something that they are considering.

The sports star candidly said he wants to follow in his parents lead – they recently celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary – and forge a similar strong relationship. 

Source – Daily Mail

Don Jazzy And Mr Ibu To Star In Movie Its Don Jazzy Again ? See Details Here

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So i dragged you here to come confirm if Don jazzy is actually going to  be in a movie with Mr Ibu but guys its Nolly wood again . I still wonder where they get their movie titles from , asuu strike, ebola virus, blackberry babes and a few others i cant remember now …. Guess as nothing of interest is really happening right now they just remembered Don jazzy and thought it wise to have a movie in his name . I still havent seen doro bucci but i surely know that movie is out there even if its not dorobucci i can stake the movie title would be called doro something cos Nolly wood no dey fall hand to fall hand ……….. see new movie posters below

jazzy use

 

 

Photo credit – Phyno Phino

Usher Tests the Limits of Art With This Vagina Phone-Charger

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U don’t have to call Usher. No, seriously, don’t call Usher. He’s busy charging his phone… in a lady’s vagina.

Need some background? Usher was attending Art Basel in Miami Beach on Wednesday night, when — according to a tweet and accompanying NSFW photos— the singer stopped by an art installation at Vector Gallery and took part in an exhibit that featured a cell phone charger coming from a naked woman’s body.

We’ll leave it you to interpret this bit of art and what it means. The incident definitely jibes with Usher’s recent no-judgment attitude: His latest single — “I Don’t Mind,” featuring Juicy J — is all about being cool with his lady being a stripper. Maybe he can release a remix about not minding if you pose for an electro-sexual art installation.

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The singer reportedly made his cell phone enjoy 10 minutes of ‘feminine juice’ in exchange of just $10 while he watched astonishingly at the incredible technology.

As the woman sat there sharing current to Usher’s phone, she really just wanted to show how humans have become dependent on technology and she felt a super-charged vagina would help make her point. Wow!

Lena Marquise further explained to on-lookers and reporters  that her V-jay-jay could take a maximum of two cell phones at the same time.

‘Don’t worry, the vagina was equipped with a second battery pack … in case anyone had a Droid’, TMZ reports.

Miley Cyrus Wears Nipple Pasties & Silver Wig for Art Basel #Photos

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The 22 year old actress and singer emerged from her Art Basel concert at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami yesterday Dec. 3rd wearing a silver wig, thong-suspender sling over glittery pantyhose, and matching ballet flats. She was also topless but for the disco ball pasties covering her nipples. See more photos after the cut…

Source- kokomansion.com

Meet Christina Adeleke, The Mother Of HKN Stars, B-Red And Sina Rambo

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HKN

She is Davido’s aunt and the mother of the other HKN acts — Sina Rambo and B-Red.

Bayo Adeleke otherwise known as B-Red and Adeshina Adeleke better known as Shina Rambo are brothers and foundation members of Davido-led HKN Gang.

It is a well-known fact that Davido’s mum, Veronica Adeleke has passed on with the award winning superstar having lost his mum while he was just 11 years old.

However, the two up and coming music acts were born in the United States and now we get to see the very beautiful and ever-young woman — Christina Adeleke, who mothered the boys.

Christina Adeleke marked her 50th birthday but with her body and looks, she would pass for a woman in her 20s or 30s.

The pretty, fair skinned America-based entrepreneur, who was born on March 5, 1964, has four children.

Her eldest daughter is Folashade Adeleke, followed by Shina Rambo, B-red and the baby of the house is Adenike Adeleke.

See photos below: –

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Adenike Adeleke

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Christina Adeleke & her eldest daughter, Folashade

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Source – kokoma360

Rihanna’s Wardrobe Malfunction At BFA After- Party #Photos

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RiRI who was a guest at the British Fashion Awards after-party last night in a semi-sheer dress without a bra almost suffered a wardrobe malfunction as one breast almost fell off the dress she wore . she obviously had an amazing time with friends and fans as she was turned up through out the party  ……. See the photos after the cut…

Photo credit: www. kokomansion.com

HKN Gang Boss Davido, Buys Exotic Cars For Manager And Producer

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Music star and HKN gang boss, Davido (David Adedeji Adeleke) reportedly spent over N35m on brand new cars for both his manager, Kamal Ajiboye and his producer, Sheyi Akerele (Shizzi).

Davido bought a brand new black Mercedes 450 GL which cost N12m for his manager while that of his producer, is a brand new black Porsche Cayenne which cost N24m.

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He’s Changed His Tune! Robin Thicke ‘Throws Divorce Party With Leonardo DiCaprio’ After Paula Patton Files To End Nine-Year Marriage

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Robin Thicke apparently held a ‘divorce party’ after his wife Paula Patton filed to end their marriage earlier this month.

According to reports, The Blurred Lines singer threw the bash on Friday to celebrate his newly single status after spending months trying to work things out with his former love.

Robin allegedly held the divorce party at a night club in Los Angeles before moving on to his home in the Hollywood Hills where he was joined by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and lots of attractive models.

THIC

M.I Acknowledges Phyno As King

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For those thinking all thoughts  about M.I dissing other rap acts who sprung up after him, you may have to drop such thoughts as M.I clearly has no beef with Phyno, olamide and the new cats that have sprung up .

When M.I left the music scene five years ago, many indigenous rap acts like Olamide, Phyno, Illbiss and others came up and took the shine and people beign raising up issues of him not wanting their shine .

But just when everyone thought M.I was no longer coming back, he made a rebound with new single, ‘King James’ where he rapped about being the one and only king of rap.

After the song went viral, many attributed the song to mean him dissing other rappers.

But today, Thursday, Oct.10 is Phyno’s birthday and M.I did something most people wouldn’t expect.

He took to social media and wrote a short tribute to Phyno where he referred to the Igbo rapper as “King Phyno”.

“Happy birthday King Phyno.. They won’t know how far you have come!!!! I do.. And I celebrate your hustle your strength and your kingship.. Long may you reign…”

I Touched 2face’s Life – Kenny St Best Speaks On Her Political Ambition

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Gospel artiste and Vice President of Kennis Music recently declared her intention to run for Lagos State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking on why she delved into politics, she told Punch “Every night I pass through Opebi Road and see young girls (sex workers) I feel sad and it is worrisome that they keep increasing every year.

This constituency is the seat of power for the entire state. I am going to the Assembly and it will be transformation galore.

”During my time with Kennis Music in the past 16 years, I touched the lives of many youths who have become big today.

Some I never knew, but I saw something in them. Today, 2 Face, Paul Play Dairo, Remedies, Essence are all success stories because we believed

in them. Imagine what we can do through governance?” She said

Jason Derulo – I Split With Jordin Because I Felt Pressured To Marry

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In an interview with Ryan Seacrest today, Jason Derulo said he and longtime girlfriend Jordin Sparks broke up because he felt so much pressure to settle down.

“What happened…in a nutshell, there was a lot of tension in the relationship for a lot of different reasons… There was a lot of pressures of marriage. There was a lot of arguing and stuff like that that just weighed on our relationship over time.

When you stop having more good times than bad bad times, it’s time to call it quits. It becomes something that is unhealthy. I’m not one to throw my business out on the street, but I thought it was important because things are getting a little out of hand.

To be fair, it was not just from her either. It was kind of from everybody. That’s not the sole reason, but it definitely played a part. I’ll be lying if I said that we parted in good terms. But it’s not a bad situation.

There’s no bad blood. We didn’t end off on a weird way or a negative way.’  Jason said.

Not Another Celebrity Break-Up: Jason Derulo And Jordin Sparks Reportedly Call It Quits

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My heart can’t handle all these celebrity break-ups.

First Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose are over and now Jason Derulo and Jordin Sparks, have reportedly called it quits after nearly three years of dating.

Multiple sources confirmed to  that the break-up was mutual and that “they still care very deeply for each other.” The break up may come as even more of a shock to fans since just last month the two seemed happy, in love and color coordinated at the 2014 Video Music Awards.

Both Jordin and Jason have yet to comment on the reported break-up, but Jordin—who still has a photo of her and Jason as a banner pic on Twitter—did tweet to her fans that she recently wrote the “saddest song” of her life.

The couple have been very open about their relationship since they made it publically official back in 2012. The two often walk red carpets together, took adorable selfies, sang songs aboutand with each other, and were recently featured in a fall fashion spread for US Weekly

read more on http://www.mtv.com/news/1943622/jason-derulo-jordin-sparks-split/

Kanye West May Be A College Dropout, But He’s Going Back—To Teach!

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As part of his mandated community service from his 2013 paparazzi mishap, the former Chicago State University student is teaching at Los Angeles Trade Technical College for 250 hours.

The community service stems from a paparazzi attack back in July of 2013, after a scuffle at LAX. The rapper pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of battery against the photog.

Los Angeles Trade and Technical College is attended for its classes in fashion design and technology which raises the question of what Professor West is actually teaching.

West certainly knows a thing or two about fashion as he has his own line at A.P.C. A pair of Kanye Jeans will run you $280

Internet Goes WILD For Beyonce & Jay Z Video Featuring Wedding, Baby Bump, Blue Ivy & More

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Privacy is so 2000 and late late thing ! We remember when Jay Z and Beyonce used to hide every aspect of their relationship, now, the couple has evolved and are giving fans more snippets into their wonderful life together. As they round off their successful “On the Run” tour, the couple present this video which features their private life that has always been kept secret from paparazzi and poking ears and eyes of the public

read more on http://www.bellanaija.com/2014/09/24/internet-goes-wild-for-beyonce-jay-z-video-featuring-wedding-baby-bump-more/

Asamoah Gyan Denies Ritual Rumors, Calls It Absurd And Weird Talk

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Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan says claims that he killed his friend and Ghanaian rapper Castro as part of a ritual sacrifice are “wild and absurd”.

Afrobeats artist Castro, whose real name is Theophilus Tagoe, went missing, along with friend Janet Bandu, in July.

They disappeared while using jet skis on holiday with former Sunderland striker Gyan’s family in the Ghanaian coastal town of Ada.

Allegations in Ghana’s media suggested the disappearance was suspicious.

Castro and Bandu were last seen heading towards the ocean on a jet ski and were presumed drowned.

No bodies were recovered and rumours continued to circulate this month when Gyan’s brother, Baffour Gyan, was alleged to have been part of a gang which attacked a journalist who had asked the player about the rumours. The assault charges on Baffour Gyan have now been dropped.

HENNESSEY TASK! 2 Face & Wizkid in the Studio, 2014 Jam Been Prepared

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The duo were spotted hanging out in Lagos on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 in preparation for a collaboration expected to make its debut with the 2014 Hennessy artistry campaign.

2FACEIt is the first ever collaboration between the two, who belong to different generations but have continued to stretch themselves for their fans. The collaboration is believed to be one of the most expected and talked about duets in recent time due to the vast influence of both in the Nigerian music industry.

Sources disclosed that Wizkid is excited about the opportunity afforded him by Hennessy as he has taken to his Instagram account to promote the collaboration.

‘Legendary! Hennessy!’ he wrote as caption to a picture of himself and 2face  today.

Earlier he had written, ‘This year’s Hennessy Artistry is going to be massive and I am really privileged to be working with legend, 2Face Idibia… I can’t wait to get into the studio with him!!! Watch this space!’

I Still Believe In Love…” – J-Lo Speaks On Cover Of Elle Magazine UK

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Made in Puerto Rico, packaged in America, and slaying since 1969 -Jennifer Lopez is one of the world’s most adorable women. Who doesn’t love her?

Taking on as the cover girl for ELLE magazine’s October issue, ‘Jenny-from-the-block’ hasn’t exactly been the luckiest woman when it comes to love. Having had her heart crushed in many ways than one.

With three divorces and a a recently failed relationship, Jennifer Lopez is still very optimistic that cupid has plenty more in store for her.

Jlo

Jennifer, 45, said: “I still believe in love. The nirvana man, he’s out there somewhere. But you just have to work at it. You have to work at everything.

“Everybody has seen that I make mistakes,’ Jennifer added, reflecting over her past relationships.

“I rush in, I get swept up and I ignore the signs. But so many of us are guilty of these things.

“Each time it goes wrong, it’s hard. I get really hurt but I have to let myself go: “What did I do? What can I learn?” And as hard and as hurtful as things get, I want to believe I will be able to go one step higher. I’ve got to hope that if I keep going I will eventually get it right.

 

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Opening up about life as a single mum, Jennifer said that it’s “not easy”.

“I’m from a traditional background. It takes two people to make a kid for a reason. It’s tough because I know they feel the void of that male presence.

“When Marc and I first broke up, I did think: I wish I could have held this together. But when you realise it’s not the right thing for anybody, you think: OK, well how do we make this work, how do we make this better, how do we make this great for the children anyway?”

Beyonce & Jay Z At Music Festival; I SEE LOVE!!!!

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After many months of speculation by various media sources about the power couple  been unhappy,  with Beyonce possibly seeking a divorce from her husband and a follow up on  Solanges ( Beyonces sister ) lift incident with Jay Z the couple stepped out over the weekend in a happy mood with smiles that the public have not seen them with in a while.

 

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The couple both appeared on stage together after Beyonce VMA performance, but still rumors had it that the couple were masking things especially after reports surfaced that blu ivy was praying for her parents not to split i guess this pictures would help douse the rumors of a possible split.

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