HEADIES 2013 REVIEW: OLAMIDE WINS BIG AT THE HEADIES, PHYNO TOO, NIKKI LAOYE SHOCKS WITH BIG WIN FOR 'ONLY YOU'!!!

Olamide

It was a beautiful Thursday evening, Boxing day at that, the 26th of December 2013; the event was the Headies 2013 (formerly known as Hip Hop World Awards). It held at the prestigious Grand Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, not the usual Eko Hotel and Suites that everyone seems to be used to for major events, probably to keep to terms with the slogan of the Headies (breaking from the norm).

L-R: Ill Bliss and Yvonne Vixen

The event started early enough, having been a guest at the last Headies 2012, I was impressed that by 7:30pm, the Red Carpet...emmm sorry, Black Carpet was already underway, Artistes surprising arriving early enough. I was there last year and by 10pm, the Red Carpet hadn't even kicked off, because there were no celebrities in sight, they started to trickle in from 11pm, so I was glad to see Kenny Saint Brown, OJB Jezreel, Teju Babyface, Nikki Laoye, Ill Bliss grace the carpet by 8:30pm.

Ojb Jezreel (with mask)

Cut to the Ballroom, and the stage was an amazing runway-like creation, enveloped in projector screens so that guests didn't have to turn their necks to see the videos of the nominees being displayed. As with most Nigerian events there were obvious glitches, like 'endless" waits for winners to come out to collect their awards, at a point it seemed as though all the winners were coming in from backstage, that was obviously because, they were being prepped for their performances, a la, Olamide, Phyno and Sean Tizzle.

Nikki Laoye dedicates award to God and her late father

The performances kicked off with Yemi Alade's colorful performance of her new single "Johnny" with her energetic dancers. Sheyi Shay also delivered a lovely performance of "Irawo", she looked hot and her vocals rung out through out the venue, electrifying the arena. There was excitement in the room when Praiz was announced as the next performer, this excitement was short lived, as the artiste opted to perform a cover of a Rihanna song, instead of his more popular "Rich and Famous".

Iyanya performing Your Waist

Waje's performance left much to be desired, as she apparently mimed off her song, with a few adlibs, which were few and far between, leaving the audience gutted as she was performing the crowd favorite "I Wish". Iyanya's performance of "Your Waist" was weird to say the least, he hardly sang and instead chose to belt out chants of "your waist", and the dancers didn't help matters, as the choreography had nothing to do with the song. Davido, Olamide and Sean Tizzle had excitable performances and were well applauded. Niyola came up to sing her hit single Toh bad, it was sweet and sensual, though she was clearly miming for most parts.

Niyola performing Toh Bad

Big winners of the night were Olamide with 3 awards and 1 he shared with Phyno for best collaboration, Nikki Laoye shocked everyone by picking up the Best Vocal Performance for Only You, beating the likes of Toh Bad (Niyola), Irawo (Shey Shay) and I wish (Waje), when she picked up the mic and sang in tears, she left no one in doubt of her vocal prowess.

See the full list of Winners:

Best Recording of the Year
I Wish – Waje
Good Morning – Brymo
Natural Something – Sound Sultan
This Year – Jaywon – WINNER!

DTunes

Producer of the YearPheelz – Durosoke
DTunes – Sho Lee - WINNER!Del B – Limpopo
Leriq – Like to Party
Legendury Beatz – Emi Ni Baller

Best Music Video
Alingo – Jude Okoye/Clarence Peters - WINNER!
Oliver Twist – Sesan
Gaga Crazy – Aje Filmworks
Azonto – Moe Musa
Yes/No – Clarence Peters

Davido

Best R&B/Pop Album
Iyanya Vs. Desire – Iyanya
O.B.O. – Davido - WINNER!
R&BW – Banky W
Blessed– Flavour
Away & Beyond – 2Face Idibia

Banky W

Best R&B Single
Don’t Let Go – Capital Femi
Good Good Loving – Banky W - WINNER!
Like to Party – Burna Boy
Rich & Famous – Praiz
Omote – Ese Peters

Best Pop Single
Ihe Ne Me – 2Face Idibia - WINNER!
The Kick – Wande Coal Feat. Don Jazzy
Gobe – Davido
Catching Cold – Tunde Ednut
Ur Waist – Iyanya
Goody Bag – D’Prince

Best Reggae/Dancehall Single
I Wish – Waje - WINNER!
Rihanna – Orezi
Give it To Me – General Pype
Go Down – Baba Dee

Olamide

Best Rap Album
Oga Boss – Ill Bliss
The Second Coming – Vector
YBNL – Olamide - WINNER!
Book of Rap Stories – Reminisce

Best Collabo
Ghost Mode – Phyno Feat. Olamide - WINNER!
Tony Montana (Remix) – Naeto C Feat. D’banj
Baddest Boy – EME Feat, Wizkid, Skales & Banky W
Ezioku – Lynxxx Feat. Ikechukwu, Ill Bliss & Phyno
Emi Ni Baller – Chidinma Feat. Suspect & Ill Bliss
Baby Mi Da (Remix) – DR. Victor Olaiya Feat. 2Face Idibia

Phyno

Best Rap Single
Man of the Year – Phyno - WINNER!
Anam Achi Kwanu – Ill Bliss Feat. Phyno
Durosoke – Olamide
2 Musshh – Reminisce
Ghost Mode – Phyno Feat. Olamide

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

Non-voting category for best vocal performance by an artiste on a particular song or album
Rich & Famous – Praiz - WINNER!
Omote – Ese Peters
Don’t Let Go – Capital Femi
Yes/No – Banky W

Nikki Laoye

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

Non-voting category for best vocal performance by an artiste on a particular song or album
I Wish – Waje
Toh Bad – Niyola
Irawo – Seyi Shay
Totally Yours – Zaina
Only You – Nikki Laoye - WINNER!

Sean Tizzle

Next Rated
Sean Tizzle - WINNER!
Dammy Krane
Burna Boy
Seyi Shay
Phyno

Hip Hop World Revelation
W.A.J.E – Waje
Omo Baba Olowo – Davido - WINNER!
Frenzy – D’Prince
The Year of R&B – Capital Femi

Lyricist on the Roll
Olamide – Voice of the Streets
Boogey – Sanctum
Mode 9 – Let It Go - WINNER!
Phyno – Man of the Year

Best Street-Hop Artiste
Terry G – Run Mad
Durosoke – Olamide - WINNER!
My Dear – Dammy Krane
Skibo – Solid Star
Alaye – LKT

Black Magic

Best Alternative Song
Repete – Black Magic - WINNER!
Omo Pastor – Ajebutter 22 Feat. BOJ
Feel Alright – Show Dem Camp Feat. BOJ & POE
This Year – Jaywon

Album of the Year
Iyanya Vs. Desire – Iyanya
O.B.O. – Davido
R&BW – Banky W
Blessed – Flavour
YBNL – Olamide - WINNER!

Iyanya

Artiste of the Year
Iyanya - WINNER!
Davido
Wizkid
Flavour
Olamide
Ice Prince

Song of the Year
Durosoke – Olamide
Ur Waist – Iyanya
Alingo – P-Square
Sho Lee – Sean Tizzle
Limpopo – Kcee - WINNER!

Most Downloaded Callertune
Harrysong – Mandela

Wasiu Ayinde – Kwam 1

Hall of Fame
Wasiu Ayinde

Photo credits: Hip Hop World Magazine and Bella Naija