And the Nominees are? 40th International Reggae & World Music Awards Revealed…Vote now @irawma.com

IMPRESSIVE LIST OF NOMINEES & 21 SPECIAL HONOREES FOR 40TH IRAWMA ANNIVERSARY REVEALED! KOFFEE LEADS WITH 7 NODS, MASICKA, POPCAAN, AND SPICE 6 EACH.
(Chicago/Jamaica, March 2023):
Martin’s International, producer of the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), revealed at a live streamed media press conference on Thursday, March 9th, some 135 nominees vying in thirty-two categories, to take home the best of the 2021/22 Awards.
Dr. Ephraim Martin, President & Producer of IRAWMA led the conference and announced that the 40th Anniversary of IRAWMA, under the theme of “Reggae Rise”, will be a salute to Dancehall music and its monumental contribution to the evolution of Jamaican music over the last fifty years. This 40th ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 7th, 2023, at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.
It was revealed that twenty-one special music industry and media representatives will be honored this year. Among the awardees are; Dynasty Award to the world’s oldest newspaper, the Jamaica Daily Gleaner, now publishing over 189 consecutive years, Mr. Desmond Allen, OD, the founding Editor of the Jamaica Observer, Julian Schmidt (Germany) founder of Reggaeville, one of the most popular reggae focused digital media platforms, California based Kaati Gaffney for RBA Publishing, and Bobby Clark and Lou Grant of Irie Jam Media & Bridge FM Radio based in both New York and Jamaica.

Hon. Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, OJ, Josef Bogdanovich, Usain Bolt, Copeland Forbes, OD, Marcia Griffiths, Freddy McGregor, Beres Hammond, Stone Love, and Ms. Pat Chin are all recipients of special Honour Awards in the areas of humanitarian contributions, philanthropy and the overall development and growth of Jamaican music and culture. Peter Tosh will be awarded posthumously, for his work in the Global Legalization of Medical Marijuana, a new category for 2022.
In addition to the nominations and special awardees several Inductees to the IRAWMA Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award were announced. These included Beenie Man and Bounty Killer for untiring and extraordinary contributions to reggae music internationally, for 40 years and 30 years respectively.
Sharon Burke was awarded an IRAWMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Extraordinary Contributions to the Reggae Music Industry over the Decades, Mutabaruka for five Decades of Extraordinary Contributions to Jamaica and the African Diaspora, worldwide, and Yasmin Peru for over 30 years of contributions to entertainment Journalism.

Among the leading nominees for this 40th IRAWMA are: Koffee with seven nods, Masicka, Popcaan, and Spice six each. Ding Dong, Gramps Morgan, and Sean Paul for four. Buju, Capleton, Damian Marley, Dexta Daps, DJ Khaled, Kabaka, Shaggy, Sizzla, Skeng, and Skillibend three each. Running up with two nods each are: Burna Bwoy, Etana, Govana, Jada Kingdom, Queen Ifrika. Shanell Muir, Shenseea, Tarrus Riley, and Valiant. Scores of other nominees received one nod.
Among the announcers revealing the nominees and special honorees were Africa/Ghana Dancehall Star Shatta Wale, Copeland Forbes, Gospel Artist and host Dr. Sharon Wiles, Ephraim Martin, Donna Roc, Carrie Mullings, Marcia McDonough, Courtney Campbell, and others.
A full list of nominees, special awardees and categories of awards can be seen on irawma.com. Voting is now open to the public, but individuals must subscribe to www.Youtube.com/irawma before or after you vote so the votes can be properly qualified and not kicked out automatically. Any attempted duplication of vote will void your vote and it will not be counted.
IRAWMA is made possible through generous contributions and support from The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES), DSE (Downsound Records), VP Records, Irie Jam Media/Bridge FM Radio, and other category sponsors.
“We are coming out of the global pandemic, and need the support of the music industry, other businesses, and individuals to sponsor a category in their honor, and/or to make a tax-deductible donation to enhance the level of production, keep IRAWMA strong, and for the fortification of reggae and world music globally,” President, Dr. Martin said. Visit irawma.com for complete information.
A limited number of V-VIP and VIP tickets and hotel packages are available to the public at www.irawma.com, email, irawma@gmail.com or call 877/9-REGGAE. Click here to watch the press conference that revealed the nominees/special honorees, https://www.youtube.com/live/H1dhZkBiQqU?feature=share
Media Contact: Marcia McDonnough, irawmainfo@gmail.com and touchstonenet@gmail.com

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