Urban Music Award Nominations out

Posted by editor on May 8th, 2009

The nominations for this year’s Urban Music Awards (UMA’s) - to be held on July 17th in New York - are out. Bobby Valentino and Rihanna are leading the pack, with three and four nominations respectively. 

Rihanna is up for Best Female Act 2009, Artist of the Year 2009, Best R&B Act and Best Music Video for “Rehab” (feat. Justin Timberlake). Valentino, who will also perform at the award show, has been nominated for Best Music Video, Best R&B Act and Best Male Act. Dizzee Rascal is also in the Best Male Act category.

UK acts in the running for awards also include M.I.A. Estelle - both nominated for Best Female Act - and Tinchy Stryder. 

The full nomination list is as follows:

Artist of the Year 2009 (USA & UK) 
Rihanna
The Dream
Rick Ross
Akon
Neyo
J. Holiday
Lil Wayne 

Best Album 2009 (USA & UK) 
John Legend - ‘Evolver’ (G.O.O.D/Columbia) 
The Dream - ‘Love VIS Money’ (RadioKilla /DefJam)
Kanye West  - ‘808’s & Heartbreak’ (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Akon - ‘Freedom’ (Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal Motown) 
Seal - ‘Soul’ (Warner Bros.)
Musiq Soulchild - ‘On my Radio’ (Atlantic)
Keri Hilson - ‘In a perfect world’ (Mosley/Zone4/Interscope)
JadaKiss - ‘Last Kiss’ (Ruff Ryders/D-Block/Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
India Arie - ‘Testimony: Vol2, Love & Politics’ (Soulbird/Universal Republic)

Best Gospel Act 2009 (USA only) 
Mary Mary
Mathew West 
Francesca Battistell
Kirk Franklin
Brandon Heath
Donnie McClurkin 

Best International Latino Act 2009 
Kat de Luna
Fanny Lu 
Shakira
Tito ‘El Bambino’
Enrique Iglesias 
Vincente Fernandez

Best Music Video 2009 (USA & UK)
Rhianna - “Rehab”
Bobby V feat Lil Wayne - “Ms Officer”
Day 26 ft. Young Joc & Diddy - ‘Imma put it on her’
Akon - ‘Beautiful’
Lady Gaga - ‘Poker Face’
Neyo - ‘Ms Independent’ 

Best R&B Act 2009 (USA & UK) 
Rhianna
Jazmine Sullivan 
Robin Thicke
Bobby V
Keyshia Cole
J Holiday

Best DJ 2009 (USA & UK) 
Green Lattern (USA)
Khaled (USA)
Tim Westwood (UK)
Fatman Scoop (USA)
Funkmaster Flex (USA)

Best Radio Station 2009 (USA only) 
Power 106 (South Carlifonia) 
Hot 97 (New York)
Q93 (www.q93.com) 
99 Jamz (South Florida)
95.7 Jamz (Atlanta , GA) 

Best TV Show (US only) 
Making the Band – MTV
Bet 106 & Park – BET 
American Idol – FOX
Rip the Runway – BET
Harlem Heights – BET 

Best HipHop Act 2009 (USA & UK)
Lil Wayne 
Giggs
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Lupe Fiasco
Kardinal Offishall

Best Magazine (Print & Online)
Yo Raps
Source
HipHop Weekly
Vibe
XXL

Best Male Act 2009 (UK & USA)
Flo’rida
Dizzee Rascal
Giggs
Kid Cudi
Ghetts
Bobby V
Day 26

Best Collaboration 2009 (USA & UK)
Kanye West ft Estelle - ‘American Boy’
Taoi Cruz ft Sugababes & Busta Rhymes - ‘Like a Star’
Jay Z ft Santagold - ‘Brooklyn Go Hard’
T-Pain feat. Ludacris - ‘Chopped & Screwed’
Sway feat. Akon - ‘Silver & Gold’
Jim Jones & Ron Browz ft. Juelz Santana - ‘Pop Champagne’
Musiq Soulchild ft. Mary J Blige - ‘If U Leave’

Best Female Act 2009 (UK & USA)
Amy Winehouse
Estelle
Jazmine Sullivan
M.I.A
Chrisette Michelle
Rhianna
Keri Hilson

Best International Reggae Act 2009
Movado
Sean Paul
Tony Matterhorn
T.O.K
Erup
Sizzla Kalonji

Best Producer 2009
Mark Ronson
Swiss Beatz
Timberland
Scott Storch
Ryan Leslie
Stargate 

Best Single 2009 (USA & UK)
Tinchy Stryder feat Dappy - ‘Number 1’
Busta Rhymes ft Diddy, T-Pain & more - ‘Arab Money’
Ghetts - ‘Sing for me’
T-Pain - ‘Chopped & Screwed’
Eminem ft Dr. Dre & 50 Cent - ‘Crack a bottle’
Kid Cudi - ‘Day and Night’
Beyonce - ‘Halo’

US: Warner Music shares on the rise

Posted by editor on April 14th, 2009

In the US, Warner Music Group, home to Estelle, T.I. and Flo Rida has seen its shares leap 13% after an analyst at Goldman Sachs upgraded its stock to “neutral” from “sell”. 

Although music sales in the US declined by 7% in the last quarter, Warner Music bucked the trend and saw its American market share expand to 21% in the quarter to March. 

At midday trading yesterday, the shares rose to $3.49, compared to a high of $9.05 reached in May 2008. 

 

Estelle Appears On David Letterman Show

Posted by editor on April 28th, 2008

UK songstress and rapper Estelle has made her first appearance on American network television, performing her chart topping single American Boy on the David Letterman show.

The Late Show with David Letterman is an hour-long comedy and talk show which is broadcast every weeknight, and which features a host of A-list guests and musical performers. It is one of the US’s most highly rated talk shows… (more…)