After being honoured with the prestigious Impact Award at the 2025 MOBO Awards in the UK, dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel is now setting his sights on the 42nd International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), where he is nominated in three major categories. The renowned deejay is in the running for the Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artist of the Year, competing against Buju Banton, Chronic Law, Masicka, Sean Paul, Protoje, and Valiant. His critically acclaimed project Party With Me has also earned a nomination for the Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD, while his highly-publicised event Freedom Street is up for Concert of the Year.
Kartel’s nominations add another layer of excitement to this year’s IRAWMAs, which will take place on March 30 at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in Florida. The competition is fierce, with Sean Paul leading the overall nominations with seven, followed by Shenseea and YG Marley with five each. Spice and Buju Banton also remain strong contenders with four nominations apiece. According to IRAWMA founder Dr. Ephraim Martin, the event continues to uphold its legacy of recognizing global excellence in reggae and dancehall. “We intend to uphold the integrity of IRAWMA by giving honours only where honours are due without compromise,” Martin emphasized.
With voting set to close on March 10, fans are rallying behind their favourite artists to ensure victory in their respective categories. As one of Dancehall’s most polarizing yet influential figures, Vybz Kartel’s presence in the awards race only intensifies the anticipation for the ceremony. Whether he takes home top honours or not, his continued impact on the genre remains undeniable. Fans can cast their votes at irawma.com and witness reggae and dancehall’s biggest night unfold.
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