Ashanti to Receive Lady of Soul Honor at This Month’s Soul Train Awards

Ashanti is the (Soul) Lady of the moment…

The 41-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress will receive the Lady of Soul honor at this year’s Soul Train Awards.

Ashanti

“I’m honored to be recognized as this year’s Lady of Soul honoree,” Ashanti said. “This is a full circle moment for me because I received the Aretha Franklin entertainer of the year award at the Lady of Soul Awards in 2002. As we commemorate 50 years of Soul Train, I’m proud to be a part of this legacy and to return to the Apollo to celebrate.”

Previous Lady of Soul honorees include Jill Scott (2015), Brandy (2016), SWV (2017), Faith Evans (2018), Yolanda Adams (2019) and Monica (2020).

Maxwell will receive the Legend award, which has gone in recent years to Babyface (2015), Teddy Riley (2016), Toni Braxton (2017), Erykah Badu (2018) and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (2019).

“It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” said the half-Puerto Rican R&B singer in a statement. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.”

BET Soul plans to dedicate a full hour to music videos by Maxwell and Ashanti, starting Wednesday (Nov. 3) at 10:00 a.m. ET. Check local listings.

The Soul Train Awards, which recognizes the best in soul and R&B, will be taped at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on November 20. It will premiere on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her. As previously announced, Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold will co-host the show for the fourth consecutive year.

Swizz Beatz to Receive ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award

Swizz Beatz is a voice of the future

The 42-year-old half Puerto Rican recording artist, music producer and entrepreneur will receive the ASCAP Voice of the Culture award alongside Timbaland and D-Nice to kick off the 2021 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards on June 22.

Swizz Beatz

Following the presentation, the music creators will take part in a 2021 ASCAP Experience conversation, “Voices of the Culture: How Swizz Beatz, Timbaland & D-Nice United the World Through Music,” at 12:00 pm ET/ 9:00 am PT.

The virtual conversation will explore how Timbaland and Swizz Beatz’s virtual music battle series Verzuz and D-Nice’s Club Quarantine became tools for uplift within the Black music community and touchstones of empowerment during the pandemic.

To join the conversation, participants can RSVP at www.ascapexperience.com/schedule. They can also submit a question for the three creators before June 10.

Verzuz has featured such epic matchups as Gladys Knight vs. Patti LaBelle, Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott, Earth, Wind & Fire vs. The Isley Brothers, and Snoop Dogg vs. DMX.

Club Quarantine attracted a virtual community of millions to Instagram Live for sets of funk, disco, hip-hop and R&B.

In addition to launching these popular events, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and D-Nice are accomplished music creators in their own right.

Grammy-winning songwriter-producer Swizz Beatz has been in the music and business worlds since he was 16. He began DJing and working at his uncle’s company, Ruff Ryders Entertainment, while still in high school. Within a short time, Swizz produced the company’s first hit, by DMX. More success followed as a producer and artist. As a producer, Swizz has worked with a diverse array of artists, including Jay-Z, Madonna, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Metallica.

The 2021 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards is a virtual celebration that takes place on social media from June 22-24. The event recognizes songwriters, composers and publishers behind the most performed R&B/hip-hop, rap and gospel songs of the past year. Friends and fans can join the online festivities as ASCAP shares photos, videos, acceptance speeches and more from some of its top songwriters and publishers, posted with the hashtag #ASCAPAwards to @ASCAPUrban on Instagram and @ASCAP on Twitter and Instagram.

The ASCAP Experience takes place twice a month on Wednesdays through the end of 2021. Songwriters, composers and music business professionals can join the ASCAP Experience community for access to conversations with songwriters and producers from across the musical spectrum, plus panels with top industry executives, song feedback, networking opportunities and more. The virtual sessions are free to attend and take place on a variety of platforms, including YouTube, Instagram and on the ASCAP Experience website.

Adrian Quesada & Black Pumas to Perform at This Year’s Austin City Limits Festival

Adrian Quesada is takin’ it to the Limits

The 44-year-old Latino Grammy-winning guitarist and producer and singer/songwriter Eric Burton’s Black Pumas will be performing at this year’s Austin City Limits festival.

Adrian Quesada, Black Pumas

The event will be taking pace over two weekends, October 1-3 and October 8-10 at Austin’s Zilker Park.

Headlining this year’s two-weekend festival are George Strait, Billie Eilish and Stevie Nicks.

In addition to Quesada’s Black Pumas, top billing honors at ACL Fest 2021 also go to Miley CyrusRüfüs Du SolDaBabyErykah BaduMegan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat.

Three-day tickets are on sale now at aclfestival.com.

This year’s lineup features standout talent including Modest MousePhoebe BridgersJack HarlowJon PardiFinneasChet Faker (Weekend One), Sofia Valdes, La Doña, Dermot KennedyTierra WhackTanya Tucker (Weekend One), Omar Apollo, Trixie Mattel (Weekend Two) and much more.

Homegrown Texans include St. Vincent (Weekend One), Marc RebilletSurfacesDayglowMissioCharley CrockettHeartless Bastards (Weekend Two) and Asleep at the Wheel (Weekend One).

“Music is coming back strong to the Live Music Capital of the World,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “The return of Austin City Limits as an in-person festival celebrates that our efforts as a community to become vaccinated are working. Health and safety remain our top priority, and we will work closely with the organizers and Austin Public Health to ensure ACL Fest is in line with our health standards. We must continue to get everyone vaccinated and keep up our success.”

ACL Fest organizers are in regular communication with local health and public safety officials and will follow current recommendations and guidelines at the time of the festival. As the weekends approach, ACL Fest patrons will receive regular updates with important information regarding safety policies and procedures before entering Zilker Park. ACL Fest will partner with the City of Austin and Austin Public Health to encourage vaccination in the months prior to the festival.

“Austin City Limits 2021 is a result of successful vaccine efforts and more than a year’s worth of protection measures,” said Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott. “Taking the shot is our shot at getting things back to normal and we envision this happening before October if we stay the course as a community.”

Zilker Park has been the home of the Austin City Limits Music Festival for two decades. Since 2006, ACL Festival, in partnership with Austin Parks Foundation, has generated more than $41 million towards improvements to Zilker Park and parks across the city. In 2019, through a percentage of ticket sales, fans of ACL Fest contributed $6 million to improving Austin’s public parks, trails and green spaces.

Here’s the full lineup:

Ashanti to Face Off Against Keyshia Cole in Next Verzuz Battle

Ashanti is preparing for a big musical battle…

The 39-year-old part-Dominican American Grammy-winning singer and actress will face off against Keyshia Cole in the next Verzuz battle on December 12.

Ashanti

“Yeah, it’s official! The paperwork is IN,” the official Verzuz Instagram teased the “legendary Ladies Night,” with a split image of the singers’ faces.

The matchup is no surprise for fans, who’ve been buzzing about the potential pairing since May, when Cole commented under a side-by-side comparison of the duo’s hits. “My fans sent me this @timbaland @therealswizz @ashanti @verzuztv,” she wrote at the time. “is this accurate?”

The matchup marks the fourth female-charged battle, following Erykah Badu and Jill ScottMonica and Brandy, and Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle.

Ashanti’s biggest hits include the chart-topping singles “Foolish” and “Always on Time,” with Ja Rule.

Don’t miss Cole and Ashanti’s Verzuz battle on Saturday, December 12 at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT on Verzuz’s Instagram page and on Apple Music.

Fat Joe Earns His First-Ever Soul Train Music Award Nominations

Fat Joe has some new Soul to celebrate…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper has earned his first-ever Soul Train Music Award nominations.

Fat Joe

Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, is nominated in the Best Collaboration category for his single “All the Way Up,” featuring Remy Ma, French Montana and Infared.

Fat Joe’s second nomination comes in the Rhythm & Bars Award category, which was formerly known as the Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year, for the infectious track, which has been certified platinum.

But Fat Joe isn’t the only Latino nominee…

Maxwell, who was named Best New Artist at the Soul Train Music Awards nearly 20 years ago, has picked up a nod in the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist.

The 43-year-old half-Puerto Rican R&B singer, a five-time STMA winner, last picked up the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist award in 2009.

Meanwhile, Mariah Carey picked up a nod in The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award category for co-writing the single, “Don’t,” performed by Bryson Tiller.

Erykah Badu will return as host for the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards, landing at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena next month.

2016 hip-hop MVP Drake leads the pack with 12 nominations, including a pair of nods for the Video of the Year Award for his viral smash “Hotline Bling” and his guest spot on Rihanna‘s earworm “Work.” Beyonce follows with eight nominations for her work on the visual album Lemonade.

Filming for the Soul Train Music Awards will take place on November 6 before it airs on Centric and BET at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 27.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

Best New Artist
Anderson .Paak
Andra Day
Bryson Tiller
Chance The Rapper
Ro James
Tory Lanez

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton
Bryson Tiller
Maxwell
The Weeknd
Usher

Centric Certified Award
After 7
Anderson .Paak
Bilal
Lalah Hathaway
Musiq Soulchild

Video Of The Year

Beyoncé – Formation
Beyoncé – Sorry
Drake – Hotline Bling
Kanye West – Fade
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work

Best Gospel/ Inspirational Song
Donnie Mcclurkin – I Need You
Hezekiah Walker – Better
Kirk Franklin – 123 Victory
Tamela Mann – God Provides
Travis Greene – Made A Way

Album/Mixtape of the Year
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Bryson Tiller – T R A P S O U L
Dj Khaled – Major Key
Drake – Views
Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo
Rihanna – Anti

Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year)
Chance The Rapper Ft. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz – No Problem
Dj Khaled Ft. Drake – For Free
Drake – Controlla
Drake Ft. Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Ft. French Montana & Infared – All The Way Up

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

Alicia Keys
Beyoncé
Fantasia
Jill Scott
Rihanna

Song of the Year
Adele – Hello
Beyoncé – Formation
Bryson Tiller – Don’t
Drake – Controlla
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award
Hello – Written By: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, Gregory Allen Kurstin (Adele)
Rise Up – Written By: Andra Day, Jennifer Decilveo (Andra Day)
Formation – Written By: Michael L. Williams Ii, Beyoncé Knowles, Khalif Brown, Aaquil Brown, Asheton Hogan, (Beyoncé)
Don’t – Written By: Johntá M. Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Tavoris Javon Hollins, Isom Brandon Stewart, Bryson Dejuan Tiller (Bryson Tiller)
Needed Me – Written By: Nicholas Valentino Audino, Rachel Derrus, Adam King Feeney, Robyn R. Fenty, Brittany Talia Hazzard, Charles Hinshaw Jr., Lewis Beresford Hughes, Dijon Isaiah Mcfarlane, Khaled Rohaim, Te Whiti Te Rangitepaia Mataa Warbick (Rihanna)

Best Dance Performance
Beyoncé – Formation
Drake – Hotline Bling
Kanye West (Dance Performance Ft. Teyana Taylor) – Fade
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work
Usher Ft. Young Thug – No Limit

Best Collaboration 
Beyoncé Ft. Kendrick Lamar – Freedom
Chance The Rapper Ft. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz – No Problem
Dj Khaled Ft. Drake – For Free
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Ft. French Montana & Infared – All The Way Up
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work

 

Kid Cudi Reveals More Details About His Upcoming Album

Kid Cudi is ready to stop, collaborate and listen…

After announcing the title of his upcoming album Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’the 32-year-old half-Mexican American recording artist and actor continues to drop hints about the project, which could be loaded with PharrellAndre 3000 and Travis Barker collaborations.

Kid Cudi

“Got some magic from Pharrell last nite,” Cudi tweeted Wednesday (June 29). “New collabs, new energy, new frequency.”

He also teased that the new material is on the horizon.

“Gonna get a release date for yall in a few weeks,” he added. “This album and new jams

Though Cudder’s last album, the double-disc Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven veered more towards the rock side, artists like Erykah Badu and the aforementioned 3 Stacks praised his work.

The Cleveland rep has also been releasing new songs over the past few months including “Goodbye,” “All In” and “The Frequency.”

Maxwell Earns Four NAACP Image Award Nominations

Maxwell’s critically acclaimed collaboration with Alicia Keys is paying dividends…

The 40-year-old half-Puerto Rican R&B singer leads the pack of Latinos nominated for prizes at this year’s NAACP Image Awards, earning three of his four nods for his song with Keys “Fire We Make.”

Maxwell

Maxwell will face-off against three-time nominee Bruno Mars in the Outstanding Male Artist
category. They’ll compete against Charlie Wilson, John Legend and Justin Timberlake for the award.

In the Outstanding Music Video category, the official clips for Maxwell’s duet with Keys “Fire We Make” and Mars’ hit song “Treasure” earned Image Awards love. The other nominees include music videos for India.Arie’s “Cocoa Butter,” John Legend’s “Made to Love” and “Q.U.E.E.N.,Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu’s collaboration.

Lastly, Maxwell’s duet with Keys “Fire We Make” and Mars’ “Treasure” are up for Outstanding Song. The other nominees include John Legend’s “All of Me,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”  featuring T.I. & Pharrell and “Q.U.E.E.N.” by Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu.

Maxwell’s final nomination comes in the Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration category, again for his single “Fire We Make” with Keys. The pair are up against fellow Latino nominees Mariah Carey and Miguel for their hit collaboration “#Beautiful.” The other nominees: “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, T.I. & Pharrell, “Hurt You” by Toni Braxton and Babyface and  “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z.

In the Outstanding World Music Album category, Gloria Estefan earned a nod for her recently released American standards album, The Standards. The Cuban singer is up against Lady Ele’s Coming from a Lady, Emeli Sande’s Live At The Royal Albert Hall, Natalie Cole’s Natalie Cole en Español and Laura Mvula’s Sing To The Moon.

Other Latino/a nominees include Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, The Young and the RestlessTatyana Ali for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, Scandal’s Guillermo Diaz for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture for their blockbuster hit Gravity.

NAACP’s Image Awards will take place on February 22, airing live on the East Coast On TVOne and tape-delayed on the West Coast from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s nominees:

TELEVISION

Outstanding Comedy Series
“House of Lies” (Showtime)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)
“The Game” (BET)
“The Soul Man” (TV Land)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (FOX)
Cedric The Entertainer – “The Soul Man” (TV Land)
Don Cheadle – “House of Lies” (Showtime)
Dulé Hill – “Psych” (USA Network)
Kevin Hart – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Aisha Tyler – “Archer” (FX Networks)
Mindy Kaling – “The Mindy Project” (FOX)
Niecy Nash – “The Soul Man” (TV Land)
Tasha Smith – “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse” (OWN)
Wendy Raquel Robinson – “The Game” (BET)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Boris Kodjoe – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)
Jerry “J B Smoove” Brooks – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)
Morris Chestnut – “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime)
Nick Cannon – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)
Tracy Morgan – “30 Rock” (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Anna Deavere Smith – “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime)
Brandy Norwood – “The Game” (BET)
Nia Long – “House of Lies” (Showtime)
Rashida Jones – “Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
Sofia Vergara – “Modern Family” (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series
“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
“Scandal” (ABC)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“Treme” (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
James Pickens, Jr. – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
LL Cool J – “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS)
Michael Ealy – “Almost Human” (FOX)
Shemar Moore – “Criminal Minds” (CBS)
Wendell Pierce – “Treme” (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Chandra Wilson – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Kerry Washington – “Scandal” (ABC)
Khandi Alexander – “Treme” (HBO)
Nicole Beharie – “Sleepy Hollow” (FOX)
Regina King – “SouthLAnd” (TNT)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Columbus Short – “Scandal” (ABC)
Guillermo Diaz – “Scandal” (ABC)
Jeffrey Wright – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Joe Morton – “Scandal” (ABC)
Michael Kenneth Williams – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Archie Panjabi – “The Good Wife” (CBS)
Debbie Allen – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Diahann Carroll – “White Collar” (USA)
Taraji P. Henson – “Person of Interest” (CBS)
Vanessa L. Williams – “666 Park Avenue” (ABC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
“Being Mary Jane” (BET)
“Betty & Coretta” (Lifetime)
“CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” (VH1)
“Luther” (BBC America)
“Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight” (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Chiwetel Ejiofor – “Dancing on the Edge” (Starz)
Danny Glover – “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest (HBO)
Idris Elba – “Luther” (BBC America)
Malik Yoba – “Betty & Coretta” (Lifetime)
Omari Hardwick – “Being Mary Jane” (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Angela Bassett – “American Horror Story: Coven” (FX Networks)
Angela Bassett – “Betty & Coretta” (Lifetime)
Gabourey Sidibe – “American Horror Story: Coven” (FX Networks)
Gabrielle Union – “Being Mary Jane” (BET)
Keke Palmer – “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” (VH1)

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Aaron D. Spears – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Kristoff St. John – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Lawrence Saint Victor – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Redaric Williams – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Tequan Richmond – “General Hospital” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Angell Conwell – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Christel Khalil – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Karla Mosley – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Kristolyn Lloyd – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Tatyana Ali – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)

Outstanding News/ Information – (Series or Special)
 “Justice for Trayvon” (BET)
“Mandela: Freedom’s Father” (BET)
“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN)
“The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” (PBS)
“Unsung” (TV One)

Outstanding Talk Series
“Oprah’s Lifeclass” (OWN)
“Oprah’s Next Chapter” (OWN)
“Steve Harvey” (Syndicated)
“The Arsenio Hall Show” (Syndicated)
“The Queen Latifah Show” (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Series
“Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN)
“Shark Tank” (ABC)
“Sunday Best” (BET)
“The Voice” (NBC)
“Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (OWN)

Outstanding Variety Series or Special
“12 Years A Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes” (TV One)
“Black Girls Rock!” (BET)
“Key & Peele” (Comedy Central)
“Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” (HBO)
“Oprah’s Master Class” (OWN)

Outstanding Children’s Program
“2013 HALO Awards” (Nickelodeon/TeenNick)
“A.N.T. Farm” (Disney Channel)
“Dora the Explorer” (Nickelodeon)
“Postcards: Mandela” (The Africa Channel)
“Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts MasterClass” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program – (Series or Special)
China Anne McClain – “A.N.T. Farm” (Disney Channel)
Eric I. Keyes, III – “Live Life and Win!” (Syndicated)
Fatima Ptacek “Dora the Explorer” (Nickelodeon)
Karan Brar – “Jessie” (Disney Channel)
Zendaya – “Shake It Up” (Disney Channel)

RECORDING

Outstanding New Artist
Ariana Grande
Candice Glover
K. Michelle
RaVaughn Brown
Zendaya

Outstanding Male Artist
Bruno Mars
Charlie Wilson
John Legend
Justin Timberlake
Robin Thicke

Outstanding Female Artist
Beyoncé
India.Arie
Janelle Monáe
Ledisi
Mary J Blige

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
“#Beautiful” – Mariah Carey feat. Miguel
“Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
“Fire We Make” – Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell
“Hurt You” – Toni Braxton feat. Babyface
“Suit & Tie” – Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z

Outstanding Jazz Album
“Summer Horns” – Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot
“The Beat” – Boney James
“The Messenger” – Kevin Eubanks
“The Morning After: A Musical Love Journey” – Najee
“The Songs of Stevie Wonder” – SFJAZZ Collective

Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)
“20 Year Celebration Volume 1 – Best For Last” – Donald Lawrence “Best Days Deluxe Edition” – Tamela Mann
“Good God” – Shirley Caesar
“Music From the Motion Picture Black Nativity” – Various

Outstanding World Music Album
“Coming from a Lady” – Lady Ele
“Live At The Royal Albert Hall” – Emeli Sande
“Natalie Cole en Español” – Natalie Cole
“Sing To The Moon” – Laura Mvula
“The Standards” – Gloria Estefan

Outstanding Music Video
“Cocoa Butter” – India.Arie
“Fire We Make” – Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell
“Made To Love” – John Legend
“Q.U.E.E.N.” – Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu
“Treasure” – Bruno Mars

Outstanding Song
“All Of Me” – John Legend
“Blurred Lines ” – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
“Fire We Make” – Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell
“Q.U.E.E.N.” – Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu
“Treasure” – Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Album
“20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience” – Justin Timberlake “Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke
“Love In The Future” – John Legend
“Love, Charlie” – Charlie Wilson
“The Electric Lady” – Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic)

LITERATURE

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“A Deeper Love Inside: The Porscha Santiaga Story” – Sister Souljah “Anybody’s Daughter” – Pamela Samuels Young
“Little Green: An Easy Rawlins Mystery” – Walter Mosley
“Never Say Never: A Novel” – Victoria Christopher Murray
“Who Asked You?” – Terry McMillan

Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“Bartlett’s Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs from
Voices Around the World” – Retha Powers
“Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery” – Deborah Willis, Barbara Krauthamer
“High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and
Society” – Carl Hart
“Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones” – Hill
Harper
“The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross” – Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Donald Yacovone

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Better Than Good Hair – The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy Gorgeous Natural Hair!” – Nikki Walton with Ernessa T.
Carter
“Ghana Must Go” – Taiye Selasi
“Nine Years Under” – Sheri Booker
“On The Come Up” – Hannah Weyer
“The Returned” – Jason Mott

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Auto-Biography
“Buck: A Memoir” – MK Asante
“Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington” – Terry Teachout
“Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker” – Stanley Crouch
“Mom & Me & Mom” – Maya Angelou
“The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” – Jeanne Theoharis

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible African American Children” – Sabrina
Lamb
“Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don’t Have It)” – Sherri Shepherd with Billie Fitzpatrick
“Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Different Students in Gifted Education” – Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D.
The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs” – Kevin D. Johnson
“The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life” – Robin Quivers

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid” – Nikki Giovanni
“Hum” – Jamaal May
“The Cineaste: Poems” – A. Van Jordan
“The Collected Poems of Ai” – Ai
“Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers” – Frank X Walker

Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“I’m A Pretty Little Black Girl!” – Betty K. Bynum (Author), Claire Armstrong-Parod (Illustrator)
“Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me” – Daniel Beaty (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator)
“Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song” – Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)
“Nelson Mandela” – Kadir Nelson
“You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!” – Jonah Winter (Author), Terry Widener (Illustrator)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Courage Has No Color, The True Story of the Triple Nickles: America’s First Black Paratroopers” – Tanya Lee
Stone
“God’s Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens” – Romal Tune
“Invasion” – Walter Dean Myers
“Raising the Bar” – Gabrielle Douglas
“Serafina’s Promise: A Novel In Verse” – Ann E. Burg

MOTION PICTURE

Outstanding Motion Picture
“12 Years A Slave”
“Fruitvale Station”
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
“The Best Man Holiday”

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Chadwick Boseman – “42″
Chiwetel Ejiofor – “12 Years A Slave”
Forest Whitaker – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Idris Elba – “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom”
Michael B. Jordan – “Fruitvale Station”

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – “Black Nativity”
Halle Berry – “The Call”
Jennifer Hudson – “Winnie Mandela”
Kerry Washington – “Tyler Perry Presents Peeples”
Nicole Beharie – “42″

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Cuba Gooding Jr. – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
David Oyelowo – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Morris Chestnut – “The Best Man Holiday”
Terrence Howard – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Terrence Howard – “The Best Man Holiday”

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Alfre Woodard – “12 Years A Slave”
Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years A Slave ”
Naomie Harris – “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Octavia Spencer – “Fruitvale Station”
Oprah Winfrey – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
“Blue Caprice”
“Dallas Buyers Club” (
“Fruitvale Station”
“The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete”
“The Trials of Muhammad Ali”

Outstanding International Motion Picture
“Call Me Kuchu”
“High Tech, Low Life”
“La Playa D.C.”
“Lion Ark”
“War Witch”

DOCUMENTARY

Outstanding Documentary – (Theatrical)
“20 Feet from Stardom”
“Call Me Kuchu”
“Free Angela and All Political Prisoners”
“Girl Rising”
“The New Black”

Outstanding Documentary – (Television)
“Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream”
“Dark Girls”
“Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic ”
“Venus Vs.”
“Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley”

WRITING

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Erica Montolfo-Bura – “The Game” – In Treatment
Karin Gist – “House of Lies” – Sincerity is an Easy Disguise in This Business
Mara Brock Akil – “The Game” – The Blueprint I & II
Ralph Farquhar, Chris Spencer – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” – Rock, Paper, Stealers (
Vincent Brown – “A.N.T. Farm” – influANTces

Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
Aaron Rahsaan Thomas – “SouthLAnd” – Babel
Chitra Elizabeth Sampath, Damian Kindler – “Sleepy Hollow” – Sanctuary
Janine Sherman Barrois – “Criminal Minds” – Strange Fruit
Karin Gist – “Revenge” – Mercy
Sara Hess – “Orange is the New Black” – Blood Donut

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture – (Theatrical or Television)

Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón – “Gravity”
Brian Helgeland – “42″
Danny Strong – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
John Ridley – “12 Years A Slave”
Ryan Coogler – “Fruitvale Station”

DIRECTING

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Anton Cropper – “House of Lies” – Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business
Eric Dean Seaton – “Mighty Med” – Saving The People Who Save People
Millicent Shelton – “The Hustle” – Rule 4080
Paris Barclay – “Glee” – Diva
Stan Lathan – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” – Rock, Paper, Stealers

Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series
Carl Franklin – “House of Cards” – Chapter 11
Ernest Dickerson – “Treme” – Dippermouth Blues
Millicent Shelton – “The Fosters” – Clean
Regina King – “SouthLAnd” – Off Duty
Rob Hardy – “Criminal Minds” – Carbon Copy

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture – (Theatrical or Television)
Jono Oliver – “Home”
Justin Chadwick – “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Lee Daniels – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Malcolm D. Lee – “The Best Man Holiday”
Steve McQueen – “12 Years A Slave”

Mars Among Latinos Nominated for O Music Award

If you’re not following Bruno Mars on Twitter, you’re apparently missing out…

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter is nominated for an O Music Award in the Must Follow Artist on Twitter category. Mars is up against ?uestlove, Frank Ocean, Andrew W.K., Erykah Badu, Grimes, Carrie Brownstein, Solange Knowles, Ryan Adams and Richard Marx.

Bruno Mars

Meanwhile, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato are both nominated in the Fan Army FTW category for their fiercely loyal fans on social media.

Lastly, Mariah Carey has been nominated in the Best Artist Instagram category. She’s up against Pictureplane, Tyler the Creator, Bon Iver and Riff Raff.

Fans can vote for their favorite nominees by logging in to OMusicAwards.com via their Facebook or Twitter accounts. The winners will be announced during a 24-hours live-streamed ceremony beginning on June 19 at 7:00 pm to celebrate and honor innovators in music, culture and technology.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s nominees:

Digital Genius Award :

  • PSY
  • Yoko Ono
  • Will.i.am
  • Trent Reznor
  • Pussy Riot

Best Web-Born Artist:

  • Kitty
  • Baauer
  • FIDLAR
  • Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
  • Angel Haze

Best Music App:

  • Scape
  • Vjayr
  • Timbre
  • CrowdSYNC
  • Jukely

Best Interactive Music Video:

  • “Lost in the Echo”, Linkin Park
  • “Sound and Vision”, Beck feat. Chris Milk
  • “Not The Same”, Tanlines
  • “Fastest Girl in Town”, Miranda Lambert
  • “e.m.-bed.de/d”, Yung Jake

Fan Army FTW:

  • “Aliens”, Tokio Hotel
  • “Glamberts”, Adam Lambert
  • “Sheerios”, Ed Sheeran
  • “Beliebers”, Justin Bieber
  • “Beyhive”, Beyonce Knowles
  • “Lovatics”, Demi Lovato
  • “Echelon”, 30 Seconds to Mars
  • “Selenators”, Selena Gomez
  • “Hustlers”, All Time Low
  • “Task Force”, Lil B

Best Music Hack:

  • Bonhamizer
  • Leap Orchestra
  • Maebe
  • Tweet Concrete
  • Boil the Frog 

Must Follow Artist on Twitter:

  • Bruno Mars
  • ?uestlove
  • Frank Ocean
  • Andrew W.K.
  • Erykah Badu
  • Grimes
  • Carrie Brownstein
  • Solange Knowles
  • Ryan Adams
  • Richard Marx

Best Artist Instagram:

  • Pictureplane
  • Tyler the Creator
  • Bon Iver
  • Mariah Carey
  • Riff Raff

Our Favorite Musical Cat:

  • Lil Bub
  • Keyboard Cat
  • Skifcha The Hipster Dubstep Cat
  • Collective Soul Cat
  • CatCERTO

Too Much Ass for TV (NSFW Music Videos):

  • “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” David Bowie
  • “Valtari” Sigur Ros
  • “Wait” DIIV
  • “Pyramids” Frank Ocean
  • “Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke

Make a Band Famous:

  • The So So Glos
  • Chill Moody
  • Syd Arthur
  • Striking Matches
  • Tatiana Owens
  • John & Jacob
  • Shy Glizzy
  • Fallulah
  • The Future
  • Darling Parade

Next Big Scene:

  • PostDubStep
  • CloudRap
  • Beats
  • #Seapunk
  • Vaporwave

Analog Genius Award:

  • Jack White
  • Beck
  • Neil Young
  • Shone

Most Inspiring Fan Outreach:

  • Dan Deacon
  • Avicii x You
  • Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
  • Alicia Keys

The “Friday, Friday” Award:

  • Harlem Shake (the faux dance)
  • Flash Mobs
  • Goats Yelling Like Humans in Music Videos
  • Twerking
  • Lip Dubs