E.L, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy lead nominations list

The annual Ghanaian Music awards which celebrates the finest of Ghanaian music artistes is out for the 2016 nominations, with E.L leading the nominations pack.

The categories are looking quite interesting with Artiste of the year, Record of the year, Album of the year categories look very likely to be keenly contested.

E.L tops the 17th edition of Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as with 10 nominations followed by Mzvee with seven nominations. Sarkodie, Bisa Kdei and VVIP tie for third with six nominations apiece. Stonebwoy follows with five nominations while Gospel musician SP Kofi Sarpong, Kofi Kinaata and R2bees also got four nominations each.

E.L has been buzzing recently and is up for album of the year for ‘’E.L.O.M’’ amongst other nominations. EL gained the attention of many when he produced and featured on award winning rapper Sarkodie’s song titled ‘You go kill me’ in 2011.

The Hip-hop artist whose real name is Elom Adablah began his music career in 2008 during his first year in university, getting signed to Jayso's Skillions Records alongside other notable young Ghanaian underground artists like Gemini, Kevin Beats, Killmatic and Lil Shaker, and helped Jayso co-produce the Skillionaires Demotape.

However, after graduating from the university, the Skillions broke up and EL became a solo artist. He then acquired a studio in Asylum Down and began working on a new mixtape. He went as far as releasing a single, ‘Chale (So Fli)’, with Jay Foley, Wolf and Kwaku T (remix). However the mixtape was never released. EL relocated to a better studio at Osu, and invested all his available funds in acquiring state-of-the-art equipment much to the chagrin of family and friends

EL got signed to BBnZ live. His debut album, ‘’Something Else’’, was released on 1 June 2012 by Akwaaba Music, and is a blend of different varieties of music inspired from various sources. The album features some of his popular hits including ‘Auntie Martha’, ‘Kaalu’, ‘Obuu mo’ and ‘One Ghana for your pocket’.

EL released his second studio album entitled ‘’Elom’’ and has so far released the singles ‘No Size’, ‘Ayayaa’ and ‘Crazy Love’ featuring Nigerian recording artist Ice Prince.

EL released The Best African Rapper album, shortened as The B.A.R on 20 May 2014. It featured Ayigbe Edem, Sarkodie, Joey B, C-Real, Gemini, Lil Shaker, Stargo, P. K. and Dex Kwasi.

In 2015, EL announced he was working a B.A.R 2, releasing the cover art and later dropping three songs ‘All Black’, ‘State Of The Nation’ and ‘King Without A Crown’.  Off the B.A.R 2 was an interesting tune titled 'The 10 rap commandments'. On 29th August, 2015, he followed up with the B.A.R 2 concert featuring Wanlov, Ko-jo Cue, DJ Mic Smith and more.

EL has also worked in a production capacity producing hit songs for many elite hip hop, hiplife and R&B performers, such as Sarkodie (‘You Go Kill Me’, ‘Dangerous’), D-Black (‘Get On the Dancefloor’), Reggie Rockstone (‘Rockstone's Office’), Asem (‘Check Your Weight’), Geelex (‘Bend Your Body’).

In 2010 and 2011, EL heralded the Global Azonto Madness by producing most of the hit songs, including ‘You Go Kill Me’, ‘Dangerous’, and his own hit singles, ‘Obuu Mo’ and ‘Kaalu’.

The rapper has also got a couple of his mixtapes to his credit including ‘’Project Hip Hop’’ (with C-Real) (2011), ‘’Songs for Girls- the Valentines DayMixtape’’ (2012), ‘’B.A.R’’ (2014)  and ‘’B.A.R 2’’ (2015).

Prior to this year’s VGMA awards, EL has been up for several awards and nominations over the past years such as  2011 Ghana Music Awards: Hip-hop Song of the Year award, ‘Get On the Dance Floor’; Producer 2014 Ghana Music Awards Best Rapper; 2012 Ghana Music Awards: Best New Artist, Best Rapper, Best Collaboration (‘You Go Kill Me’ with Sarkodie); 2012 Channel O Music Video Awards: Best Newcomer (‘Turn The Lights Down’).

However, the talented rapper and producer has said in an interview with Hitz FM that he does not do awards for music, hitting on the fact that people talk about his music and sound worried about it when it’s not up for an award nomination is enough for him and shows that people appreciate love and love his work, this statement was triggered by the fact that his song ‘Shelele’ wasn’t going to be eligible for nomination at the VGMAs 2016 since it was released outside the calendar year under review.

EL has got the most nominations this year at the VGMAS 2016 totaling 10. These include Vodafone Most Popular Song Of The Year, Afro-pop Song Of The Year, Hip-life/Hip-hop Artiste Of The Year,  Hip-life Song Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Hip-Hop Song Of The Year,Best Rapper Of The Year, Best Music Video Of The Year, Producer Of The Year and the most coveted award of the ceremony Artiste Of The Year.

Check out the full list of categories for the VGMA 2016 below:

Artiste Of The Year

1. Sarkodie2. Stonebwoy3. Bisa Kdei4. SP Kofi Sarpong5. VVIP6. E.L

Vodafone Most Popular Song Of The Year

1. VVIP – Skolom feat. Sena Dagadu2. Bisa Kdei – Mansa3. Nicholas Omane Acheampong – Aporsor4. Stonebwoy – Go Higher5. Wisa – Ekikime feat. Luther6. E.L – Mi Naa Bo Po7. Atom – Ye Wo Krom8. Kofi Kinaata – Susuka

Highlife Artiste Of The Year

1. Bisa Kdei2. Afriyie3. Ofori Amponsah4. Nero X

Afro-pop Song Of The Year

1. Fuse ODG – Only2. R2bees – Gboza feat. Davido3. Edem – Nyedzilo feat. Reekado Banks4. MzVee – Abofra feat. Efya5. Adina – Coastal Vibes feat. Trigmatic6. E.L – Mi Naa Bo Po

Reggae/Dancehall Artiste Of The Year

1. Stonebwoy2. Jupitar3. MzVee4. AK Songstress5. Episode6. Blakk Rasta

Hip-life/Hip-hop Artiste Of The Year

1. Pappy Kojo2. Omar Sterling3. Sarkodie4. VVIP5. Guru6. E.L

Best Collaboration Of The Year

1. VVIP – Skolom feat. Sena Dagadu2. Sarkodie – Mewu feat. Akwaboah3. Pappy Kojo – Aye Late feat. Sarkodie4. Wisa – Ekikime feat. Luther5. Donzy – The Crusade feat. Kofi Kinaata6. Obrafour – Pimpinaa feat. Bisa Kdei

Record Of The Year

1. Adina – Coastal Vibes feat. Trigmatic2. MzVee – Abofra feat. Efya3. R2bees – Concert Party4. Sarkodie – Bra feat. Pat Thomas5. Yaa Yaa – Dumb Drum6. Rocky Dawuni – Shine Light7. M.anifest – Forget Dem

Hip-life Song Of The Year

1. Donzy – The Crusade feat. Kofi Kinaata2. Atom – Ye Wo Krom3. E.L – Koko4. Wisa – Ekiki Me feat. Luther5. VVIP – Skolom feat. Sena Dagadu6. Guru – Pooley Swag

Album Of The Year

1. MzVee – Verified2. E.L – E.L.O.M3. Sarkodie – Mary4. Bisa Kdei – Breakthrough4. SP Kofi Sarpong – I Believe

Highlife Song Of The Year

1. Aka Blay – Take Away feat. Cabum2. Becca – Hwe3. Bisa Kdei – Mansa4. Obrafour – Pimpinaa feat. Bisa Kdei5. R2bees – Makoma6. Kofi Kinaata – Susuka7. Ofori Amponsah – Alewa feat. Sarkodie

Reggae/Dancehall Song Of The Year

1. Blakk Rasta – Serwaa Akoto2. De Voice – It’s So Crazy3. MzVee – Hold Me Now4. Stonebwoy – Go Higher5. AK Songstress – Holiday6. Jupitar – Fire feat. Stonebwoy

Best Male Vocal Performance

1. Afriyie – Go Gaga2. De Voice – It’s Crazy3. Knii Lante – Thinking Out Loud4. Pat Thomas – Bra (by Sarkodie)5. Mugeez – Concert Party (With Omar Sterling)6. Akwaboah Jnr. – Mewu (by Sarkodie)

Best Female Vocal Performance

1. Adina – Boom Boom Beat2. Irene Logan – Me Do Wo3. MzVee – Hold Me Now4. Nana Yaa – E Go Be5. Efya – SarkCess Story5. Yaa Yaa – Dumb Drum

Hip-Hop Song Of The Year

1. E.L – All Black feat. Joey B & Pappy Kojo2. Flowking Stone – Fire Bon Them3. Kwaw Kese – Yakubu4. Omar Sterling – Ninety Ninety5. Pappy Kojo – Ay3 Late feat. Sarkodie

Best Rapper Of The Year

1. E.L – King Without A Crown2. Flowking Stone – Fire Bon Dem3. Omar Sterling – Nineteen Ninety4. Pappy Kojo – Ay3 Late5. Sarkodie – Hand To Mouth

Best Music Video Of The Year

1. E.L – Shelele2. Obrafour – Nkontompo3. Yaa Yaa – Dumb Drum4. Edem – Girlfriend5. Teephlow – The Warning6. Preachers – Crazy For God

Best Group Of The Year

1. VVIP2. R2bees3. Keche4. Keche5. Galaxy6. Preachers

Producer Of The Year

1. Mo Beat || Skolom2. Bisa Kdei/Kaywa || Mansa3. Akwaboah Jnr. || Aporsor4. Beatz Dakay || Go Higher5. Chapter Beatz || Ekikime6. E.L || Mi Naa Bo Po7. Dr. Ray || Ye Wo Krom8. Kin Dee || Susuka

Best New Artiste Of The Year

1. Nero X2. Teephlow3. Kofi Kinaata4. Donzy5. Wisa6. Atom

Unsung Artiste

1. Feli Nuna2. Perez3. Adomaa4. Ebony Reigns5. Nii Funny

Gospel Song Of The Year

1. SP Kofi Sarpong – Hour By Hour feat. Joyce Blessing2. Kofi Gyan – Yoboyo3. Mary Owusu – W’ow Nkwa Wo Wor Ade4. Obaapa Christy – Hyebre Sesafo5. Patience Nyarko – Wafom Kwan5. Nicholas Omane Acheapong

Gospel Artiste Of The Year

1. Obaapa Christy2. Nicholas Omane Achemapong3. Joe Mettle4. SP Kofi Sarpong5. Patience Nyarko6. Preachers

Songwriter Of The Year

1. Rex Omar – Paapa2. Knii Lante – Beautiful Virgo3. Kofi Kinaata – Susuka4. MzVee, Richie & Efya – Abofra5. Obrafour – Nkontompo6. Stonebwoy – Go Higher

African Artiste Of The Year

1. Olamide2. Wizkid3. Korede Bello4. Harrysong5. Patoranking

Watch EL spit 'fire' in video 'King without a crown' below: