The Liberia Music Awards, in partnership with Lonestar Cell MTN, has announced their 2025 nominees, and the list just might surprise you. The yearly event is set to return for its 8th year this December for a night of cultural celebration in Liberia. The nominees announcement follows the reveal of this year’s theme, Loud and Liberian – which is said by MTN to be, “more than fashion or music, but a cultural declaration”.
Leading the 2025 MLMA nominees were CIC, MC Caro, and Jzyno, who were joined by the Christoph the Change, Fluxxi, Lil More, Will Flash, 10:30, SIO, and other trending Liberian artists one might expect. The surprise for us though, isn’t who is on the list, but rather who is not. With the exception of the Hip Hop Artist of the year category, which had Reuben Vincent, Dope Zulu, and High Def, many diaspora artists and entertainers are noticeably missing from the list of nominees.
Is this to say that artists in the diaspora have not released any notable work within the MLMA eligibility timeline of August 2024 to July 2025? Well, that is up for debate since artists like Mon Rovia, RMR, Val Fleury, Phil Ceaser, LIB Foreign, and DJ Mohogany have been making head waves in the US. Still, what else seems to be up for debate with the MLMA 2025 nominations is who is considered a “Liberian” artist, and what is considered “Liberian” music.
Could this just be an issue of lack of proper research on Liberian artists outside of Liberia, or is it a wake up call for industry gatekeepers to expand the criteria of what is considered Liberian music and art? View the entire nominees list below and join the dialogue.
MLMA 2025 Nominees
- Artist of the Year
- CIC
- Jboy De Prophet
- JZyno
- King Dennis
- MC Caro Will Flash
- Gospel Artist of the Year
- Grateful Pap
- Imoz Darblo
- Jesse Pratt
- Klah Doteh
- Paul Harding
- Preacha Man
- Samuelyn Wilson
- Hop-Hop Artist of the Year
- Dope Zulu
- High Def
- Mr Church
- Ruben Vincent
- Tito Gee
- Album of the Year
- CIC – Local Champion
- Datway Ezzy – Take Care Larmie
- JZyno – Liberian Boy
- MC Caro – Stop Playing II
- Taweh G – New Episode
- New Artist of the Year
- Brickson
- IPM Gucs
- Jassmine
- JBoy De Prophet
- Will Flash
- DJ of the Year
- DJ Aaronic
- DJ American
- DJ Boakai
- DJ Nelly
- DJ Sama
- DJ Supreme
- Spesh D DJ
- Male Artist of the Year
- Christoph the Change
- JZyno
- King Dennis
- Lil More
- TeddyRide
- Will Flash
- Female Artist of the Year
- Anitram
- Faith Vonic
- Fluxii
- Jassmine
- MC Caro
- Afro Pop Artist of the Year
- Anitram
- CIC
- JZyno
- Lil More
- Stunn
- Will Flash
- Afro Pop Song of the Year
- CIC – Happy Feat. Stunn
- Fazari – Kolokwa Flow Feat. Kizzy W
- JZyno – Mood Feat. Khaid
- SIO – Blessings
- Stunn – David
- TeddyRide – Wleesayma Feat. CIC
- Will Flash – My Ex Feat. CIC
- Video of the Year
- Boifatty – Gana Gana
- JZyno – Mood Feat. Khaid
- King Dennis – Hustlers Anthem Feat. Lil More
- LDrez – Yayo
- Lil More – Down Waterside
- MC Caro – Goal
- International Artist of the Year
- Ayra Starr
- Black Sherif
- Davido
- Moliy
- Uncle Waffles
- HipCo/Trapco Artist of the Year
- Christoph the Change
- Datway Ezzy
- Fazari
- JB
- King Dennis
- MC Caro
- Nikey 20
- Nuchie Meek
- Song of the Year
- DJ Sama – Eat Your Show Feat. Lil More, King Dennis, Fazari, Barsee, Datway Ezzy
- JBoy De Prophet – Content
- JZyno – Mood Feat. Khaid
- King Dennis – Hustlers Anthem Feat. Lil More
- MC Caro – Goal
- SIO – Blessings
- TeddyRide – Wleesayma Feat. CIC
- Will Flash – My Ex Feat. CIC
- Collaboration of the Year
- Brikson – Set it for me Feat. TeddyRide, Barsee
- DJ Sama – Eat Your Show Feat. Lil More, King Dennis, Fazari, Barsee, Datway Ezzy
- IPM – Gucs Feat. SIO, Milky T, Lasie Las King, Mong, H-Man
- JZyno – Mood Feat. Khaid
- King Dennis – Hustlers Anthem Feat. Lil More
- Madness Beatz – Everybody Messy Feat. Nahj
- TeddyRide – Wleesayma Feat. CIC
- Will Flash – My Ex Feat. CIC
- Hipco/Trapco Song of the Year
- Brickson – Set it for me Feat. barsee, TeddyRide
- Christoph the Change – Big Boy Things
- DJ Sama – Eat Your Show Feat. Lil More, King Dennis, Fazari, Barsee, Datway Ezzy
- IPM – Gucs Feat. SIO, Milky T, Lasie Las King, Mong, H-Man
- King Dennis – Hustlers Anthem Feat. Lil More
- MC Caro – Goal
- Traditional/Gbema Song of the Year
- Ayo Durkio – Welcome to Liberia
- Brickson – Only Me
- Christoph the Change – Akazuku
- JBoy De Prophet – Content
- Shining Man – Bounce Back
- Spize – My Side
- T Que Beatz & Rafield – Polay Feat. Muzikal, Natif
- Gospel Song of the Year
- Grateful Pap – Well Done
- Imoz Darblo – Mercy Feat. Stunn
- Jesse Pratt – Miracle Working God
- Klah Doteh – Revealing Jesus
- Paul Harding – Pulling Me Through
- Preacha Mann – Grace of God
- Samuelyn Wilson – Open up Feat. Judah Zubairu
- Next Rated
- 10:30
- Dryface
- Larry G
- Lil Nicki
- Nahj
- Simacc
- Trending Artist of the Year
- 10:30
- Christoph the Change
- Fluxii
- JBoy De Prophet
- King Dennis
- Lil More
- SIO
Votes can be casted at mtn.liberiamusicawards.com
