Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck has won the highly coveted ‘Next Rated’ award at the 17th edition of the Headies, held on Sunday at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos.
The event, themed “Back to Base”, marked the Headies’ return to Nigeria after two years of being hosted in the United States. It celebrated the richness of African music while encouraging artistes to stay true to their cultural roots.
Odumodublvck’s win was one of the standout moments of the night. In an emotional speech, he brought his mother and entire crew on stage, dedicating the award to her. He shared how she had him in her late thirties and always believed he was destined for greatness. The crowd erupted in applause as the proud mother stood beaming beside her son.
The Headies, known as one of Nigeria’s biggest music awards, featured 31 categories this year. Davido won Artiste of the Year, while Rema took home Afrobeats Album of the Year for “HEIS”. Lojay and Liya won Best Vocal Performance in the male and female categories, respectively.
Late rapper Mohbad was honoured posthumously, with his family present to receive the award. Zerry DL won Rookie of the Year, and KCEE was recognised with a Special Recognition Award for his long-standing contributions to the music industry.
Other notable winners included:
– Tems – Best Recording of the Year for “Burning”
– Qing Madi – Songwriter of the Year for “Vision”
– Tribe Called Judah – Soundtrack of the Year
– Flavour – Afrobeats Single of the Year for “Big Baller”
– OZEBA – Producer of the Year
– Director Pink – Music Video of the Year for “EGWU”
– Temitola Adekunle Johnson & Michelle Mukoro (King Mitchy) – Humanitarian Award
The night was also filled with glamour as celebrities, dignitaries, and music fans gathered to celebrate. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu attended the event, along with many top industry figures. A special highlight was the first public appearance of Tanzanian singer Juma Jux and his wife Priscilla Ojo since their wedding, drawing attention from fans and media.
This year’s Headies was a celebration of talent, culture, and the future of African music.
