by Seyi Lawal

Nigeria’s singing rave of the moment, Wizkid will battle Angolan, Cabo Snoop; South-African, Black Coffee and Congolese, Fally Ipupa for the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards statuette in the Best Africa/India/Middle East category.  Also vying for the award are Moroccan, Abdel Fattah Grini and the quintet from India, Scribe. Winner of this new, category which is like a semifinal for the World Wide category, will now log heads with winners from the other regional categories; Asia Pacific, North America and Latin America.

“New this year is the World Wide Act category, which celebrates diversity and the breadth of all the music that MTV has to offer by nominating incredible artists from all corners of the world.  Fans will be able to vote for an artist/group within five different regions (Asia Pacific, North America and Latin America, Africa/India/Middle East and Europe).  The nominee from each region with the most votes (to be announced the week of 24th October) will then battle for the “World Wide Act” distinction – to be bestowed at the show in Belfast,” an official statement from MTV reads.

The 2011 MTV EMA will take place on Sunday 6 November at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena; see full nominees list below.

Best Song

Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”

Bruno Mars – “Grenade”

Jennifer Lopez Ft Pitbull – “On The Floor”

Katy Perry – “Firework”

Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”

Best Live

Coldplay

Foo Fighters

Katy Perry

Lady Gaga

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Best Pop

Britney Spears

Justin Bieber

Katy Perry

Lady Gaga

Rihanna

Best New

Bruno Mars

Far East Movement

Jessie J

Lmfao

Wiz Khalifa

Best Female

Adele

Beyoncé

Jennifer Lopez

Katy Perry

Lady Gaga

Best Male

Bruno Mars

David Guetta

Eminem

Justin Bieber

Kanye West

Best Hip Hop

Eminem

Lil Wayne

Jay Z & Kanye West

Pitbull

Snoop Dogg

Best Rock

Coldplay

Foo Fighters

Linkin Park

Kings Of Leon

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Best Video

Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”

Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”

Beyoncé – “Run The World (Girls)”

Justice – “Civilization”

Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”

Best Alternative

Arcade Fire

Arctic Monkeys

My Chemical Romance

The Strokes

Thirty Seconds To Mars

Best World Stage

Arcade Fire

The Black Eyed Peas

Diddy Dirty Money

Enrique Iglesias

Kings Of Leon

Linkin Park

My Chemical Romance

Ozzy Osborne

Snoop Dogg

Thirty Seconds To Mars

Best Push

Alexis Jordan

Big Time Rush

Bruno Mars

Far East Movement

Jessie J

Katy B

Lmfao

Neon Trees

Theophilus London

Wiz Khalifa

Biggest Fans

Justin Bieber

Lady Gaga

Paramore

Selena Gomez

Thirty Seconds To Mars

Best Africa/India/Middle East

Abdelfattah Grini

Cabo Snoop

Fally Ipupa

Black Coffee

Wizkid

Scribe