Rema, one of the world’s hottest musicians, would battle the country’s finest beatmakers for the Producer of the Year Award at the Headies. Sarz, London, Magicsticks and Dibs -more familiar names- are nominated alongside Rema.
According to the Headies, the Producer of the Year award goes to the individual or group that produced the most influential and successful song or album of the year. Now, two of Rema’s songs are nominated but he is credited as a producer on “HEHEHE,” alongside Producer X, Cubeatz, Deatz, and Kilmberboy.
Its international popularity has solidified its position as one of the biggest songs of 2024. Meanwhile, OZEBA, another smash hit off the same album, was attributed to London, Rema’s long-time producer partner, who has consistently produced infectious beats for the artist.
The competition is certainly stiff, with legendary producer Sarz leading the charge with his nomination for his chart-topping single “Happiness“ featuring Asake and US rapper Gunna. Sarz, whose production signature is the stuff of legend, has been a game-changer in the business. the track “Happiness,” was a smash hit in the latter days of 2023. Sarz, popularly known as “Sarz on the Beat,“ took home the Producer of the Year at the Headies 2022 for producing the collaboration with Lojay for “Monalisa” and he is once again a top contender to win this year.
Then there’s ‘London’, the genius mastermind behind the captivating production of “Ozeba,” a track off Rema’s ‘HEIS’ album. London, signed to Mavin Records, is a multiple nominee for the Producer of the Year award. He’s famous for making infectious beats and has produced some of Rema’s hit tracks, including the global smash “Calm Down, the song was nominated at the 2023 Headies Awards but lost to “Abracadabra“ by Rexxie.
Magicsticks is another strong contender, nominated for his incredible production on Asake’s track “Basquiat,” from his 2023 album Work of Art. Magicsticks has proven time and time again that he’s one of the best producers in the game, and his work on Asake’s previous albums like Mr. Money with the Vibe in 2022, solidifies his position as a top producer. His frequent work with Asake has yielded some of the most iconic songs in recent Nigerian music, and his work on “Basquiat“ is no different.
And to complete the list, Dibs completes the lineup, nominated for his scintillating production on Seyi Vibez’s 2023 banger “Different Pattern,” a song nominated for the ‘Recording of the Year’ award. With his signature fusion of Afrobeat, Amapiano, and trap, Dibs is now one of the most in-demand producers in the game. His production work with Seyi Vibez, particularly on songs such as “Different Pattern,” has been instrumental in shaping the sound of the artist.
Dibs has also produced most of the songs on Seyi Vibez’s 2024 Loseyi Professor EP and even produced “Higher“ for Burna Boy. His unique production sound is still gaining traction among fans and stakeholders in the industry.
The Producer of the Year award is one of the most hotly contested of recent years, with some of the largest Nigerian music personalities battling for the award. The winner this year will be taking the place of Rexxie, who received the award in 2023 for producing “Abracadabra“.
