When Erykah Badu wasn't busy owning all the covers of Drake's "Hotline Bling," recording her upcoming mixtape, touring, DJing, collaborating with fashion designers and parenting, she somehow found the time to wheel and deal her way into the hosting gig for the Soul Train Awards 2015. Badula Oblongata will bring her one-of-a-kind Black Girl Magic to the Soul Train Awards stage when this year's event takes place in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena on November 6th.
Although we're ecstatic at the prospect of Badu showing out during her hosting stint for the Soul Train Awards, we're admittedly a little disappointed in this year's nominees. The current nominations list reads like the BET Awards Lite, and there are some lackluster selections after a number of stellar R&B and soul albums have been released in the past year.
The Soul Train Awards are typically a highlight of awards season and highlight many R&B and soul artists, both major label and independent, that go ignored by every other award. However, with the usual suspects such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Chris Brown, The Weeknd, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars in the nominee mix this year, the Soul Train Awards 2015 are looking like every other awards show that systematically overlooks the array of talented artists making great and not just popular mainstream music.
Despite these misgivings, between Badu, the performances, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds receiving the Legend Award and Jill Scott receiving the first Lady of Soul Award, hopefully the Soul Train Awards 2015 will once again be must see TV when it airs on Centric and BET on November 29th at 8 p.m. Check out the entire list of nominees below, and let us know who you're rooting for or is missing from the list and if you'll be tuned in or sitting this one out.
Soul Train Music Awards 2015 Nominations
Best New Artist
Alessia Cara
DeJ Loaf
Jidenna
Jussie Smollett
Tinashe
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Chris Brown
D’Angelo
The Weeknd
Trey Songz
Tyrese
Centric Certified Award
Avant
Chrisette Michele
The Internet
Tyrese
Vivian Green
Video of the Year
Beyoncé – “7/11″
Jidenna ft. Roman Gianarthur – “Classic Man”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
The Weeknd – “Earned It” (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack)
Best Gospel and/or Inspirational Song
Erica Campbell – “More Love”
Fred Hammond ft. Breeann Hammond – “I Will Trust”
Kirk Franklin – “Wanna Be Happy?”
Lecrae – “All I Need Is You”
Marvin Sapp – “Yes You Can”
Album of the Year
Chris Brown – X
D’Angelo and The Vanguard – Black Messiah
Jill Scott – Woman
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
Tyrese – Black Rose
Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year
Big Sean ft. Drake & Kanye West – “Blessings”
Big Sean ft. E-40 – “IDFWU”
Fetty Wap – “Trap Queen”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Nicki Minaj ft. Drake & Lil Wayne – “Truffle Butter”
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
Beyoncé
Janelle Monáe
Janet Jackson
Jill Scott
Tamar Braxton
Song of the Year
Common & John Legend – “Glory” (from the motion picture Selma)
Jidenna ft. Roman Gianarthur – “Classic Man”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Rihanna – “B***h Better Have My Money”
The Weeknd – “Earned It” (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack)
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award
“Glory” (from the motion picture Selma) – Written by: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, John Roger Stephens and Che Smith (Common & John Legend)
“Apparently: – Written by: Jermaine L. Cole, Damon Coleman, Filippo Trecca (J. Cole)
“Uptown Funk” – Written by: Mark Ronson, Rudolph Taylor, Lonnie Simmons, Philip Martin Lawrence Ii, Peter Gene Hernandez, Jeffrey Nath Bhasker, Nicholaus Joseph Williams, Devon Christopher Gallaspy, Robert Lynn Wilson, Charles K. Wilson, Ronnie Wilson (Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars)
“Earned It” (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack) – Written by: Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Ahmad “Belly” Balshe, Jason Quenneville, Stephan Moccio (The Weeknd)
“Shame” – Written by: Warryn S. Campbell Ii, Sam Dees, Tyrese Darnell Gibson, Ron Kersey, De Wayne Julius Rogers (Tyrese)
Best Dance Performance
Beyoncé – “7/11″
Chris Brown x Tyga – “Ayo”
Janelle Monáe & Jidenna – “Yoga”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Silento – “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”
Best Collaboration
Big Sean ft. Drake & Kanye West – “Blessings”
Common & John Legend – “Glory” (from the motion picture Selma)
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Nicki Minaj ft. Beyoncé – “Feeling Myself”
Omarion ft. Chris Brown & Jhené Aiko – “Post To Be”
