With six nominations, he was the big favourite at the Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) Awards. The ceremony, held on Saturday 12 March, crowned the controversial deejay with the awards for Deejay of the Year, Best Dancehall Song (Clarks), Album of the Year ("Pon di Gaza 2.0") and finally Best Collaboration (again Clarks, with Popcaan and Gaza Slim).
I-Octane, who left his mark on 2010, also made a strong impression, leaving with three trophies: Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Singjay of the Year, and Best (Reggae) Song with My Life.
Gyptian won the International Artist of the Year Award, ahead of Damian Marley among others, who remains absent from this 2010 list of winners.
Beenie Man and Shaggy were named artists of the decade. Of note, the Doctor, who was also praised for his performance with Bounty Killer on the stage of the Arthur Guinness Celebration (read our report), received the award for "best-dressed artist".
The winners:
Deejay of the Year (Male): Vybz Kartel
Deejay of the Year (Female): Tifa
Singer of the Year (Male): Tarrus Riley
Singer of the Year (Female): Etana
Producer / Label of the Year (Dancehall): Ainsley "Notnice" Morris
Producer / Label of the Year (Reggae): Donovan "Don Corleon" Bennett
Best New Artist (Male): Popcaan
Best New Artist (Female): Denyque
Duo / Group of the Year: Voicemail
Best Comeback of the Year: Future Fambo
Song of the Year (Dancehall): Clarks – Vybz Kartel feat. Popcaan & Gaza Slim
Song of the Year (Reggae): My Life - I-Octane
Album of the Year: "Pon di Gaza 2.0" - Vybz Kartel
Cultural Artist of the Year: Tarrus Riley
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: I-Octane
Singjay of the Year: I-Octane
Collaboration of the Year: Clarks - Vybz Kartel, Popcaan & Gaza Slim
Riddim of the Year (Reggae): Pleasure - Cash Flow Records
Riddim of the Year (Dancehall): One Day - Seanizzle Records
International Artist of the Year: Gyptian
Best Band: Live Wyya
Video of the Year (Reggae): Unconditional Love - Jah Cure and Phyllisia
Video of the Year (Dancehall): For Ur Eyes Only - Shaggy and Alaine
Stage Performance of the Year: Beenie Man and Bounty Killer — Arthur Guinness Celebration
Concert of the Year: Arthur Guinness Celebration
Artist of the Decade: Beenie Man, Shaggy
Best-Dressed Artist: Beenie Man