Maxwell and Jay-Z Lead The Nominee Pack

Maybe it’s me, but I don’t remember the NAACP Image Awards having as many music categories as the Grammys or the Soul Train Awards, but this year the nominations go long and strong with a few surprises and a couple of WTF (and why isn’t Mary Mary or Sheri Moffett-Jones up for Best Gospel Album for “The Sound” and “Renewed” respectively)? See the list below and you decide who should stay, who should go, and who should go home with the gold? The 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards air on Feb, 26, 2010 at 8/7c on FOX.

Outstanding Album
“The Blueprint 3″ – Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
“BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
“The Element of Freedom” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” – Mariah Carey (Def Jam)
“Stronger With Each Tear” – Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)

Outstanding Song
“Bad Habits” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)
“God In Me” – Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton (SoSo Def/Jive Records)
Charlie Wilson (Jive Label Group)
Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
Maxwell (Columbia Records)
Ne-Yo (Def Jam)

Outstanding Female Artist
Alicia Keys (Columbia Records)
India.Arie (Universal Republic Records)
Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
Rihanna (Def Jam)
Whitney Houston (Artista Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
3 Mo’ Divas (MariMo’ Music Inc.)
The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
Day26 (Bad Boy Records)
Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)
Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding New Artist
Jeremih (Def Jam)
Keri Hilson (Mosley Music Group/Zone 4 Inc/Interscope Records)
K’Jon (Universal Republic Records)
Kristinia DeBarge (Def Jam)
Melanie Fiona (SRC/Universal/Motown)

Outstanding Jazz Album
“Detroit” – Gerald Wilson Orchestra (Mack Avenue Records)
“He and She” – Wynton Marsalis (Blue Note Records)
“Kind of Brown” – Christian McBride & Inside Straight (Mack Avenue Records)
“Poetically Justified” – Marcus Johnson (Three Keys Music)
“The Real Thing” – Vanessa Williams (Concord Records)

Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)
“A City Called Heaven” – Shirley Caesar (Light Records)
“How I Got Over” – Vickie Winans (Destiny Joy)
“Love Unstoppable” – Fred Hammond (Verity Records)
“Still” – BeBe & CeCe Winans (B & C Records)
“We Are All One: Live In Detroit” – Donnie McClurkin (Verity Records)

Outstanding World Music Album
“11:11″ – Rodrigo y Gabriela (ATO Records/Red)
“Black President” – Sila and the Afrofunk Experience (Visila Records)
“Morabeza” – Maria de Barros (Sheer Legacy [Sheer Group South African Label])
“ReCreation” – Zap Mama (Heads Up International/Concord Music Group)
“Seya” – Oumou Sangare (Nonesuch/World Circuit)

Outstanding Music Video
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
“I Look To You” – Whitney Houston (Arista)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
“Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)

TAGS: Jay-Z, Mary Mary, Maxwell, NAACP Image Awards, Sheri Moffett-Jones