Jamaican affiliated artistes once again lost the Best Reggae Video category at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) Japan 2010.
Entertainers Sean Kingston and Sean Paul were nominated but lost to Keep it Blazing by Japanese reggae artiste Han-Kun. The award has historically only been won by Japanese artistes.
Winning the award broadcast on May 29, will arguably boost Han-Kun's record sales in japan -- the world's second largest music market. The deejay was born in Kanagawa prefecture and is a member of reggae group, Shonan no Kaze.
Paul was nominated for the Ray Kay directed video So Fine from his latest album Imperial Blaze and Kingston was nominated for the Gil Green directed video Fire Burning from his latest album, Tomorrow. Other nominees included Japanese reggae artistes Pushim with her single My Endless Love and Ryo the Skywalker with his single Kokoni Aru Ima wo Tomoni Aruki Dasou.
It's the third nomination for Jamaican born Paul and second nomination for US born, Jamaican bred Kingston in that category. Paul was nominated in 2006 for We Burnin' and in 2007 for Temperature whilst Kingston was nominated in 2008 for Beautiful Girls.
Mavado was the only other Jamaican artiste nominated in that category with Dreaming in 2008, however Kardinal Offishall a Canadian of Jamaican parentage was nominated in 2009 for his duo with pop star Akon entitled Dangerous.
The Best Reggae Video Award began in 2006 and has only been won by Japanese artistes at the annual award show which started in 2002. MTV VMA Japan is frequented by internationally known celebrities who view the award as an opportunity to fillip album sales.