BEST GROUP

The most varied and cutting-edge of the categories

Nominations: Black Eyed Peas; Gnarls Barkley; Outkast; Pussycat Dolls; The Streets Probable winner: Black Eyed Peas
Shouldn't be there: The Streets. How can a one-man band be a group?
Dark horse: Gnarls Barkley

BEST UK FEMALE

This and Best UK Male are new Brit-centric categories

Nominations: Alesha; Beverley Knight; Corinne Bailey Rae; Jamelia; Keisha White Probable winner: Corinne Bailey Rae
Shouldn't be there: Beverley Knight. Hasn't won a Mobo since 1999
Dark horse: Keisha White

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEMALE

By "international" they mean "American"

Nominations: Alicia Keys; Janet Jackson; BeyonceNelly Furtado; Mary J Blige
Probable winner: Beyonce
Shouldn't be there: Janet Jackson. Still, every show needs a potential "wardrobe malfunction"
Dark horse: Nelly Furtado

BEST UK MALE

Fascinating line-up of vibrant MCs/singers. And Lemar

Nominations: Kano; Nate James; Lemar; Plan B; Sway
Probable winner: Sway
Shouldn't be there: Lemar
Dark horse: Nate James

BEST INTERNATIONAL MALE

This clash of egos could level Kensington

Nominations: Chris Brown; Ne Yo; Jay Z; Kanye West; Pharrell Williams
Probable winner: Pharrell Williams
Shouldn't be there: Jay Z. Didn't he retire?
Dark Horse: Ne Yo

BEST UK NEWCOMER

Kiddie R&B, stylish soul-jazz, rude rappers - a variety-packed list

Nominations: Sound Bwoy; Fundamental 03; Plan B; Corinne Bailey Rae; Lady Sovereign
Probable winner: Corinne Bailey Rae
Shouldn't be there: Sound Bwoy. Naff name and only one single
Dark horse: Lady Sovereign or Plan B

BEST SONG

Unless everyone's crazy, a one-horse race

Nominations: Beyonce ft Jay Z - Deja Vu; Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On; Gnarls Barkley - Crazy; Ne Yo - So Sick; Mary J Blige - Be Without You
Probable winner: Crazy
Shouldn't be there: Be Without You - not one of Ms Blige's best
Dark horse: Put Your Records On

BEST VIDEO

Brit underground (Kano and Roll Deep) take on US million-dollar budgets

Nominations: Beyonce ft Jay Z - Deja Vu; Busta Rhymes - Touch It (Remix); Chris Brown - Run It; Kano - Brown Eyes; Roll Deep - Shake A Leg
Probable winner: Busta Rhymes
Shouldn't be there: Chris Brown
Dark horse: Roll Deep - the only "grime" nomination could just snatch this

BEST HIP HOP

Will they give it to a selffinanced Brit newcomer (Akala) again?

Nominations: Akala; Busta Rhymes; Kano; Kanye West; Sway
Probable winner: Kanye West
Shouldn't be there: A strong argument for every nominee
Dark horse: Akala

BEST R&B

Brits conspicuous by their absence

Nominations: BeyonceJamie Foxx; Rihanna; Mary J Blige; Ne-Yo
Probable winner: BeyoncÈ
Shouldn't be there: Jamie Foxx. Academy blinded by bling of an Oscar-winner
Dark horse: Ne-Yo

BEST REGGAE

Like homophobia never happened

Nominations: Sean Paul: Shaggy; Burning Spear; Anthony Hamilton; Damian Marley
Probable winner: Sean Paul
Shouldn't be there: Shaggy
Dark horse: Burning Spear

BEST AFRICAN ACT

Five artists unknown to mainstream given international exposure. What The Mobos does best

Nominations: Batman Samini; Lebo Mathosa; P Square; Jose Chameleone; Tony Tetuila
Probable winner: Jose Chameleone
Shouldn't be there: Not in this category
Dark horse: P Square

BEST GOSPEL

Tying contemporary black music firmly to the church tradition

Nominations: Alan Charles; Kirk Franklin; Mary Mary; Noel Robinson; Nu-Life
Probable winner: Mary Mary
Shouldn't be there: Kirk Franklin. Here because he's quite famous
Dark horse: Alan Charles

BEST DJ

Predictable list of the usual radio and club suspects

Nominations: Semtex; Shortee Blitz; Steve Sutherland; Tim Westwood; Trevor Nelson
Probable winner: Trevor Nelson
Shouldn't be there: Tim Westwood. How can people stand him?
Dark horse: Semtex