Pop superstar Mariah Carey, Kanye West and R&B singer Alicia Keys lead the nominations for the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) annual Image Awards, garnering four nods each.

The trio, who, amongst other awards, are battling it out for best album, are up against Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough and the Luther Vandross compilation set So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross in the category.

Carey, West and Keys will also compete in the best song category for We Belong Together, Diamonds From Sierra Leone and unreakable respectively. Vying for best female, Blige, Toni Braxton and India.Arie will take on Carey and Keys, while West faces opposition from Common, Jamie Foxx, Stevie Wonder and Kemon the male side.

The 37th annual Image Awards will be presented in Los Angeles on February 25.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)