5th November, 2010
MTV Networks Africa and Zain announced nominations for the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA).
Nominees for the annual poll of young Africa’s music stars were announced at a star-studded event at De Marquee, Lagos, Nigeria, attended by artistes, nominees, celebrities and VIPs.
The nominations were revealed by Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa; Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Group and Rajan Swaroop, CEO, Zain Nigeria.
Nigerian artistes scored an impressive 13 nominations including three nominations for the duo of P-Square (Artiste of the Year, Best Group and Best Video) and two nominations each for MAMA 2009 winner, 2face (Best Male, Artiste of the Year); Wande Coal (Best Anglophone, Best Male) and Banky W. (Song of the Year, Best Video).
Nigerian female artistes also rated well with Best Female nods for Nneka and Sasha and a nomination as Brand New Artiste for Mo’Cheddah.
D’banj, a four-time MAMA winner, received yet another nomination for Song of the Year for Fall in Love.
MAMA 2008 Best Live Performer winners Jozi (South Africa), notched up another ‘nod’ from the MAMA academy with a nomination for Artist of the Year.
Six further South African artistes were recognised by the MAMA Academy, with nominations for Teargas (Best Group), JR (Song of the Year), Black Coffee (Best Male), Big Nuz (Best Anglophone), Liquideep (Song of the Year) and The Parlotones (Best Video).
Fally Ipupa scored the highest individual number of the nominations with four separate MAMA award nominations. The charismatic artiste from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who is also performing at MAMA 2010, has been nominated for Artiste of the Year, Best Male, Best Video and Best Francophone, while Barbara Kanam brought the DRC nomination tally to five with a first time nomination in the Best Female category.
East African artistes continued their positive nominations run with five from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenyan gospel crossover artiste Daddy Owen, is nominated for the first time in the Best Anglophone category, while hip hop outfit, P-Unit, gets a mention for Best Group and Muthoni is recognised in the Brand New category.
In Uganda, there is a first time nomination for Radio and Weasle (Best Group), while Tanzania’s Diamond gets his commendation in the Brand New category.
Following the MAMA success of Samini in 2009, Ghanaian artiste, Sarkodie, gets a first time nomination in the Best Anglophone category.
Four US mega artistes are to fight it out in the Best International category which sees Rihanna representing the gals against Eminem, Drake and Rick Ross in the ultimate urban music face-off.
Two new categories in 2010 have broadened the scope of artistes eligible for the MAMA. The Best Francophone category sees Gabon enter the MAMA race for the first time with a nomination for Ba Ponga, while Senegalese artiste, Awadi and Ivory Coast’s DJ Arafat, also pick up their first ever MAMA nominations.
Angolan artistes, Cabo Snoop and Paul G, pick up nominations in the Best Lusophone category alongside Mozambique’s hip hop queens, Lizha James and Dama do Bling.
The winners for the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain will be revealed on Saturday, 11 December, 2010 at the Eko Expo Centre, Lagos, South West Nigeria.