KESHO NDIYO FAINALI ZA TUZO ZA MTV MAMAZ ZIKIFANYIKA AFRIKA YA KUSINI HUKU BONGO IKIWAKILISHWA NA DIAMOND

The MAMAs are massive

Over the past few weeks, MTV Base has been teasing music lovers by announcing the list of performers for the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) in tiny morsels. The awards, which take place at the Durban ICC in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday, 7 June, will be broadcast live at 21:00 on MTV Base and MTV. 

The MTV Africa Music Awards have a legacy of putting on quality collaboration on stage at every ceremony. This year they will continue in this vein – with one difference. In the past, African acts collaborated with the international host.

This year, our acts will perform alongside not one but three American artists. 

Although that’s nice, it’s not the best thing about the performance element. The best thing is that musicians from a plethora of genres on the African continent – from bongo flava to nu-age R'n'B – will be represented on stage. 

Expect to see Nigerian R'n'B chanteuse Tiwa Savage, who is nominated in the Best Female category, as well as American R'n'B crooner Trey Songz. 

American (by way of Morocco) rapper French Montana will also perform. Hip-hop on the African continent comes in various forms. So viewers will be treated to the sounds of Nigerian rapper Phyno (nominated for Best New Act), Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie (Best Hip Hop) and Wizkid who although doesn’t identify as a rapper, often speaks his lyrics in a particular cadence. Wizkid is nominated in the Best Male, Best Collaboration categories.

Urban house is taken care of by South Africa’s Uhuru, who actually have an impressive percussion section. Uhuru are nominated for four MAMAs which include Song of the Year, Best New Act, Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration. They are likely to appear alongside Angola’s Yuri da Cunha whose song, Atchu Tchutcha, inspired Uhuru to make Y-Tjukutja. Yuri has three MAMA nominations for Song of the Year, Best Lusophone and Best Collaboration.

House has a major presence at the MAMAs in the form of South African recording business pioneer Oskido as well as Kalawa Jazmee kwaito general Professor, who is also from South Africa. They both feature on Uhuru’s Y-Tjukutja. Flavour, the Nigerian artist who broke continental boundaries with his smash hit Nwa Baby (remix) and is nominated for a Best Live Act MAMA, will also perform.

Tanzanian bongo flava artist Diamond Platnumz will shine on the MAMA stage. He is nominated for two MAMAs. Tiwa Savage isn’t the only Mavin Records artist who will perform at the MAMAs. Nigerian singer-songwriter Dr Sid, who is nominated for Song of the Year, will also do his thing.

Pop meets afro-pop when South Africans, The Arrows – who have come back into the spotlight after featuring on DJ Kent’s Spin My World Around – appear on the same stage as afro-pop duo Mafikizolo. They are nominated in the Song of the Year Award. By now, Mafikizolo, the four-time MAMA nominees (Song of the Year, Best Group, Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration), need no introduction.

South African motswako artist Khuli Chana (Best Hip Hop) will set the stage ablaze as will Nigeria’s own Davido. The Naija boy is nominated for four MAMAs - Song of the Year, Best Male Artist, Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration.   

A few years ago, singer-songwriter Miguel, was hailed as the second coming of real R'n'B in America. Some have bestowed that title on Sauti Sol, the Kenyan R'n'B group nominated in the Best Group category, who are taking the continent by storm, spreading their real R'n'B sound. Both acts will perform at the MAMAs.

Hosted by comedian and actor Marlon Wayans, the awards promise to be a thrill. So get your tickets to the ceremony or book a place in front of your television this Saturday!

Voting for the MTV Africa Music Awards is open at www.mtvbase.com until midnight on 4 June 2014. 

Tickets for the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards KwaZulu-Natal are on sale at www.computicket.com, on 0861 915 8000 and at Computicket retail outlets. Seated tickets cost R450 (incl. VAT) while general access (standing) tickets are R200 (incl. VAT).

Don’t miss the LIVE broadcast of the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards on Saturday 7 June at 21:00 on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).