Nominees announced for MTV Africa Music Awards
JOBURG - It was a star-studded night filled with music industry heavyweights, coupled with a production second to none, where the nominees of 13 categories were announced for the MTV Africa Music Awards (Mama).
MTV and Absolut Vodka called on the music community from all around Africa on 11 June to gather all the people who make and love African music.
It was the Mama’s announcement event that brought Cassper Nyovest, Bucie, Diamond, Donald and many other hot names in the music world together at Harem in Rosebank – with A.K.A conveniently missing the shindig despite squashing the beef between him and Doc Shebeleza.
The hosts, Sizwe Dhlomo and Nomuzi Mabena, kept the guests of the auspicious announcement party on their toes, with Mabena even performing a short, improvised verse with the ever-entertaining Black Motion before their own performance.
The line-up of performances for the evening included Black Motion, Bucie, Cassper Nyovest, Diamond and Seyi Shay, all of whom were nominated in various categories.
The event only allowed for 13 of the 16 categories to be announced, with the final three – which are expected to be the biggest categories – to be announced over the upcoming weeks before the award cemermony on 18 July in KwaZulu-Natal.
This will be the first province to host the Mama’s twice, an awards ceremony which has travelled to many parts of Africa.
“This is a very important day. It’s a day where we celebrate African music, a day where we celebrate Africa as a frontier market, a day where we celebrate the rise of Africa,” said Desmond Golding, head of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
“There is no doubt that the 21st century is an African century.”
