It’s MAMA time!
Can’t touch this
As the South African summer begins, the Award season signals the end of another music year. There are not many things that bring Africans together but since 2008, cable music network MTV has used the MAMAs (MTV Africa Music Awards) to celebrate the continent’s music. This year’s edition will be hosted by Comedy Central’s Daily Show anchor, Trevor Noah at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Ahead of its 22nd of October date, this year’s nominees list hit the internet earlier this week with a wave of reactions from fans and industry experts alike. And after spending the last few days studying the nominees, and ranting at the lack of female dedicated categories, I have come up with analysis and predictions for the most coveted awards at the ceremony.
Best Male
Wizkid(Nigeria)
AKA(South Africa)
Patoranking(Nigeria)
Black Coffee(South Africa)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Black Coffee
There were murmurs that Black Coffee robbed Wizkid of the Best International Act Africa award at the BETs, but the South African DJ is actually having a better run. He released a platinum selling album last year then got to headline Coachella and Ultra Music Festival this year. Still, Wizkid’s international leap is still a mark of progress for the culture, so who knows, Wiz may just rob Coffee right back. AKA’s has scored hits over the last years but has no major recorded wins without Burna Boy on the hook.
Patoranking who could be an unlikely winner released a sub-par debut and I don’t know what Diamond Platinums is doing in this category, but I don’t care either.
Best Group
R2Bees(Ghana)
Sauti Sol(Kenya)
Toofan(Togo)
Navy Kenzo (Tanzania)
Mi Casa (South Africa)
Sauti Sol
After setting a landmark for Kenyan music with a win at the MTV EMAs, Sauti Sol is near shoo-in for this category. Mi Casa, however, is an MTV favourite and maybe things will change this year. I am definitely not looking at Tanzania’s auto-tune gang, Navy Kenzo even though Game was totally my jam. Togo’s waist-whining Toofan, have done well musically but they have barely covered enough ground on the continent. And R2Bees? Well, all anyone is listening to from Ghana these days is Stonebwoy and Mr Eazi, but miracles do happen right. (lol jk)
Best Hip Hop
Olamide (Nigeria)
Kiff No Beat(Ivory Coast)
Ycee(Nigeria)
Emtee(South Africa)
Ricky Rick(South Africa)
Emtee
This perhaps is the toughest category to predict. And to give you an idea of what I mean, let me just start here; If you’re wondering who Ricky Rick is, you need to watch this video below.
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We don’t know what many Africans are doing with their twenties, but Emtee has already been certified platinum and he’s only 24! Olamide is nominated alongside YCEE here, but there is no need to point out that if we’re talking hip-hop and not alternative Fuji, the YBNL boss will have to sit this one out. Ivory Coast’s Kiff No Beat, is Francophone Africa’s hip-hop gem and it would be impossible to rule out the world where a french speaking rapper bags this award.
Best International Act
Drake
Drake
Beyonce
Adele
Future
Rihanna
We’re a continent with a culture of importing, but thanks to this unnecessary category we will be exporting another MAMA award to another celebrity who will send us a video thanking us for our African generousity. This year, Adele (UK), Beyoncé (USA) Drake (Canada), Future (USA) and Rihanna (Barbados) are lined up for the category. For my thoughts on who this award will go to, first I must admit my Beyhive bias then go ahead to say shouts out to Rihanna for that work, Drake for giving Wizkid a platform, Future for giving us Desiigner and Adele for not saying Hello to us from the other side. May the odds forever be in your favour guys.
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