ZAIN IS OUT AIRTEL IS IN FOR THE MAMA'S IN LAGOS

Winner of 2009 MAMAs Golden Microphone D'Banj and Head, Corporate Communication, Airtel Africa Michael Okwiri, during 2010 MAMAs Press Conference

On Wednesday, August 25, MTV Networks Africa (MTVNA) and Bharti Airtel confirmed that they will be holding the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) in Lagos, Nigeria.
The contemporary African music and creativity awards will be held at the EKO EXPO Hall, Lagos on December 11 2010.
The 2010 MAMAs with Airtel will take the form of a stunning live music event and global television spectacular, featuring performances from contemporary African and international music giants and hosted by a major music celebrity.
Artistes from around the continent will battle to win a coveted MAMA trophy in one of twelve award categories including: Best Male, Best Female, Best Video, Best Group, Artist of the Year, Best Lusophone Act, Best Anglophone Act, Best Francophone Act, Song of the Year, Brand: New Act, Best International Act and MAMA Legend.


MI, Deepak Srivastava, D' Banj and Michael Okwiri

Telecommunications giant Airtel comes on board as the headline sponsor of the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010, signalling the telco’s profound commitment to African music and youth culture following its purchase of Zain Africa’s business operations earlier this year.
The sponsorship was announced by Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Africa and Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa.


Deepak Srivastava, MI, VP MTV Africa Alex Okosi, D' Banj, Michael Okwiri and Eldee

ZAIN IS OUT AIRTEL IS IN FOR THE MAMA'S IN LAGOS

Winner of 2009 MAMAs Golden Microphone D'Banj and Head, Corporate Communication, Airtel Africa Michael Okwiri, during 2010 MAMAs Press Conference

On Wednesday, August 25, MTV Networks Africa (MTVNA) and Bharti Airtel confirmed that they will be holding the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) in Lagos, Nigeria.
The contemporary African music and creativity awards will be held at the EKO EXPO Hall, Lagos on December 11 2010.
The 2010 MAMAs with Airtel will take the form of a stunning live music event and global television spectacular, featuring performances from contemporary African and international music giants and hosted by a major music celebrity.
Artistes from around the continent will battle to win a coveted MAMA trophy in one of twelve award categories including: Best Male, Best Female, Best Video, Best Group, Artist of the Year, Best Lusophone Act, Best Anglophone Act, Best Francophone Act, Song of the Year, Brand: New Act, Best International Act and MAMA Legend.


MI, Deepak Srivastava, D' Banj and Michael Okwiri

Telecommunications giant Airtel comes on board as the headline sponsor of the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010, signalling the telco’s profound commitment to African music and youth culture following its purchase of Zain Africa’s business operations earlier this year.
The sponsorship was announced by Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Africa and Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa.


Deepak Srivastava, MI, VP MTV Africa Alex Okosi, D' Banj, Michael Okwiri and Eldee

THE NOMINEES FOR 2009 MAMA WITH ZAIN

BEST MALE

2 Face (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
Nameless (Kenya)
Da L.E.S. (South Africa)

BEST NEW ACT

M.I. (Nigeria)
Shaa (Tanzania)
STL (Kenya)
Bigiano (Nigeria)
Rhythmic Elements (South Africa)

BEST HIP HOP


M.I. (Nigeria)
A.Y. (Tanzania)
Zulu Boy (South Africa)
Jay-Z (USA)
Kanye West (USA)

BEST FEMALE

Kel (Nigeria)
Amani (Kenya)
Lira (South Africa)
Zamajobe (South Africa)
Lizha James (Mozambique)

BEST PERFORMER

P-Square (Nigeria)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
Samini (Ghana)
Nameless (Kenya)
Blu*3 (Uganda)

BEST R&B

2 Face (Nigeria)
Darey Art Alade (Nigeria)
Loyiso (South Africa)
Beyoncé (USA)
Akon (USA)

BEST GROUP

P-Square (Nigeria)
Blu*3 (Uganda)
Gang of Instrumentals (South Africa)
Mo Hits Allstars (Nigeria)
Gal Level (Namibia)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR


2 Face (Nigeria)
D’banj (Nigeria)
Lira (South Africa)
HHP (South Africa)
Nameless (Kenya)

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Green Day (USA)
Coldplay (UK)
Cassette (South Africa)
Zebra & Giraffe (South Africa)
Aking (South Africa)

BEST VIDEO

2Face – Enter The Place (Nigeria)
XOD – I Want You Back (Uganda)
HHP – Mpitse (South Africa)
Da L.E.S. – We on Fire (South Africa)
Wahu ft Bobi Wine – Little Things You Do (Kenya).



The winners of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain will be unveiled on 10 October 2009 at the Indoor Arena, Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. The broadcast of the show, hosted by hip hop legend Wyclef Jean, and featuring performances by Wyclef Jean, Lira, M.I., Samini and Wahu will air to a potential TV audience of 1 billion viewers around the world, via African pay-TV channel MTV base (DStv Channel 322), MTV partner networks around the world and African terrestrial channels including RTGA (Democratic Republic of the Congo), TV3 (Ghana), CTV (Kenya), AIT (Nigeria), STV (Nigeria), TBC 1 (Tanzania), ZNBC (Zambia) and WBS (Uganda), from 17 October 2009.

TREVOR NELSON TO HOST THE MAMA'S

Urban music legend and king of the airwaves Trevor Nelson has been confirmed as the host of the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA). The MOBO-winning DJ and TV presenter will preside over the glittering music awards ceremony taking place at The Velodrome, Abuja, Nigeria on 22 November 2008.
Known as ‘godfather of urbantainment’ Nelson has become a household name after more than a decade of championing urban, club and experimental music on radio and TV, including MTV’s seminal urban music chat show, The Lick and BBC3’s The Lowdown. A goldmine of information on everything to do with hip hop, R&B, dancehall, soul and other urban genres, Nelson’s Saturday night Radio 1 show is a regular fixture with the biggest urban stars on the planet, with Trevor regularly welcoming artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Lemar, Kelly Rowland and Will I Am into his studio. Trevor currently hosts two further radio shows for the BBC - the weekly breakfast show for 1Xtra and a Wednesday night soul music show for Radio2.
‘This is just a dream gig for me,’ commented Nelson. “The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain puts the spotlight on the kind of music I’ve championed all my life. The energy, passion and talent of the African music scene is off the scale and I can’t wait to get to Nigeria on 22 November to see Africa’s finest artists showing the world what they can do.”
A precocious Nelson began DJ-ing at an early age but his big-time career really kicked off when the young entrepreneur started up the Madhatter sound system, putting on warehouse parties in London. DJ-ing the graveyard shift on then pirate station Kiss FM in London led to a daytime slot and a directorship once the radio station went legit. Continuing his heavy DJ schedule, Nelson made a name for himself at the infamous Soul II Soul Sunday night jam at the Africa Centre.
After 10 years with Kiss FM, 1996 saw Trevor make the move over to Radio 1 to present Rhythm Nation. Within a year he began a second show on Saturday afternoons and currently hosts the live Saturday evening slot from 19:00 BST every weekend.
Nelson continues to DJ across the UK and around the world and this summer enjoyed his sixth season at Ibiza’s Pacha nightclub. He is a veteran presenter with many high profile events under his belt including the MOBOs and the Prince's Trust Urban Music Festival, and has hosted the ‘red carpet show’ at the MTV Europe Music Awards for the past three years. Nelson has also released a number of successful compilation albums including Pure Grooves and INCredible Sound Of Trevor Nelson.
Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, ‘Trevor’s love and infectious enthusiasm for urban music in all its rich variety makes him the perfect choice to host the MTV Africa Music Awards.’

The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain takes place at The Velodrome, Abuja, on Saturday, 22 November 2008 and broadcasts on MTV base (DStv Channel 322, GTV), partner networks and terrestrial channels STV (Nigeria), AIT (Nigeria), NTV (Kenya), WBS (Uganda), TV3 (Ghana), TBC (Tanzania) and RTGA (Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 29 November 2008.
To vote for your favourite artist or video, please go to mama.mtvbase.com. Music fans with WAP/GPRS enabled phones may also vote at m.mama.mtvbase.com (standard internet charges apply). Voting closes on Tuesday 18 November 2008.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE...

MTV UNVEILS CONTENDERS FOR FIRST EVER
MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS WITH ZAIN

Lagos, 7 October 2008: MTV Networks Africa today announced the contenders for the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA). The nominations for the inaugural pan-African music awards ceremony were revealed at a VIP soirée at Planet One, Lagos, Nigeria by Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa and Norman Moyo, Chief Marketing Officer, Zain Nigeria, in the presence of nominees D’Banj, Wahu, DJ Cleo and Naeto C.

Selected by an independent voting ‘academy’ of 150 music professionals and opinion formers from 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the nominations for the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain showcase the wealth of musical talent that Africa has to offer, and provide the ultimate vehicle for young Africans to salute the African and international artists that rock their worlds.

Heading the nominee list with 5 ‘nods’ from the MAMA nominations academy are Nigerian R&B duo P-Square (Best Group, Best Live Performer, Best R&B, Best Video and Artist of the Year), closely followed by triple nominees D’Banj (Nigeria) and HHP (South Africa), who go head-to-head in the Best Male and Artist of the Year categories. Wahu (Kenya) and Asa (Nigeria) share the honours as the most nominated female artists with two nominations each for Wahu (Best New Act, Best Female) and Asa (Best Female, Artist of the Year).
Topping the country roll of honour with 18 individual nominations is South Africa, closely followed by Nigeria (16 nominations). Kenyan artists scored three nominations: Jua Cali for Best Male and Wahu for Best New Act & Best Female. Ghanaian artists were recognised in two categories: Best Live Performance (Samini) and Best New Act (Kwaw Kese), while Mozambique, Gabon, Tanzania and Uganda all scored one nominee with recognition for Professor Jay (Tanzania), East Africa Bashment Crew (Uganda), Movaizhaleine (Gabon) and Dama do Bling (Mozambique).
US, and European artists are represented in three categories with nods to Akon, Rihanna and Alicia Keys for Best R&B, while rappers The Game and Lil Wayne both feature in Best Hip Hop. Prominent in the Best Alternative category are British rockers Coldplay, competing against, Buraka Som Sistema (Portugal) and a trio of South African contenders: Goldfish, The Parlotones and Seether.
The nominees for the 2008 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain are:
BEST FEMALE
Wahu (Kenya)
Asa (Nigeria)
Dama Do Bling (Mozambique)
Sasha (Nigeria)
Zonke (South Africa)

BEST MALE
Jua Cali (Kenya)
2Face (Nigeria)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
DJ Cleo (South Africa)
HHP (South Africa)

BEST LIVE PERFORMER
Samini (Ghana)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
Cassette (South Africa)
Jozi (South Africa)

BEST GROUP
P-Square (Nigeria)
Freshly Ground (South Africa)
Jozi (South Africa)
The Parlotones (South Africa)
East African Bashment Crew (Uganda)

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Buraka Som Sistema (Portugal)
Goldfish (South Africa)
Seether (South Africa)
The Parlotones (South Africa)
Coldplay (UK)

BEST HIP-HOP
9ice (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
Professor Jay (Tanzania)
Lil Wayne (USA)
The Game (USA)

BEST R&B
P-Square (Nigeria)
Akon (Senegal / USA)
Loyiso (South Africa)
Alicia Keys (USA)
Rihanna (USA)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Asa (Nigeria)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
Seether (South Africa)

BEST NEW ACT
Kwaw Kese (Ghana)
Wahu (Kenya)
9ice (Nigeria)
Naeto C (Nigeria)
Da L.E.S. (South Africa)

BEST VIDEO
Movaizhaleine (Gabon) – Nous
Ikechukwu (Nigeria) – Wind Am Well
P-Square (Nigeria) – Roll It
Freshlyground (South Africa) – Pot Belly
Pro Kid (South Africa) – Uthini Ngo Pro