ZAIN MAMA’s 2010 Sarkodie surfaces, P-Square leads
By Peterking Quaye – It’s the awards season for the African music community. The channel 0 music video awards just ended, the SMVA revolution is charging waiting to happen same as the NMVA Awards and many others. The biggest of all, MTV Africa music awards (MAMA Awards) from MTV base and Telecommunication giant Zain stables released the nomination list after a nominee party yesterday, 30th October 2010 in DR Congo .
The nominees for the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain were shortlisted by the MAMA Academy – a handpicked group of music industry experts and taste makers from across the African continent. Ghana’s fastest rapper, Sarkodie has expressed delight at his MTV Africa Music Awards nomination and says he knows it will be possible to win that award.
Sarkodie was nominated in the Best Anglophone (English Speaking) category alongside Wande Coal of Nigeria, Daddy Owen of Kenya and Big Nuz of South Africa. His nomination presents him with the opportunity to surface in his professional since entering the industry after signing onto the Konvict Records. Following the MAMA success of Samini in 2009, Ghanaian artist Sarkodie gets a first time nomination in the Best Anglophone category.
Sarkodie speaking on a local radio station Joy Fm – Drive Time program on Monday on 1st November, 2010 after the release of the nomination list thanked his fans for their unflinching support. “Last year and this year has been very good for me…After Ghana Music Awards, I asked myself what next? I was in the studio when I got a call that it was not confirmed but it might be possible I will be nominated for the MTV Music Awards. I told myself I need to work much harder to get there.”
“I was in Nigeria last two weeks to meet Akon and I saw the love in Nigeria so when I heard I have been nominated, I thought it was like a step from where I am. I thank all my fans and the people who are promoting Sarkodie but seriously to give you a word on how I feel, I don’t think I have a word for it,” he said.
The Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the year winner said he knows it is possible for him to win the award from the keenly contested category but he will also use the event to expose himself to the world.“Normally I don’t predict as in what is going to happen. I think every opportunity you need to use the good side of it because in Lagos, I will have the chance to at least be exposed to the world…and try to use the opportunity to promote myself.”
“…but to win, I know it’s possible because I saw the category and I saw the people in there. I know it’s possible. I want Ghanaians as they helped me in the Ghana Music Awards, they can also do the same to this award as well,” he said.
Also on the list making several appearance in more than one categories is Nigerian duo artists, P-Squre dominating the nominations list.
P-Squre scored an impressive 13 nominations including three nominations for duo P-Square (Artist of the Year, Best Group and Best Video), and two nominations each for MAMA 2009 winner 2FACE (Best Male, Artist of the Year), Wande Coal (Best Anglophone, Best Male) and Banky W (Song of the Year, Best Video).
Nigerian female artists also rated well with Best Female nods for Nneka and Sasha, and a nomination as Brand: New artist for Mo Cheddah. D’banj, a four-time MAMA winner, received yet another MAMA nomination for Song of the Year for “Fall in Love”.
Fally Ipupa scored the highest individual number of the nominations with four separate MAMA award nominations. The charismatic artist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who is also performing at MAMA 2010, has been nominated for Artist of the Year, Best Male, Best Video and Best Francophone. Barbara Kanam brought the DRC nomination tally to five with a first-time nomination in the Best Female category.
Four US mega-artists 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.
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, Nigeria.
The MAMA 2010 nominees are entire list:
Best Video
Fally Ipupa – Sexy dance (DRC)
P-Square f/t J. Martins- E No Easy (Nigeria)
The Parlotones – Life Design (South Africa)
Banky W – Strong Ting (Nigeria)
Brand: New
Mo Cheddah (Nigeria)
Diamond (Tanzania)
Muthoni (Kenya)
JoJo (Gabon)
Artist of The Year
2 Face (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
Jozi (South Africa)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Song of The Year
D’Banj – Fall In Love (Nigeria)Liquideep – Fairytale (South Africa)
JR – Show Dem (South Africa)
Banky W – Lagos Party (Nigeria)
Best Anglophone
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Wande Coal (Nigeria)
Daddy Owen (Kenya)
Big Nuz (South Africa)
Best Francophone
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Awadi (Senegal)
DJ Arafat (Ivory Coast)
Ba Ponga (Gabon)
Best Lusophone
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Paul G (Angola)
Cabo Snoop (Angola)
Dama Do Bling (Mozambique)
Best Group
P-Square (Nigeria)
Radio & Weasle (Uganda)
Teargas (South Africa)
P-Unit (Kenya)
Best Female
Sasha (Nigeria)
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Nneka (Nigeria)
Barbara Kanam (DRC)
Best Male
2 Face (Nigeria)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Black Coffee (South Africa)
Wande Coal (Nigeria)
Best International
Rihanna (USA)
Drake (USA)
Eminem (USA)
Rick Ross (USA)
The MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 is sponsored by Zain in association with MasterCard. Arik Air is the official airline partner of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain.
