Sauti Sol Among MAMAs Nominees

Sauti Sol, Cassper Nyovest, AKA and Wizkid lead the pack in the first round of nominations for the
forthcoming MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 (MAMA), with an impressive nine nominations between them.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 is brought to you by Joburg Tourism in partnership with Absolut Vodka and Google and in association with MTN and MTN.

Fifty MAMA nominees including artists and achievers from 18 countries were revealed in 9 key music and lifestyle award categorie by Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa and MTV Base (GOtv channel 72) at a star-studded reception at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa last night.

At the front of the field is Nigerian star Wizkid with three nominations including nods in Best Male, Best Collaboration and Personality of the Year. Next in line with two nominations each are Sauti Sol (Kenya),  AKA (South Africa) and Cassper Nyovest (South Africa). The hotly contested Best Hip Hop category sees MAMA    nominations for Emtee and Riky Rick of South Africa, who’ll be going head to head against Nigeria’s    Olamide and Ycee, and Kiff No Beat (Ivory Coast). An epic battle of the bands is in store in the Best Group    category where Ghana’s R2bees face off against Kenya’s Sauti Sol, South Africa’s Mi Casa, Navy
Kenzo from Tanzania and Togolese duo, Toofan.

In lifestyle category Personality of the Year, Pearl Thusi goes up against soccer player Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), middle distance runner and Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya, blogger
Linda Ikeji (Nigeria) and musician Wizkid (Nigeria) vie for Personality of the Year.

The second round of nominations, comprising 7 additional award categories, including Artist of the Year   ,    Best Female, Listener’s Choice, Best Breakthrough, Best Francophone, Song of the Year in partnership with
Google, and Video of the Year, will be revealed at the Hard Rock Café, Lagos, Nigeria during Road to MAMA – Lagos 2016 (2 October 2016). No nominations will be revealed for the MTV Base Reimagined award, and MAMA Legend.

Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, “The MAMA celebrates Africa’s incredible young musicians and trailblazers by breaking down
barriers, driving engagement, and highlighting the continent’s rich and abundant talent. It’s an honour to be able to salute their achievements at MAMA 2016, and we offer our congratulations to all of the nominees as we look forward to the most exciting and diverse MAMA yet.”

Voting for MAMA 2016 opens at 23.00 CAT on Wednesday 21 September at www.mtvbase.com and affiliated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Additionally, fans can vote for Best Group and Best International Act from 21 September by simply searching for “MTV MAMA” on Google, with each Google account allowed 5 votes per category per day.     Google voting for Best Breakthrough and Song of the Year will open on 2 October. Voting in all categories closes at 23.59 CAT on 19 October 2016.

Guests at the MAMA 2016 nominations party were entertained with sizzling performances by Mi Casa,   Nathi, Riky Rick, Shekinah, Khuli Chana and Lizha James, while DJs PH, Major League DJz, Tha Duchaz, Prince Kaybee and DJ Snypes kept the dance-floor packed to capacity.  The event was attended by a host of artists, celebrities and other glitterati, while MTV Base VJ Sandile and Nomzamo Mbatha were on point at the MAMA podium.

MAMA 2016 NOMINATIONS (PART 1)

Best Male

• AKA (South Africa)
• Black Coffee (South Africa)
• Diamond (Tanzania)
• Patoranking (Nigeria)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Live

• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
• Flavour (Nigeria)
• Mafikizolo (South Africa)
• Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best Group

• Mi Casa (South Africa)
• Navy Kenzo (Tanzania)
• R2bees (Ghana)
• Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• Toofan (Togo)

Best Collaboration in partnership with Absolut

• AKA feat. Burna Boy, Khuli Chana & Yanga – “Baddest” (South Africa/Nigeria)
• DJ Maphorisa feat. Wizkid & DJ Bucks – “Soweto Baby” ((South
  Africa/Nigeria)
• Nasty C feat. Davido, Cassper – “Juice Back Remix” (Nigeria/South Africa)
• Patoranking feat. Sarkodie – “No Kissing” (Nigeria/Ghana)
• Sauti Sol feat. Alikiba – “Unconditionally Bae” (Kenya/Tanzania)

Best Hip Hop in association with MTN

• Emtee (South Africa)
• Kiff No Beat (Ivory Coast)
• Olamide (Nigeria)
• Riky Rick (South Africa)
• Ycee (Nigeria)

 Best Pop/Alternative

• Desmond & The Tutus (South Africa)
• LCNVL (South Africa)
• Shekinah (South Africa) / Kyle Deutsch (South Africa)
• Timo ODV (South Africa)
• Tresor (DRC)

Best Lusophone

• C4 Pedro (Angola)
• NGA (Angola)
• Lizha James (Mozambique)
• Nelson Freitas (Netherlands/Cape Verde)
• Preto Show (Angola)

Personality of the Year in association with DStv

• Caster Semenya (South Africa)
• Linda Ikeji (Nigeria)
• Pearl Thusi (South Africa)
• Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best International

• Adele (UK)
• Beyoncé (USA)
• Drake (Canada)
• Future (USA)
• Rihanna (Barbados)

Tickets for the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 are on sale now priced ZAR 250 (standing only) via www.ticketpros.co.za, at Ticketpro retail outlets or dealers at www.mtvbase.com. Over 18s
only. e.tv and Metro FM are the official South African media partners of the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016.

For more information on the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016.

To join the conversation about the awards please use the hashtag #MTVMAMA2016.