Nigerian Artistes Lead MTV Africa Music Awards 2014

Africa's number one music authority, MTV Base has announced the nominees for this year's MTV Africa Music Awards.

The announcement, which was made last night, Wednesday, 16 April 2014 at an impressive nominations party at The Sands in Johannesburg, South Africa recorded a large number of Nigeria entries.
Once again, the spotlight is beamed on Nigeria as the hub and leader of entertainment in Africa.  Out of fifteen different categories, Nigeria was nominated in eleven categories and includes some of the biggest names in the Nigerian entertainment industry such as  Omotola Jalade, Chimamanda Adichie, 2Face, PSquare, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Olamide, Flavour among many others.

The different categories, which include Best Male, Best Female, Song of the Year and Artist of the Year has also broadened the scope of the MAMA  franchise as achievements in non-music fields will also be recognized. They include "Personality of the Year" and "Transform Today by Absolut", an award designed to recognize and support young, emerging and original African creative talents who use their imagination to fuel social transformation and bring positive attention to the continent.

Davido clinched  most of the  nominations this year with four nods for Song of the Year, Best male, Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration. Following closely behind with 3 nominations is dynamic duo, P Square with Best Group, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year while Wizkid receives two nods for Best Male and Best Collaboration.

Other Nigerian nominees include 2Face, Burna Boy, Chidinma, Don Jazzy, Dr Sid, Flavour, Ice Prince, KCEE, May D, Olamide, Phyno and Tiwa Savage.

Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa, Alex Okosi said "We congratulate all the nominees for the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards. This year, the MAMA offers a stunning platform for African artists, it also celebrates the young personalities, leaders and creatives who are making a positive impact on the continent."

Check out the Nigerian nominees

NIGERIAN NOMINEES
Best Male: Davido; Wizkid
Best Female: Chidinma; Tiwa Savage
Best Group: P-Square
Best New Act: Burna Boy; Phyno
Best Live Act: 2face; Flavour
Best Collaboration:
Diamond feat Davido – 'Number One' (Remix) (Tanzania/Nigeria)
Mafikizolo feat May D – 'Happiness' (South Africa/Nigeria)
R2bees feat Wizkid – 'Slow Down' (Ghana/Nigeria)
Artist of the Year : Davido; P Square
Song of the Year: Davido- 'Skelewu'
Dr Sid feat Don Jazzy – 'Surulere'
KCee - 'Limpopo'
P Square – 'Personally'
Best Hip Hop: Ice Prince; Olamide
Personality of the Year:Chimamanda Adichie
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde
Transform Today by Absolut: Clarence Peters

...and here are the nominations in full

MUSIC CATEGORIES

Best Male:
Anselmo Ralph (Angola)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond (Tanzania)
Donald (South Africa)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Female:
Arielle T (Gabon)
Chidinma (Nigeria)
DJ C'ndo (South Africa)
Efya (Ghana)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Best Group:
Big Nuz (South Africa)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
Mi Casa (South Africa)
P Square (Nigeria)
Sauti Sol (Kenya)

Best New Act:
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Heavy K (South Africa)
Phyno (Nigeria)
Stanley Enow (Cameroon)
Uhuru (South Africa)

Best Live Act:
2face (Nigeria)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Flavour (Nigeria)
Dr Malinga (South Africa)
Zakes Bantwini (South Africa)

Best Collaboration:
Amani ft. Radio and Weasel – 'Kiboko Changu' (Kenya/Uganda)
Diamond feat Davido – 'Number One' (Remix) (Tanzania/Nigeria)
Mafikizolo feat May D – 'Happiness' (South Africa/Nigeria)
R2bees feat Wizkid – 'Slow Down' (Ghana/Nigeria)
Uhuru feat DJ Buckz, Oskido, Professor, Yuri Da Cunha – 'Y-tjukutja' (South Africa/Angola)

Artist of the Year:
Davido (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
Mi Casa (South Africa)
P Square (Nigeria)
Uhuru (South Africa)

Song of the Year:
Davido- 'Skelewu' (Nigeria)
DJ Clock feat Beatenberg – 'Pluto' (Remember Me) (South Africa)
DJ Ganyani feat FB – 'Xigubu' (South Africa)
DJ Kent feat The Arrows –'Spin My World Around' (South Africa)
Dr Sid feat Don Jazzy – 'Surulere' (Nigeria)
KCee - 'Limpopo' (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo feat Uhuru 'Khona' (South Africa)
Mi Casa- 'Jika' (South Africa)
P Square – 'Personally' (Nigeria)
Yuri Da Cunha -'Atchu Tchu Tcha' (Angola)

Best Hip Hop:
AKA (South Africa)
Ice Prince (Nigeria)
Khuli Chana (South Africa)
Olamide (Nigeria)
Sarkodie (Ghana)

Best Pop:
Danny K (South Africa)
Fuse ODG (Ghana)
Goldfish (South Africa)
LCNVL (South Africa)
Mathew Mole (South Africa)

Best Alternative:
Gangs of Ballet (South Africa)
Michael Loman (South Africa)
Nakhane Toure (South Africa)
Parlotones (South Africa)
Shortstraw (South Africa)

Best Francophone:
Arielle T (Gabon)
Espoir 2000 (Ivory Coast)
Ferre Gola (DRC)
Toofan (Togo)
Youssoupha (Congo)

Best Lusophone:
Anselmo Ralph (Angola)
JD (Angola)
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
Yuri Da Cunha (Angola)

NON MUSIC CATEGORIES

Personality of the Year:
Chimamanda Adiche (Nigeria)
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (Nigeria)
Trevor Noah (South Africa)
Lupita Nyong'o (Kenya)
Yaya Toure (Cote d'Ivoire)

Transform Today by Absolut
Anisa Mpungwe (Tanzania)
Clarence Peters (Nigeria)
Leti Arts (Ghana)
Rasty (South Africa)

The MTV Africa Music Awards KwaZulu-Natal supported by Absolut will take place in South Africa for the first time on 7 June 2014 at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban. The awards will air live across the continent at 9:00PM on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).

Voting for the MTV Africa Music Awards is open at www.mtvbase.com from 16 April 2014 until midnight on 4 June 2014.

 
 

MI, MODE NINE, SASHA, EVA, OTHERS BRING DOWN THE HOUSE AT THE VS CLASS!

 

Last Thursday would go down as one of the most memorable day in the Nigerian entertainment industry as the biggest and most successful HipHop radio show made its debut  on Nigerian radio. The VS Class, an  initiative which was created by the world's No.1 premium cognac Hennessy in partnership with Nigeria's leading urban radio station The Beat 99.9 FM to promote the rap music genre took HipHop fans to another level.

The show which was  hosted by Olisa Adubua and Jimmie marked the launch and first of three episodes. With Host MCs like MI, ModeNine, Sasha, Show Dem Camp and Eva, the show kicked off hot! After rigorous auditions that held for two weeks, ten contenders were called upon to be a part of the show where they were given the opportunity to showcase their skills to the world and to be known for this skill.

 

Host DJ for the evening was veteran DJ; DJ Jimmy Jatt who dished out back-to-back Hip Hop tracks. The finalists invited to be on the show came prepared dropping sixteen mind-blowing bars thrilling the judges and other guests present in the studio.

 

"I'm really glad to be here witnessing the evolution of HipHop in Nigeria. These MCs came prepared… they have totally blown our minds with some of the lyrics we have heard today." ModeNine said during the show.

 

The realness of the show was particularly evident as M.I, Show Dem Camp, Eva, Sasha and ModeNine took to the mic to drop a few bars of their own. The height of the show was taken to another level when M.I, ModeNine and rap duo, Show Dem Camp performed breath-taking freestyles non-stop that got everyone in the studio screaming with excitement.

 

Other guests present at the show include Beat FM OAPs, Douglas, Osi Suave, Tee Billz, Mark Redguard among others.

 

The VS Class will feature two more episodes this year and will also feature other rap heads as well as some of Nigeria's hottest indigenous rappers.

I will like to own a radio station-Darey Art Alade

In 2013, Darey Art Alade stunned Nigerians with his world class love concert titled "Love Like A Movie". With this ingenious showmanship, Darey effortlessly earned his reputation as the grand show stopper in the Nigerian entertainment industry. But this time around, the soul singer is hatching another project.

Recently, the Soul Muzik co-founder hinted on his plans to own a radio station. "I will like to have my own radio station. I don't want to work for anybody. I have already started making plans and inquiries to see what is feasible. It's something that can't go away." he told members of the press in a brief chat.

Darey was formerly an OAP with Cool FM Lagos where he honed his skills in radio production, presentation and marketing skills until he left for the Project Fame reality show in South Africa in 2004 where he emerged third. The multiple award-winning singer will be fulfilling another lifetime dream if this project comes to fruition.
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Afrobeat is a way of life-Dede Mabiaku

Dede Mabiaku, the versatile musician and a judge on the Nigerian idol reality show has described Afrobeat as a way of life and not just another genre of music. Citing the legendary Afrobeat king Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as an example, the late Fela protege urged the new generation afrobeat musicians to see afrobeat as music for the people.

He lauded the late Fela for his immense contribution to the way Nigerian music is perceived outside the country. "Fela played music live, he never used synthesised sounds, Fela scored his music and his lyrics came along. Fela groomed his band with the sounds he has called, so ethically he has cultured a sound and build it with a band. After that, he now performed these songs over a period of time before going to the studio."

He continued "That is why people still listen to his songs so many years after his physical exit. He is the most regarded Nigerian musician ever. He is the most regarded African celebrated in Broadway. That's because he was doing it the live way. These kids have to go back to basics, go and learn instruments, go and culture bands, culture yourself."


He also urged the contemporary musicians to leave the realm of synthesised sounds and work on live bands. According to him, learning the culture of live bands will take Nigerian music to the next level. Though he stated that these artistes have tried in their own way to promote Nigerian music through their packaging and vocal rendition but he insisted that a lot need to be done to make the Nigerian music better. He commended artistes like Flavour, Davido, Tuface for their input in the Nigerian music industry through the fusion of pure natural African sounds in their music.
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Mutiu Adepoju-Why I'm a Teetotaller

The moment we were introduced, my eyes unconsciously settled on his head. perhaps because he was popularly known as the headmaster during his heydays on the soccer pitch. In this interview, the former Super Eagles player revealed the other side of his persona.

He never headed a school before but he knew how to use his head (literally and otherwise) to score goals that left his counterparts in awe. This fetched him the unique nickname, ‘headmaster’. Nigeria’s ex-international Mutiu Adepoju is one of the best players the country has ever produced. His performance at the FIFA 1989 World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia seemed to have earned him a place in the football hall of fame. Now living in retirement, Adepoju, however, misses those days etched in evergreen memories when he was active on the field.

CITYPEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES INSPIRO/NAIJAZZ BOSS, AYOOLA SADARE

THE BOSS-AYOOLA SADARE

Citypeople Entertainment recently celebrated Inspiro productions CEO and NAIJAZZ (Nigerian Jazz Project) Founder Ayoola Sadare in recognition of his contribution in the Jazz, Entertainment and Arts/Culture sector. The event tagged ‘An Exclusive Evening with Ayoola Sadare and His friends' was an eclectic time of live Jazz, Spoken Word, Comedy, Art and more at one of the Nation’s  rave culture hotspots Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos.

From Koko Master to Banger Lee, Breaking up with Don Jazzy: The Right Thing To Do.

There is always something new about Nigeria's international pop artiste, D'banj. My editor (Nseobong Okon-Ekong) and I recently caught up with him few days before his birthday and discovered his hilarious side.

 There was no air of a celebrity about him as he mixed freely with the small gathering of journalists and friends of the media. The camaradie was magnetic with Nigeria’s international super artiste, Dapo Oyebanjo, better known as, D'banj, personally doing a bear hug with everyone and backslapping them with amazing familiarity. Even if it was an effected emotion, it was well executed as he had a joke for each person. And because he never repeated a joke, this betrayed a little known side of the entertainer who took Nigeria (first and later the world) by storm about one decade ago.