Organizers Unveil Nominees For AFRIMMA 2014

Organisers of African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA), have released nominations into the 26 categories of the reward scheme, which has been promoting Texas, United States as the next stop for African stars in the month of July.

The nominations reveal strength of dominance by Nigeria, which has three nods from Flavour, Davido and Wizkid, who are contenders in the Artiste of the Year category. The trio, who will be battling one another in that category, will also have artistes such as Diamond (Tanzania), Sarkodie (Ghana), Mafikizolo (South Africa), Anselmo Ralph - A Dor do Cupido (Angola), and Jaguar (Kenya) to contend with.

Released by Big A Entertainment, the event’s company, the highly competitive list also has four Nigerian acts; Wizkid, Iyanya, Davido, and Flavour; two Ghanaian acts, Sarkodie and Shatta Wale, and an Ivorian act, DJ Arafat, competing in the Best Male West Africa category.

In the Best Female West Africa category, the battle will be among Nigeria’sTiwa Savage andChidimma, Senegal’s Viviane Chidid, Ivory Coast’s Teeyah, Benin Republic’s Sessima and Ghana’sEfya.

The show, according to Mr. Anderson Obiagwu, Founder/CEO of Big A Entertainment, will also feature spectacular performances from top artistes from Africa, including a duet from hip hop act, Tuface Idibia and Grammy award-winning rapper, Faheem Najm, alias T-pain.

During the award show scheduled to take place on July 26, at the Eisemann Center, Richardson, Texas, the two singing sensations will be thrilling the crowd individually and jointly. Their duet will be the remix of Tuface’s song, Rainbow, which features the American star. The song is Tuface’s popular single on his 2012 album, Away & Beyond.

Already, Tuface is being tipped to be the cynosure at the event, having raised the bar of international collaborations with the success of Rainbow and featuring on T-Pain’s new single, If I Got It, which also has Senegalese-American artiste, Akon.

Obiagwu said his company was determined to sustain the drive towards a world-class African awards show through what he described as its "crossing boundaries with music".

"This event will not only celebrate the music of Africa, but celebrate the unique sounds, culture and artistes who tell the stories of our continent as a whole.

"AFRIMMA represents growth, celebration and pushing the culture and music of Africa continuously forward for the better. It will be an amazing night while celebrating the artistes who have influenced and impacted the culture as well as the pioneers who laid the framework for the music of today," he said.

Other categories of the award include: Best Male East Africa, to be contested by Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Ben Pol (Tanzania), Bebe Cool (Uganda), Wyre (Kenya), Navio (Uganda), and Jackie Gosee (Ethiopia); Best Male Central Africa with Fally Ipupa (DR Congo), Stanley Enow (Cameroon), Ferre Gola (Congo), Privato "Lill'P" Niyintunze (Burundi), Anselmo Ralph (Angola) and Sine (Cameroon).

It will be recalled that international airline carrier, Arik Air, has signed on as the sponsor of the AFRIMMA.

Also, Laura Maczka, Mayor of Richardson, has issued an official proclamation from the city endorsing its support of AFRIMMA.

Obiagwu added that "International Television Powerhouse, Sound City, has signed on as a media partner and will broadcast the award show throughout Africa. The network has been dubbed as the ‘Pan- African Urban Music Channel’ and will provide the exclusive broadcast of AFRIMMA."

According to him, the event, which will be hosted by comedian Basket Mouth and actress Juliet Ibrahim, is expected to attract guests from the United States as well as over 17 African countries.

Other artistes who will perform at the event include Iyanya, Stanley Enow, Flavour, Davido, Diamond Platinumz, Fally Ipupa, Wyre and Miriam Chemmoss, among others.

　

NOMINEES AT A GLANCE

　

Best Male West Africa

Wizkid (Nigeria)
Iyanya (Nigeria)
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Dj Arafat (Ivory Coast)
Davido (Nigeria)
Shatta Wale (Ghana)
Flavour Nabania (Nigeria)

　

Best Male East Africa

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Ben Pol (Tanzania)
Bebe Cool (Uganda)
Wyre (Kenya)
Navio (Uganda)
Jackie Gosee (Ethiopia)

　

Best Male Central Africa

Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Stanley Enow (Cameroon)
Ferre Gola (Congo)
Privato "Lill'P" Niyintunze (Burundi)
Anselmo Ralph (Angola)
Sine (Cameroon)

　

Best Male Southern Africa

Aka (South Africa)
Zeus (Botswana)
Donald (South Africa)
Slap Dee (Zambia)
Khuli Chana (South Africa)
Stunner (Zimbabwe)
Tha Dogg (Namibia)

　

Best Male Diaspora

Fuse ODG
Tinnie Tempah
Wale
Knaan
French Montana

　

Best Female Diaspora

Miriam Chemmoss (Kenya)
Mayra Andrade (Cape Verde)
Bumi Thomas (Nigeria)
STL (Kenya)
Les Nubians(Cameroun)
Nneka (Nigeria)
Dencia (Cameroon)

　

Best Gospel Artiste

Nikki Laoye (Nigeria)
Sonnie Badu (Ghana)
Icha kavons (Congo)
Bahati (Kenya)
Ntokozo Mbambo (South Africa)
Emmy Kosgei (Kenya)
Uche Agu (Nigeria)
Isabella (Nigeria)

　

Best Traditional Artist

Flavour (Nigeria)
Kwabena Kwabena (Ghana)
Bassekou Kouyate (Mali)
Sayicology (South Africa)
Mrisho Mpoto (Tanzania)
Stanlux (Togo)
Tunakie (Namibia)

　

Best Video Director

Clarence Peters (Nigeria)
Ogopa DJ's (Kenya)
Patrick Ellis (Nigeria)
Klasszik & JKP STUDIO (Angola)
Pharoah Films (Ghana)
Godfather (South Africa)
Justin Campos (South Africa)

　

Best DJ Africa

Dj Jimmy Jatt (Nigeria)
Dj Exclusive (Nigeria)
Dj Joe Mfalme (Kenya)
Dj Cndo (South Africa)
Dj Black (Ghana)
Dj Creme de la Creme (Kenya)
DJ Shiru (Uganda)

　

Music Producer of the year

Shizzi (Nigeria)
Killbeatz (Ghana)
Dj Oskido (South Africa)
Nash Wonder (Uganda)
Sheddy Clever (Tanzania)
Ogopa (Kenya)
Don Jazzy (Nigeria)

　

Best Dance Group

CEO Dancers
Unique Silver Dancers
Afro Mask
Imagineto Dance Company
D3 Dancers

　

Song of the Year

Davido - Skelewu (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo feat Uhuru - Khona (South Africa)
KCee - Limpopo (Nigeria)
P Square – Personally (Nigeria)
Yuri Da Cunha - Atchu Tchu Tcha (Angola)
Fuse ODG feat Wyclef - Antenna Remix (Ghana)
L.A.X feat Wizkid - Caro (Nigeria)
Diamond feat Davido - Number One Remix (Tanzania)

　

Best Female West Africa

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Chidimma(Nigeria)
Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
Teeyah (Ivory Coast)
Sessima (Benin)
Efya (Ghana)

　

Best Female East Africa

Rema (Uganda)
Aster Aweke (Ethiopia)
Avril (Kenya)
Lady Jaydee (Tanzania)
Victoria Kimani (Kenya)
Irene Ntale (Uganda)

　

Best Female Central Africa

Arielle T (Gabon)
Suzanna Lubrano (Cape Verde)
Gasha (Cameroon)
Lady Ponce ( Cameroon)
Ceuzeny (Cape Verde)
Ary (Angola)

　

Best Female Southern Africa

Lira (South Africa)
Toya De Lazy (South Africa)
Judy (Zambia)
Zahara (South Africa)
Kearoma Rantao (Botswana)
Lizha James (Mozambique)

　

Best African Group

Psquare (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
R2bee's (Ghana)
Bracket (Nigeria)
Radio and Weasel (Uganda)
Toofan (Togo)
Sauti Sol (Kenya)

　

Best Dancehall Artist

Samini (Ghana)
Wyre (Kenya)
Timaya (Nigeria)
MC Norman (Uganda)
Dr. Jose Chameleon (Uganda)
Shatta Wale (Ghana)

　

Best Dance in a Video

Iyanya - Lekwaukwu
Kcee - Limpopo
Guru - Alkayida
Davido - Skelewu
P-Square - Personally
Toofan - Gweta

　

Best Newcomer

Stanley Enow (Cameroon)
Nakhane Toure (South Africa)
Joey B (Ghana)
Phyno (Nigeria)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Sage (Kenya)

　

Best African DJ - USA

DJ Shinski (Kenya)
DJ Josh (Kenya)
DJ Fully Focus (Kenya)
DJ Amin (Ethiopia)
DJ Dee Money (NG/US)
DJ Ronnie (GH/US)
Dj Ecool (Nigeria)

　

Best Video of the Year

Psquare - Personally
Sarkodie - Illuminati
Mafikizolo ft Uhuru – Khona
Diamond Platnumz – Number One
Flavour - Ada Ada
Anselmo Ralph – Unica Mulher

　

Best Rap Act

Sarkodie (Ghana)
AKA (South Africa)
Olamide (Nigeria)
Phyno (Nigeria)
Octopizzo (Kenya)
M.anifest (Ghana)
Zeus (Botswana)

　

Best Collabo

2face ft Tpain
Diamondz ft Davido - Number One Remix
Mafikizolo ft Uhuru - Khona
Dr Sid ft Don Jazzy, Phyno, Wizkid - Surulere Remix
Amani ft Radio and Weasel – ‘Kiboko Changu’ (Kenya/Uganda)
Jmartins ft DJ Arafat - Touching body
R2bess and Wizkid - Slow down

　

Artist of the Year

Flavour (Nigeria)

Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond (Tanzania)

Sarkodie (Ghana)

Mafikizolo (South Africa)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Anselmo Ralph - A Dor do Cupido (Angola)

Jaguar (Kenya)