The MTV Africa Music Awards are coming to South Africa for the first time, since they launched in 2008. The
ceremony, known as the MAMAs will be held on 7 June in Durban, Kwa-Zulu
Natal this year after broadcasting live from Nigeria in 2013. The
inaugural awards ceremony was held in Abuja back in 2008 when the
channel announced the event. Nigeria and celebrate contemporary African
and international genres including hip hop, hip life, R&B, afro
pop, afro house, kwaito, boomba, bongo flava, coupé décalé, dancehall,
soul and rock. The following year, the ceremony was moved to
Nairobi, Kenya, with performances from musicians including 2Face
(Nigeria), Brickz (South Africa),
Da LES (South Africa), D’Banj
(Nigeria), Fally Ipupa (DRC), HHP (South Africa), and Lizha James
(Mozambique), and even Wyclef Jean and Akon. In 2010 it was to Nigeria with international stars like Eve, Rick Ross and T-Pain making appearances. The
awards ceremony was halted for three years after that. Alex Okosi, the
Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International
Media Networks (VIMN) Africa Alex Okosi attributed the three-year gap
between the last time the awards show was staged and this year to, among
several reasons, the “economic downturn”. The announcement event
was attended by musicians including DJ Tira, Mi Casa, Nigeria’s
Flavour, Dj Black Coffee, Da. Les, and The Arrows. Nominees will be announced on 16 April, while presenters and performers are yet to be revealed.
