Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade and more lead nominations as MTV Africa Music Awards return

MTV has announced the first set of nominees for the 2021 MTV Africa Music Awards showcasing Africa’s best top music acts. The highly acclaimed and anticipated award show will take place in Kampala, Uganda. The first batch is made up of fifty-two MAMA Kampala 2021 nominees across ten categories. Burna Boy, Busiswa, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Kabza De Small and more are just a few of the nominees revealed in a dazzling show which aired this past Wednesday on MTV Base.

Vying for “Artist of the Year” are Master KG, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Diamond Platinumz, Calema and Wizkid. This category is the most competitive, all seven of them running for the win, are very talented, hence, making it difficult for one to predict who will be the winner.

São Tomé and Príncipe’s Calema leads the race with three nominations for “Artist of the Year”, “Best Group” and “Best Lusophone Act”. “Jerusalema” hit-maker Master KG is nominated for “Best Male” facing off fellow South African DJ Kabza De Small. Nigeria’s Afrobeats stars Burna Boy, Rema, Fireboy DML have also been nominated in the “Best Male” category as well Tanzanian artist Harmonize, and Innoss’B from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The “Best Female” nominees are South Africa’s rapper Sho Majdozi and dance music queen, Busiswa. Repping Nigeria are Yemi Alade, Simi and Tiwa Savage. Cape Verde singer Soraia Ramos and host country Ugunda’s own Sheebah make MAMA 2021 “Best Female” category the most thrilling yet.
The MAMAs Kampala 2021 also announced two categories. The award show has added “Alone Together: Best Lockdown Performance” which rapper AKA snatched a nomination for AKA TV. “Best Ugandan Act” category has been added to recognise and award the host country’s standout emerging artist.
According to The Hollywood Reporter the MAMAs were last held in 2016 in South Africa Johannesburg. The MAMA 2021 Kampala is the seventh edition since MTV initiated the awards in 2008. The second round of nominations, including “Best Collaboration”, “Best International, Personality of the Year”, “Best Alternative Act”, “Best Fan Base Award” and “Song of the Year” will be revealed from the 5 January 2021 on MTV Base.