Nairobi News

Nigerians and South Africans dominated the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards nomination list that was announced on Wednesday evening.

Only one singer and one musical group from Kenya have been nominated for this year’s awards.

Big names in the local industry who have previously won in the awards missed out of this year’s list of nominees.

Singer Amani has been nominated in the best collaboration category for her song with Uganda’s Radio and Weasel titled Kiboko Changu.

Sauti Sol have been nominated in the best group category where they will battle it out with Nigeria’s P-Square and South Africa’s Mafikizolo.

Africa’s rising star Lupita Nyong’o, who won an Oscar award for her role in Hollywood blockbuster 12 Years A Slave, was also nominated for the non-music category along with Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie.

Singer Wahu, who won the inaugural best female winner in the 2008 awards, was conspicuously missing in the list of nominees despite releasing her song For You.

Social media campaign

Nameless was also left out despite a vigorous campaign on social media where he shared with MTV Base his latest hit Ng’ang’ana.  He has in the past won several MAMA awards and bagged a double in 2009.

Daddy Owen, who won the best Anglophone in 2010, was also missing in the nomination list.

The awards have been on hold for the last three years after the major sponsors pulled out. This year’s MAMAs will be held in South Africa at the Durban International Convention Center on June 7.

Voting is open at www.mtvbase.com till midnight June 4

Full list of nominees:

Best Lusophone:

Anselmo Ralph (Angola)

JD (Angola)

Lizha James (Mozambique)

Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)

Yuri Da Cunha (Angola)

Best Hip Hop:

AKA (South Africa)

Ice Prince (Nigeria)

Khuli Chana (South Africa)

Olamide (Nigeria)

Sarkodie (Ghana)

Best Alternative:

Gangs Of Ballet (South Africa)

Michael Loman (South Africa)

Nakhane Toure (South Africa)

Parlotones (South Africa)

Shortstraw (South Africa)

Best Live Act:

2face (Nigeria)

Fally Ipupa (DRC)

Flavour (Nigeria)

Dr Malinga (South Africa)

Zakes Bantwini (South Africa)

Best New Act: 

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Heavy K (South Africa)

Phyno (Nigeria)

Stanley Enow (Cameroon)

Uhuru (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 Canhu – ‘Y-tjukutja (South Africa/Angola)

Personality of the Year- Non Music Category:

Chimamanda Adiche (Nigeria)

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (Nigeria)

Trevor Noah (South Africa)

Lupita Nyong’o (Kenya)

Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)

Best Group:

Big Nuz (South Africa)

Mafikizolo (South Africa)

Mi Casa (South Africa)

P Square (Nigeria)

Sauti Sol (Kenya)

Best Female:

Arielle T (Gabon)

Chidinma (Nigeria)

DJ C’ndo (South Africa)

Efya (Ghana)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Best Male:

Anselmo Ralph (Angola)

Davido (Nigeria)

Diamond (Tanzania)

Donald (South Africa)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

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)

Best Francophone:

Arielle T (Gabon)

Espoir 2000 (Ivory Coast)

Ferre Gola (DRC)

Toofan (Togo)

Youssoupha (Congo)

Transform Today by Absolut – Non Music Category:

Anisa Mpungwe (Tanzania)

Clarence Peters (Nigeria)

I See a Different You (South Africa)

Leti Arts (Ghana)

Rasty (South Africa)