Nairobi News

Kenya’s Sauti Sol beat an impressive line-up of some of the top bands on the continent to walk away with the Best Group Category award at this year’s African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) on Saturday night in Texas, United States.

The group was nominated in five categories out of the 15 that Kenyan artistes landed in the 3rd edition of the continent’s biggest music awards in the diaspora.

Willy Paul also walked away with the best Gospel category.

Songstress Akothee had been nominated in two categories with gospel artists, Victoria Kimani, STL, Kaka Sungura and Octopizzo landing single nominations each but none of them won.

AFRIMMA is the sole award ceremony in diaspora that caters for all African musical genres including, but not limited to, Afrobeats, Assiko, Bongo, Decale, Funana, Genge, Highlife, Kwaito, Lingala and Soukous.

The high riding boy band which consisting of Polycarp Otieno, Savara Mudigi, Willis Austin Chimano and Bien-Aime Baraza battled it out with Radio & Weasel – Uganda, Os Moikanos – Angola, Bracket – Nigeria, Mi Casa – South Africa, R2Bees – Ghana, Bana C4 – Congo, Yamoto Band – Tanzania in the category.

AFRIMMA Award, which is given annually to various Africans who did well in various sectors, mainly recreational, presented in Dallas Texas USA.

WINNERS LIST FULL AFRIMMA 2016:

Best Male West Africa – Olamide (Nigeria)

Best Female West Africa – Efya

Best Male North Africa – Amr Diab

Best Female North Africa – Ibtissam

Best African DJ USA – Dj Dee Money

Best Male Central Africa – C4 Pedro

AFRIMMA Video of the year – Brother brother Bisa Kdei

Best Female Central Africa – Daphne

Music Producer of the year – Masterkraft

Best male South Africa – AKA

Best African Dancer – Winner Brenda Derry (Cameroon) iliwaniwa this award and also the Diamond Dancer Tanzanian Platnumz calledMose Iyobo.

Best Female Southern Africa – Chikune

Best Rap Act – Phyno (Nigeria)

Best African Group – Sauti Sol (Kenya)

Best collaboration – Reggae blues (Harrysong, Kcee) Nigeria

Crossing boundaries with Music – Wizkid (Nigeria)

Song of the year – Tecno Duro (Nigeria)

Best Gospel Act – Willy Paul (Kenya)

Best Male East Africa – Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Artist of the year – Flavour (Nigeria)

Best Newcomer – Harmonize (Tanzania)

Best Dancehall Act – Shatta Wale

Best Video Director – Patrick Elis

Carribean Artist of the year – Machel Montano

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contained an error where we reported that Sauti Sol had won a MAMA award at an event held in South Africa. We have since established that the won won the AFRIMMA. The award ceremony was held in Texas, United States. The error is regretted.