MTV Africa Music Awards returns with virtual format in 2021

The ultimate celebration of local African and international talent and achievement, MAMA 2021 recognises and rewards musicians, trailblazers and those who are shining a light on the continent's diverse talent and creativity by instilling positive impact on African music and youth culture over the previous year. The awards ceremony will feature performances from leading African and international artists and will also showcase some of the biggest cross-genre and cross-border collaborations.

20 Award categories 

The event will celebrate African talent across 20 award categories, including Best Male, Best Female, Best Song, and Best Collaboration. The contribution of artists from Portuguese- and French-speaking Africa will also be recognised in the Best Lusophone and Best Francophone categories. Additional new categories included are the MAMA Generation Change Award, Best Fan Base, Alone Together Best Lockdown Performance and Personality of the Year. These new categories seek to demonstrate MTV Base’s commitment to supporting the youth of Africa.

The news was revealed today via a virtual press conference broadcast from Johannesburg and Kampala by Monde Twala and Craig Paterson, senior vice presidents and general managers at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA), the State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda at Ugandan Ministry of Tourism and the CEO for the Ugandan Tourism Board, Lilly Ajarova. The engaging Q&A discussion included accomplished Ugandan artist Bebe Cool, highly skilled songstress Sheebah Karungi together with talented South African rapper Nasty C.

Nasty C

Sheebah Karungi

Road to MAMA 

Always celebrating the pan-African scope of the MAMA, the awards will encompass three pulsating Road to MAMA broadcasts featuring MAMA nominees from across the continent. The MAMA Kampala 2021 brings the much-anticipated music industry workshops in a virtual format for the continent's aspiring musicians, youth upskilling and development.

First staged in 2008, the MTV Africa Music Awards has recognised the talent of musicians, achievers and personalities from across Africa, rewarding iconic artists and game-changers such as 2Face Idibia, AKA, Anselmo Ralph, Big Nuz, Cassper Nyovest, Clarence Peters, Cabo Snoop, Davido, D'Banj, Diamond Platnumz, Flavour, Gangs of Ballet, HHP, Fally Ipupa, Liquideep, Lira, Lupita Nyong'o, Mafikizolo Nameless, P-Square, Sarkodie, Tiwa Savage, Toofan, Trevor Noah, Uhuru, Wahu, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Zebra & Giraffe and many more.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130) on 20 February 2021. The show will also be aired on MTV channels across multiple continents as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage feature. 

For more information on the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021, please go to www.mtvmama.com.