Nominees for the MAMAs unveiled

Selected by an independent voting ‘academy' of 150 music professionals and opinion formers from 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the nominations for the MTV Africa Music Awards showcase the wealth of musical talent that Africa has to offer, and provide a vehicle for young Africans to salute African and international artists.

Heading the nominee list with five ‘nods' from the MAMA nominations academy are Nigerian R&B duo P-Square (Best Group, Best Live Performer, Best R&B, Best Video and Artist of the Year), closely followed by triple nominees D'Banj (Nigeria) and HHP (South Africa), who go head-to-head in the Best Male and Artist of the Year categories.

Wahu (Kenya) and Asa (Nigeria) share the honours as the most nominated female artists with two nominations each for Wahu (Best New Act, Best Female) and Asa (Best Female, Artist of the Year).

Topping the country roll of honour with 18 individual nominations is South Africa, closely followed by Nigeria (16 nominations). Kenyan artists scored three nominations: Jua Cali for Best Male and Wahu for Best New Act and Best Female. Ghanaian artists were recognised in two categories: Best Live Performance (Samini) and Best New Act (Kwaw Kese), while Mozambique, Gabon, Tanzania and Uganda all scored one nominee with recognition for Professor Jay (Tanzania), East Africa Bashment Crew (Uganda), Movaizhaleine (Gabon) and Dama do Bling (Mozambique).
US, and European artists are represented in three categories with nods to Akon, Rihanna and Alicia Keys for Best R&B, while rappers The Game and Lil Wayne both feature in Best Hip Hop. Prominent in the Best Alternative category are British rockers Coldplay, competing against, Buraka Som Sistema (Portugal) and a trio of South African contenders: Goldfish, The Parlotones and Seether.

The nominees for the 2008 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain are:

Best Female

Wahu (Kenya)
Asa (Nigeria)
Dama Do Bling (Mozambique)
Sasha (Nigeria)
Zonke (South Africa)

Best Male

Jua Cali (Kenya)
2Face (Nigeria)
D'Banj (Nigeria)
DJ Cleo (South Africa)
HHP (South Africa)

Best Live Performer

Samini (Ghana)
D'Banj (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
Cassette (South Africa)
Jozi (South Africa)

Best Group

P-Square (Nigeria)
Freshly Ground (South Africa)
Jozi (South Africa)
The Parlotones (South Africa)
East African Bashment Crew (Uganda)

Best Alternative

Buraka Som Sistema (Portugal)
Goldfish (South Africa)
Seether (South Africa)
The Parlotones (South Africa)
Coldplay (UK)

Bets Hip Hop

9ice (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
Professor Jay (Tanzania)
Lil Wayne (USA)
The Game (USA)

Best R&B

P-Square (Nigeria)
Akon (Senegal / USA)
Loyiso (South Africa)
Alicia Keys (USA)
Rihanna (USA)

Artist of the Year

Asa (Nigeria)
D'Banj (Nigeria)
P-Square (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
Seether (South Africa)

Best New Act

Kwaw Kese (Ghana)
Wahu (Kenya)
9ice (Nigeria)
Naeto C (Nigeria)
Da L.E.S. (South Africa)

Best Video

Movaizhaleine (Gabon) - Nous
Ikechukwu (Nigeria) - Wind Am Well
P-Square (Nigeria) - Roll It
Freshlyground (South Africa) - Pot Belly
Pro Kid (South Africa) - Uthini Ngo Pro

The winners of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain will be unveiled at The Velodrome, Abuja, on Saturday, 22 November 2008 and broadcast on MTV base (DStv Channel 322, GTV), partner networks and terrestrial channels RTGA (Democratic Republic of the Congo), TV3 (Ghana), NTV (Kenya), AIT (Nigeria), STV (Nigeria), TBC (Tanzania) and WBS (Uganda), from 29 November 2008.

To vote go to mama.mtvbase.com. Voting closes on Tuesday 18 November 2008.