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2009 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) with Zain rock in Nairobi, Kenya!


Oct - 12 | By: | 15 comments.

Filed under : Africa, Entertainment, Music

Nairobi, Kenya was certainly the place to be this weekend!

Superstar celebrities, socialites, African glitterati & music fans from all over Africa were in Nairobi this past weekend to celebrate at the 2009 MTV African Music Awards with Zain. MTV Networks International’s chairman and chief executive Bill Roedy said that the MTV African Music Awards with Zain are a “celebration of African music and African culture.”

Held at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kenya, the award show was hosted by Wyclef Jean…from the picture below, the award show looked like it was BANANAS (no pun intended!!)

MTV Africa Awards1

And the winners of the 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards are…

HHP (South Africa) won Best Music Video (for Mpitse)

2Face (Nigeria) won Best R&B

MI (Nigeria) won Best New Act & Best Hip Hop

Zebra & Giraffe (South Africa) won Best Alternative

Nameless (Kenya) won Best Male

Amani (Kenya) won Best Female

Samini (Ghana) won Best Performer

P-Square (Nigeria) won Best Group

D’Banj (Nigeria) won Artist of the year

Lucky Dube (South Africa) – MAMA Legend – Thokozani collected award on behalf of his dad.

MTV Africa Awards2

Nigeria’s Mr. Incredible or M.I. to his fans!

Unlike the 2008 MAMAs, which featured Kelly Rowland, the Game and Flo Rider, Wyclef Jean and Senegalese-born U.S. super-star Akon were the only international performers at the MTV award show. And apparently both of the mega-stars made a point of emphasizing their African connections.

MTV Africa Awards5

South Africa’s Jabulani Tsambo, better known as HHP (Hip Hop Pantsula)

There were also a series of collaborative performances – South Africans HHP, Zebra & Giraffe, neo-soul singer Lira and hip-hop star, Da LES; Kenyans Amani, Wahu and Nameless, and Nigeria’s R&B singer, 2Face.

MTV Africa Awards7

Kenyan musician Amani (her real name is Cecilia Wairimu) won  for her song ‘Tonight’

Highlights also included a tribute to MAMA legend award winner, South Africa’s reggae star Lucky Dube who was murdered in 2007.

MTV Africa Awards3

Thokozani Dube received his dad, Lucky Dube’s MAMA Legend award

Our peeps at Capital FM Lifesyle who attended the award show tell us that Akon’s baby mama Susan Owori from Uganda was not the main feature for the Senegalese singer during his visit to Kenya. Susan was a no-show at the concert, but supposedly Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam , managed to meet up with another gorgeous Kenyan girl…

Susan Owori is the younger sister of Kampala socialite, fashion designer and magazine publisher, Sylvia Awori, who is carving out her niche in Nairobi & Kampala.

Kenya and Nigeria were the big winners, bagging eight awards, three of which went Kenya and five to Nigeria.

Cheers,

Photo: Zimbio / Getty Images

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  • mabuza

    Buaahahaha, that Akon dude is very silly! How the hell did such a scene play out in Africa?? Man things have changed

  • Dax

    Sh**! that dude don lost his mind. I like the selection of winners tho. MI is definitely an act to follow, and Nameless has been putting out hits for a long time now. Big upz Afrikah!

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    Hi there!

    Certainly it looks like Akon is importing some craziness! Follow up post on the 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain sheds some light as to what went down thanks to our wonderful partners & friends at Capital FM Lifestyle…

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    Hey Dax,

    Yes, it was a GREAT representation of African talent and from what I hear from my peeps in Kenya the award show was awesome! M.I. is definitely the business and that was my first time hearing of Nameless, so I cannot wait to get my hands on his music!

    As for Akon, I think Africans are more sophisticated for that type of entertainment!

  • http://www.bouncewebsolutions.com Chris [C I]

    Great article Farai. Good to see Africa is holding it down and doing big things. I wonder if Akon and Wyclef were the only big western celebrities at the event? What do you think?
    I’m proud of Amani and Nameless – definitely my favorite Kenyan Artists. 2Face – Well I honestly think Nigeria has so much to offer and 2Face is not even on the top 5 list anymore. MI’s awards were well deserved and earned and I’m sure there’s more for him where that came from!!!
    Shout out to P Square.

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    Thanks Chris! Laura of CapitalFM Lifetstyle was in Nairobi for the MAMA’s and she gave us some scoop on the award show. I am told that Wyclef and Akon were the biggest western celebs but I, like you was geeked to see Africa’s talent & celebs rocking at the award show! I cannot wait to get my hands on Amani and Nameless’ music, they rock! M.I. is super duper talented and Nigeria is fierce though! Love, love, South Africa’s HHP – awesome and looking forward to TKZee’s comeback…

    Cheers,

  • Venicia Bavoueza-Guinot

    Ay !!!

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    LOL Venicia! What are you ay’ing about :-) !

  • Venicia

    Ay, my poor eyes!!!

    Loool! Eish, that Akon’s thing left me speechless. What were they thinking man?

    Oh yeah, I remember , Akon is originally from Senegal and Wyclef from Haiti. This was B I G.

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    LOL Venicia!!!

    Very funny girl!!!!

    I know, I was thinking the same, like what are you guys thinking! That is not entertainment AT ALL!! So I hear you! As you guys say in South Africa, “eish man, my eyes!” LOL!

    Farai

  • http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle Laura

    Can I borrow that ‘eish’ from South Africa? Lol… Because it still bugs me to think about what Akon did that night. Was kind of like an anti-climaxxx!! I hope he behaves next time. Now we’re waiting for K’Naan – he’s performing here soon.

  • http://faraitoday.com farai

    Laura, the more I think about it the more disappointed I really am in Akon! I thought it was an insult to African sensibilities and to our sense of entertainment. That craziness may work abroad but don’t import it to us! We value great entertainment…

    OMG, K’Naan is the business! I was just talking about him yesterday and peeps are definitely feeling K’Naan…enjoy!!!!

  • Pingback: Allow me to introduce to you “THE SHO STOPPAH!” – DUNCAN DANIELS! : Farai Today

  • real

    thats fake for akon!!!!!!!!!!!111

  • albert miring’u

    MAMA Legend Award was awarded to the most honored and respected African musician, Sir Lucky Dube. Soo sad that he had passed away. His son collected it on behalf of his father. Lucky’s son , Thokozani Dube, looks very much like his father , Lucky Dube. Thokozani Dube was grateful and honoured that Africa could recognize his father using the award. When Thokozani Dube went to stage to pick the award, the loud cheers from the very big audience made him realize that his father was so much loved by the world. That’s nice. The show was soo good and thrilling too!!    

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