AFRIMA to add new award categories

The categories include African DJ of the Year, Best African Dance/Choreography, African Lyricist/Rapper of the Year and Best African Act in Diaspora (Female & Male).

According to a statement from the organisers, the new set of categories is the product of "extensive consultations with African music stakeholders which included the AFRIMA Academy of Voters and members of the International Committee of AFRIMA" and is "in response to the yearnings and requests of stakeholders, DJs, dancers and artists in the diaspora".

Divided into two, continental and regional, the AFRIMA categories reward artists in various music genres ranging from pop, hip hop, inspirational, jazz and others. The regional categories celebrate the outstanding achievements of African artists and their music within specific regions of production.

The new categories will all fall under the Continental Category. The Best African Act in Diaspora is, however, "dedicated to artists with African roots/origin who practice their craft in the international music industry and have prominence and renowned on the international music stage. The artist’s music style could either be in the traditional or contemporary forms of expression".

The jury member representing African music in the diaspora (North America), Hadja Kobélé Keita, said the new category was a good idea.

“AFRIMA has given African artists, for the past few years, an opportunity to capture the attention of an extension and comparatively distinct swath of the public, while emphasising on the unique importance of our diverse African musical culture.

"The addition of the Diaspora category is a direct emphasis on the critical role Africans in diaspora have as the ambassador of our culture on a global scale."

Music videos, songs or recordings sent to the AFRIMA online submission platform must be produced, recorded or written (in the case of songwriters) by African music professionals and publicly released within the eligibility period of 1 August 2017 to 1 August 2018.

The main AFRIMA ceremony is slated to take place in November 2018.