Nominees revealed for AFRIMMA in the USA

Not to be confused with the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) aims to be a leading award ceremony in the African diaspora by creating a platform that promotes the diversity of African music by bringing influential artists from different African countries to the USA for a night of celebration. After a successful launch in July 2014, the second edition is expected to attract guests from all over Africa and the USA. It will be hosted by Nigerian comedian Basketmouth and Ugandan entertainer Ann Kansiime.

The nomination list which consists of 28 categories has artists, producers and dancers drawn from around the continent. Unlike the recent MTV Africa Music Awards, where Nigerian and South African stars dominated nearly every category, the AFRIMMA nominations have done a good job of acknowledging the efforts of artists from smaller countries, including Cape Verde, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Togo. In total artists from 24 different African nations have been nominated.

Besides the regional categories, the nominees for Best African Group are P-Square (Nigeria), Bana C4 (Congo), Toofan (Togo), Sauti Sol (Kenya), B4 (Angola), Black Motion (South Africa), R2bees (Ghana), Magic System (Ivory Coast). In the unisex Artist of the Year category, Nigerian heavyweights Flavour, Davido and Wizkid are up against Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Sarkodie (Ghana), Cassper Nyovest (South Africa), Fally Ipupa (DRC) and Eddy Kenzo (Uganda), while the only two women in the running are Yemi Alade (Nigeria) and Bucie (South Africa).

The full list of 2015 AFRIMMA nominees is as follows: 

Best Male – West Africa

• Davido (Nigeria)
• Serge Beynaud (Ivory Coast)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Flavour (Nigeria)
• Carlou D (Senegal)
• Olamide (Nigeria)
• Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best Female – West Africa

• Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
• Wiyaala (Ghana)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
• Teeyah (Ivory Coast)
• Becca (Ghana)
• Almok (Togo)
• Efya (Ghana)

Best Male – East Africa

• Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
• Jaguar (Kenya)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Bebe Cool (Uganda)
• Jackie Gosse (Ethiopia)
• Ali Kiba (Tanzania)
• Dynamq (Sudan)

Best Female – East Africa

• Khadija Kopa (Tanzania)
• Aster Aweke (Ethiopia)
• Victoria Kimani (Kenya)
• Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania)
• Juliana Kanyamozi (Uganda)
• STL (Kenya)
• Irene Ntale (Uganda)

Best Male – Central Africa

• Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
• Yuri Da Cunha (Angola)
• Fabregas (Congo)
• Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
• Ferra Golla (Congo)
• Coreon Du (Angola)
• Jovi (Cameroon)
• Youssoupha (DRC)

Best Female – Central Africa

• Arielle T (Gabon)
• Coco Argentee (Cameroon)
• Betty Akna (Equatorial Guinea)
• Lady Ponce (Cameroon)
• Yola Semedo (Angola)
• Laurette Le Pearle (DRC)
• Mani Bella (Cameroon)

Best Male – Southern Africa

• AKA (South Africa)
• Zeus (Botswana)
• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• Slap Dee (Zambia)
• Stunner (Zimbabwe)
• The Dogg (Namibia)
• Donald (South Africa)
• Vee (Botswana)

Best Female – Southern Africa

• Bucie (South Africa)
• Toya De Lazy (South Africa)
• Ice Queen Cleo (Zambia)
• Busiswa (South Africa)
• Punah Gabasiane (Botswana)
• Lizha James (Mozambique)
• Samantha Mogwe (Botswana)

Best African Group

• P-Square (Nigeria)
• Bana C4 (Congo)
• Toofan (Togo)
• Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• B4 (Angola)
• Black Motion (South Africa)
• R2bees (Ghana)
• Magic System (Ivory Coast)

Crossing Boundaries With Music Award

• Fuse ODG (Ghana)
• Wale (Nigeria)
• Knaan (Somalia)
• Nneka (Nigeria)
• STL (Kenya)
• Asa (Nigeria)
• Jidenna (Nigeria)
• Tinnie Tempah (Nigeria)

Best Dancehall Artist

• Stonebwoy (Ghana)
• Timaya (Nigeria)
• MC Norman (Uganda)
• Wax Dey (Cameroon)
• Dr. Jose Chameleon (Uganda)
• Shatta Wale (Ghana)
• Patoranking (Nigeria)
• Buffalo Soldier (Zimbabwe)

Best Dance in a Video

• Lil Kesh ft. Olamide, Davido – ‘Shoki’ (Nigeria)
• Toofan – ‘Orobo’ (Togo)
• Sauti Sol – ‘Lipala’ (Kenya)
• Fabregas – ‘Mascara’ (Congo)
• Diamond and Flavour – ‘Nana’ (Tanzania & Nigeria)
• Os DeTroia – ‘Bella’ (Angola)
• Serge Beynaud – ‘Okeninkpin’ (Ivory Coast)
• Olamide – ‘Shakiti Bobo’ (Nigeria)

Best Gospel Artist

• Sammy Okposo (Nigeria)
• Nikki Laoye (Nigeria)
• Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa)
• Uche Agu (Nigeria)
• No Tribe (Ghana)
• Icha Kavons (Congo)
• Ntokozo Mbambo (South Africa)
• Willy Paul (Kenya)

Best Traditional Artist

• Flavour (Nigeria)
• Kwabena Kwabena (Ghana)
• Dobet Gnahore (Ivory Coast)
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa)
• Mrisho Mpoto (Tanzania)
• Tunakie (Namibia)
• Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa)

Best Newcomer

• Kiss Daniel (Nigeria)
• Pappy Kojo (Ghana)
• Korede Bello (Nigeria)
• Lil Kesh (Nigeria)
• Mz Vee (Ghana)
• Fabregas (Congo)
• Ommy Dimpoz (Tanzania)
• Bebi Philip (Ivory Coast)

Best Video Director

• Moe Musa (Nigeria)
• Godfather (South Africa)
• Clarence Peters (Nigeria)
• Patrick Elis (Nigeria)
• Klasszik & JKP Studio (Angola)
• Justin Campos (South Africa)
• Ogopa DJs (Kenya)
• Phamous Films (Ghana)

Best DJ – Africa

• DJ Jimmy Jatt (Nigeria)
• Dj Xclusive (Nigeria)
• DJ Joe Mfalme (Kenya)
• DJ Cndo (South Africa)
• DJ Black (Ghana)
• DJ Creme de la Creme (Kenya)
• DJ Shiru (Uganda)

Best African DJ – USA

• DJ Dozzie Ross (Nigeria)
• DJ Amin (Kenya)
• DJ Dee Money (Nigeria/US)
• DJ Ronnie (Ghana/US)
• DJ ECool (Nigeria)
• DJ Ebou (Gambia)
• DJ Shinski (Kenya)

Video of the Year

• R2bees – ‘Lobi’ (Ghana)
• Wizkid –  ‘Ojuelegba‘ (Nigeria)
• Flavour – ‘Golibe’ (Nigeria)
• Diamond ft. Flavour – ‘Nana’ (Tanzania)
• Tiwa Savage – ‘My Darling’ (Nigeria)
• Bebe Cool – ‘Love You Everyday’ (Uganda)
• Juliana Kanyomozi – ‘Woman’ (Uganda)
• AKA – ‘Congratulate’ (South Africa)

Music Producer of the Year

• Don Jazzy (Nigeria)
• Shizzi (Nigeria)
• Killbeatz (Ghana)
• Oskido (South Africa)
• Nash Wonder (Uganda)
• Sheddy Klever (Tanzania)
• Legendury Beatz (Nigeria/UK)
• DJ Breezy (Ghana)

Best Dance Group

• CEO Dancers
• Unique Silver Dancers
• Level 5
• Imagineto Dance Company
• D3 Dancers

Best Rap Act

• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Aka (South Africa)
• Olamide (Nigeria)
• NGA (Angola)
• Octopizzo (Kenya)
• Phyno (Nigeria)
• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• M.I (Nigeria)

Best Collaboration

• Harrysong X Kcee X Iyanya – ‘Feel it’ (Nigeria)
• J Martins ft Koffi Olomide – ‘Dance For Me’ (Nigeria & Congo)
• Serge Beynaud ft Eddy Kenzo – ‘Lopangwe’ (Ivory Coast & Uganda)
• Aka ft Burna Boy, Da L.E.S & J.R – ‘All Eyes On Me’ (South Africa & Nigeria)
• Toofan ft Dj Arafat – ‘Apero’ (Togo & Ivory Coast)
• Stanley Enow ft Sarkodie – ‘Njama Njama Cow Remix’ (Cameroon &Ghana)
• Psquare ft Don Jazzy – ‘Collabo’ (Nigeria)
• Diamond ft Flavour – ‘Nana’ (Tanzania & Nigeria)

Song of the Year

• Wizkid – ‘Ojuelegba’ (Nigeria)
• Korede Bello – ‘Godwin’ (Nigeria)
• Lil Kesh ft Olamide & Davido – ‘Shoki’ (Nigeria)
• Stonebwoy ft Sarkodie – ‘Baafira’ (Ghana)
• Roberto – ‘Amarula’ (Zambia)
• Diamond Platnumz – ‘Nimpata Wapi’ (Tanzania)
• Sauti Sol – ‘Sura Yako’ (Kenya)
• Cassper Nyovest – ‘Doc Shabaleza’ (South Africa)

Artist of the Year

• Flavour (Nigeria)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Fally Ipupa (Congo)
• Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
• Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
• Bucie (South Africa)

Inspirational Song

• Bracket ft. Diamond & Tiwa Savage – ‘Alive’ (Nigeria & Tanzania)
• Irene Ntale – ‘Woman’ (Uganda)
• Sarkodie ft. Castro – ‘Adonai’ (Ghana)
• Jose Chameleon – ‘Bwerere’ (Uganda)
• Psquare ft. Dave Scott – ‘Bring it On’ (Nigeria)
• Eddy Kenzo – ‘Be Happy’ (Uganda)

Best Humanitarian Artist

• Sound Sultan (Nigeria)
• Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania)
• 2face (Nigeria)
• Lady Jaydee (Tanzania)
• Wax Dey (Cameroon)
• Buffalo Souljah (Zimbabwe)
• Judith Sephuma (South Africa)