Uganda’s HiPipo Awards unveil nominees for 2016 edition

While the organisers consider the nominations to be a comprehensive reflection of the Ugandan music industry's performance during 2015, a few artists dissatisfied with the nomination have faulted the organisers for being nominated in the wrong category.

For example, Pallaso (real name Pius Mayanja) is on record for taking fault with the awards team and has gone further to ask the Hipipo awards to never nominate him until they have cleared the issues he finds fault with. The artist was apparently unhappy that his song ‘Twatoba’ was not nominated while he received a nomination for his other song ‘Kona’.

Pallaso reportedly told Uganda’s online outlet Chano8.com: “'Twatoba' has been a great song this year with a very successful concert but to them this is not the case. Tanzanians and Kenyans are busy working and leaving us behind simply because their people have learnt to love their own without favouritism."  

He alleges that the Hipipo Awards are biased and discriminate against certain hard-working artists, wondering how Chameleone, voted Best African Songwriter at the AFRIMA awards, could miss out in the category Best Songwriter for Uganda.

According to the organisers, the nominations were selected out of the 30 000 nomination forms filled out by different music stakeholders, including fans, media and the artists themselves. Voting in 26 categories kicks off on 7 December and will go on until 30 January 2016. The voting will be done through SMS and Online platforms with a 70:30 contribution respectively.

Two categories will be purely determined by a panel of Judges and thus will not require any public voting: the Life Time Achievement Award and the Video Trailblazer Award. Among other things, a lucky fan who will take part in the voting will win a car while the winners of Best Regional Song and Best Breakthrough Artist will get a mega recording deal from a popular studio.

The full list of nominations is as follows:         

Best Audio Producer

• D-King
• Nessim
• Dr Fizol
• Diggy Baur
• Paddyman
• Washington

Best Video Producer

• Savy Films – Sasha Vybz
• Noltomax Georgeous Films Inc
• Jahlive
• Grate Make
• Meddie Menz

Best Song Writer

• Naava Grey
• APass
• Ssozi Moses
• Moses Radio
• Chris Evans

Best Hip Hop Song

• 'Byayanga' by Mun G
• 'Empisa' by Ruyonga ft. St. Nellysade & Nandujja
• 'Kigozi (Iko Hivi)' by Navio
• 'Omwoto' by Gravity Omutujju
• 'Sirina Malala' by Victor Kamenyo

Best RnB Song

• 'Kikole Manye' by Hindu Asha
• 'Never Been Loved' by Maurice Kirya
• 'Woman' by Juliana Kanyomozi
• 'Alib’omu' by Naava Grey
• 'Simple Gal' by Lillian Mbabazi
• 'Linda' by Rema and Chris Evans

Best Ragga Dancehall Song

• 'Bakuwe Kyonywa' by Nutty Neithan
• 'Friendly Match' by Ziza Bafana & Zanie Brown
• 'Wah Kinda Old Skool' by Bebe Cool
• 'Shy Gal' by Naira Ali & Ziza Bafana
• 'Ndimukodo' by Navio & Cindy

Best Reggae Song

• 'Go Mama' by Bebe Cool
• 'Kiggwa Leero' by Bobi Wine
• 'Wuuyo' by A Pass
• 'Jungle' by Levixone
• 'Don’t Cry' by Radio & Weasel ft. Wizkid

Best Religious Song

• 'Kijja Kuggwa' by Julie Mutesasira
• 'Saum Kareem' by Swahaba Kasumba
• 'Samanya' by Levixone and Akello
• 'David Lutalo' by Mukama katonda
• 'Mercy Mercy' by Pastor Wilson Bugembe

Best Band Song

• 'Nkuze' by Maureen Nantume
• 'Manya' by David Lutalo
• 'Waliwo Ekibanja' by Mary Bata
• 'Nalwawo' by Chris Evans
• 'Embeera Ya Sente' by Ronald Mayinja
• 'Sonyiwa Banno' by Catherine Kusasira

Best Folk/Kadongo Kamu Song

• 'Lweera' by Vicent Segawa
• 'Akalulu' by Saava Karim
• 'Olee' by Lary Chary
• 'Era Kale' by Musisi Joseph and Kazibwe Kapo
• 'Etofaali' by Abdul Mulaasi

Best Zouk Song

• 'Memories' by A Pass & Lillian Mbabazi
• 'Mbulira' by Evelyn Lagu
• 'Katono Katono' by Winnie Nwagi
• 'Mbiro Mbiro' by Eddy Kenzo
• 'Akatonotono' by Rema Namakula

Best Afrobeat Song

• 'Mpulunguse' by Diana Nalubega
• 'Translator' by Kapalaga
• 'Juicy' by Radio and Weasel
• 'Bikoola' by Irene Ntale Ft Radio and Weasel
• 'Kamboyine' by Maro
• 'Bwerere' by Dr Jose Chameleone

Best Afropop Song

• 'Tusasanya' by BigEye
• 'Koona' by Spice Diana and Pallaso
• 'Nipe Yote' by Sheebah
• 'Am Bad' by Aziz Azion
• 'Free Style' by Eddy Kenzo and Okay Funky
• 'Otubatisa' by Sheebah and Irene Ntale

Best Regional Song

• 'Mukidongo' by Easy Boy ft. Kalifah AgaNaga (West)
• 'Mureebe' by Ray G Rhiganz (West)
• 'Weakness' by Penny Patra (West)
• 'Nshagala' by Megatone & Lady Mariam (West)
• 'Umumasaba' by Kmas (East)
• 'Kyododo' by Gibson ft Son J (East)
• 'Akwatat' by Genious Drey (East)
• 'Go On' by Pine Avenue 5 All Stars and Barbi Jay (North)
• 'I LengÄ by Cool Jmo Ft Candy (West Nile)
• 'Okello Wod Luo' by Pretty B (North)
• 'Nkulembela' by Becky (South)
• 'Omukajanga' by Jose MC Da Virus (South)
• 'Wansesera' by Tony Rich (South)

Best DJ

• DJ Shiru
• DJ Roja
• DJ Slick Stuart
• DJ Hearts
• DJ Mark
• B2K
• DJ Baby Love

East Africa Best Video

• 'Nka Paradizo' by Priscillah Ft Meddy (Rwanda)
• 'Chukua Hatua' by Stella Mwangi (Kenya)
• 'Shake Yo Bam Bam' by Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• 'Nana' by Diamond Platnumz Ft Mr Flavour (Tanzania)
• 'Nobody But Me' by Vanessa Mdee Ft. K.O (Tanzania)
• 'Siri Zari' by Sheebah (Uganda)

East Africa Super Hit

• 'Weka Weka' by P Unit (Kenya)
• 'Sura Yako' by Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• 'Nana' by Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• 'Nobody But Me' by Vanessa Mdee Ft. K.O (Tanzania)
• 'Mwana' by Alikiba (Tanzania)
• 'Nka Paradizo' by Priscillah Ft Meddy (Rwanda)
• 'Till I Die' by Urban boyz Ft Riderman (Rwanda)
• 'Woman' by Juliana Kanyomozi (Uganda)

Most Active Fans Group

• Gagamel Phamily
• Team Jose Chameleone
• Team Radio & Weasel
• Fire Base Army
• Team Juliana Kanyomozi

Artist of the Year

• Ziza Bafana
• Sheebah
• Rema Namakula
• Radio and Weasel
• Juliana Kanyomozi
• Irene Ntale
• Eddy Kenzo
• David Lutalo
• Bobi Wine
• Bebe Cool

Best Male Artist

• Bebe Cool
• Eddy Kenzo
• David Lutalo
• Ziza Bafana
• Bobi Wine

Best Female Artist

• Rema Namakula
• Juliana Kanyomozi
• Irene Ntale
• Sheebah
• Lillian Mbabazi

Best Music Group

• Radio and Weasel
• City Rock Entertainment
• New Eagles
• Golden Band
• Big Talent

Best Breakthrough Artist

• Winnie Nwagi
• Beenie Gunter
• Rhoda K Shelbie
• Sasha Brighton
• Nutty Neithan
• Victor Kamenyo

Album of the Year

• Go Mama by Bebe Cool
• Sounds of Naira Ali
• The Album by Naava Grey
• Mwooyo by Maurice Kirya
• Lillian Mbabazi by Lillian Mbabazi

Video of the Year

• 'Everywhere' I Go by Bebe Cool
• 'Busaabala' by Maurice Kirya
• 'Siri Zari' by Sheebah
• 'Kigozi' by Navio
• 'Simple Girl' by Lillian Mbabazi

Song of the Year

• 'Juicy' by Radio and Weasel
• 'Friendly Match' by Ziza Bafana and Zanie Brown
• 'Manya' by David Lutalo
• 'Woman' by Juliana Kanyomozi
• 'Kiggwa Leero' by Bobi Wine