Can Davido, Wizkid be toppled at EMAs?

Davido, Wizkid, Nasty C, Babes Wodumo, C4 Pedro and Nyashinski are in the running for the Best African Act Award on 12 November.

The Best African Act category at the EMAs was first introduced in 2005 when Nigerian singer 2Baba was crowned the winner. The category was dropped in 2007 to make way for a dedicated African award ceremony – the MTV Africa Music Awards. The category was reintroduced to the EMAs in 2012 when Nigeria’s D’banj took the honours, five years after winning his first EMA in 2007.

Nigerian powerhouses

Wizkid and Davido are the undisputed heavyweight champions of West African music, both occupying the No 7 and 8 spots on this year’s Forbes list of most bankable African musicians, respectively. Wizkid has previously won 43 awards from 157 nominations. At the weekend he sold out London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall and earlier this year won the Best International Act: Africa accolade at the BET Awards.

Davido, who is now officially Nigeria’s most followed celebrity on Instagram, has received 29 awards from 74 nominations. This is Davido’s third nomination at the EMAs. The two Nigerians are definite favourites to take the gong this year, but upsets are always on the cards when it comes to awards ceremonies.

Flying the Kenyan flag high

Kenyan hip hop and R&B artist Nyashinski is a former member of the rap trio Kleptomaniacs, who were nominated for an EMA in 2005 when 2Baba won. The rising Kenyan star will look to follow the success of Sauti Sol, the last Kenyan act to walk away with an EMA; in 2014 the Afro-pop band was victorious over Diamond Platnumz, Goldfish, Toofan and Davido.

“Massive S/O to the King,” Sauti Sol wrote on their Instagram page after the nominations were announced yesterday. “You are one of the most naturally gifted and hardworking artists from the continent. Your humility and work ethic is something that we can all emulate. Congratulations on your @mtvema #BestAfricanAct nomination. When we were nominated in 2014, you guys helped us bring it home. It's @realshinski's turn. Voting is now open, log on to www.mtvema.com and VOTE as many times as you can.”

South African regulars

Nasty C and Babes Wodumo have been an inseparable pair when it comes to award nominations this year. They were both nominated at the BET Awards, SAMAs and Metro FM Awards.

Babes Wodumo, who went on a tirade after failing to win a Metro FM Award for Song of the Year, was unable to attend the BET Awards due to mismanagement. She’s the only female nominee in the Best African Act category at the EMAs.

Twenty-year-old rapper Nasty C got a chance to show off his freestyle chops while in the US for the BET Awards by making an appearance on Sway in the Morning, a popular American radio show hosted by media personality Sway Calloway. Nasty C is probably the only artist who could give the two Nigerian nominees a run for their money.

Angolan dark horse

C4 Pedro plies his trade kizomba, a well-known Angolan dance genre. The Lusophone artist has only received one award in his relatively unknown career. The nomination is a big nod to Angolan artists as they are rarely recognised at international awards ceremonies. Who knows? Maybe 2017 will see an Angolan artist win an EMA for the very first time.

The EMAs will take place at London’s SSE Arena, Wembley on 12 November and will be broadcast live on MTV (DStv channel 130) and MTV Base (DStv channel 322).