The nominees for the 2018 African Music Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) and Music Festival have been announced.
Each category has at least one Nigerian, with most having as much as three or four. Included on the nominee’s list are the usual – Davido, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, DJ Neptunes, Cuppy, Flavour, Burnaboy, Zorro, Mayorkun and others.
A new category ‘ AFRIMMA Achievers Award’ has also been added to this year’s award. On it is the Nigerian mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor, Kamaru Usman. This category is aimed at celebrating African stars who have distinguished themselves in the fields of entertainment and sports.
AFRIMMA is the only award event in the diaspora that caters to every music genre including Afrobeats, Assiko, Bongo, Decale, Funana, Genge, Highlife, Hiplife, Kwaito, Lingala and Soukous.
The 2018 Awards and Music Festival will be taking place at House of Blues, Dallas, Texas on October 7th, 2018. African music fans can expect nothing less than an amazing celebration of the best in African music as our stars align in Dallas.
See the nominees below:
Artist of the Year
Davido – Nigeria
Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
Fally Ipupa – Congo
Wizkid – Nigeria
Cassper Nyovest – South Africa
Nasty C – South Africa
Flavour – Nigeria
Sarkodie – Ghana
MHD – Senegal/Gambia
Mafikizolo – South Africa
Best Male West Africa
Wizkid – Nigeria
Tekno – Nigeria
Sarkodie – Ghana
Davido – Nigeria
Toofan – Togo
J Hus – Gambia
Sidibe Diabate – Mali
Stonebwoy – Ghana
Kiss Daniel – Nigeria
Mr Eazi – Nigeria
Best Female West Africa
Tiwa Savage – Nigeria
Simi – Nigeria
Efya – Ghana
Adiouza – Senegal
Ebony – Ghana
Josey – Ivory Coast
Vivien Chidid – Senegal
Chidinma – Nigeria
Becca – Ghana
Yemi Alade – Nigeria
Best Male East Africa
Eddy Kenzo – Uganda
Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
Harmonize – Tanzania
Ommy Dimpoz – Tanzania
Sauti Sol – Kenya
Khaligraph Jones – Kenya
Ali Kiba – Tanzania
Bebe Cool – Uganda
Nyashinski – Kenya
Juma Jux – Tanzania
Best Female East Africa
Victoria Kimani – Kenya
Vanessa Mdee – Tanzania
Leyla Kayondo – Uganda
Knowles Butera – Rwanda
Rema – Uganda
Akothee – Kenya
Nandy – Tanzania
Sheebah Karungi – Uganda
Juliana Kanyomozi – Uganda
Charly & Nina – Rwanda
Best Male Southern Africa
Tha Dogg – Namibia
Nasty C – South Africa
Emtee – South Africa
Roberto – Zambia
Cassper Nyovest- South Africa
Tresor- South Africa
EXQ – Zimbabwe
Jah Prayza – Zimbabwe
Shyn – Madagascar
Prince Kaybee – South Africa
Best Female Southern Africa
Ammara Brown – Zimbabwe
Busiswa – South Africa
Shekinah – South Africa
Mampi – Zambia
Lady Zamar – South Africa
Babes Wodumo – South Africa
Sally Boss Madam – Namibia
Shashl – Zimbabwe
Ice Queen Cleo – Zambia
Bucie – South Africa
Best African Group
Sauti Sol – Kenya
Mafikizolo- South Africa
Toofan – Togo
B26 – Angola
Mi Casa – South Africa
R2bees – Ghana
X-Maleya – Cameroon
Bracket – Nigeria
Navy Kenzo – Tanzania
Fancy Gadam – Ghana
Crossing Boundaries with Music Award
J Hus – Gambia /UK
Skepta – Nigeria / UK
Stormzy – Ghana/UK
MHD – Senegal/ France
Tobe Nwigwe – Nigeria
Brian Soko – Zimbabwe
French Montana – Morocco/USA
Wale – Nigeria /USA
Young Paris – Congo
Steff London – Caribbean /UK
Best Gospel
Frank Edwards – Nigeria
Gloria Muliro – Kenya
Beejay Sax – Nigeria
Papa Dennis – Kenya
Miguel Buila – Angola
Joe Mettle – Ghana
Icha Chavons – Congo
Willy Paul – Kenya
Nikkie Laoye – Nigeria
Winnie Mashaba – South Africa
Best Newcomer
Mayorkun – Nigeria
Kuami Eugene – Ghana
Distruction Boyz- South Africa
King Promise – Ghana
Tenor -Cameroon
Dice Ailes – Nigeria
Ykee Benda – Uganda
Arrow Boy – Kenya
Neru Americano – Angola
Afro B – Ivory Coast
Best Live Act
Flavour – Nigeria
Ali Kiba – Tanzania
Sauti Sol – Kenya
Stonebwoy – Ghana
Sidiki Diabate – Mali
Yemi Alade – Nigeria
Becca – Ghana
Burnaboy – Nigeria
Fally Ipupa – Congo
Jah Prayzah – Zimbabwe
Best Video Director
Justin Campos – South Africa
Patrick Elis – Nigeria
Dr Nkeng – Cameroon
Enos Olik – Kenya
Avalon Okpe – Nigeria
Godfather – South Africa
Clarence Peters – Nigeria
Prince Dovlo – Ghana
Sasha Vybz – Uganda
Unlimited LA – Nigeria
Best DJ Africa
DJ Spinall – Nigeria
DJ Joe MFalme – Kenya
DJ Black Coffee – South Africa
DJ Cuppy – Nigeria
DJ Dollar – Senegal
DJ D-Ommy – Tanzania
DJ Helio Baiano – Angola
DJ Crème Delacreme – Kenya
DJ Slim – Ghana
DJ Neptune – Nigeria
Best African DJ USA
DJ Tunez – Nigeria
DJ Wagura – Ethiopia
DJ Fully Focus – Kenya
DJ Deemoney – Nigeria
DJ Silent Killa – Carribeans
DJ Poison Ivy – Kenya
DJ Ecool – Nigeria
DJ Rell – Sierra Leone
DJ Buka – Nigeria
DJ Shinski – Kenya
AFRIMMA Video of the Year
Shatta Wale – El Gringo
Fally Ipupa – Mannequin feat Keblack & Naza
Falz – This is Nigeria
Wizkid – Soco
Diamond Platnumz ft Omarion – African Beauty
Toofan – Money
Runtown – Energy
Mayorkun – Cheche
Ali Kiba – Mvumo Wa Radi
Cassper Nyovest – Ksazobalit
Music Producer of the Year
Killbeatz – Ghana
Masterkraft – Nigeria
Dr Fizzo – Uganda
Eno Beats – Uganda
The Composers – Nigeria
Tweezy – South Africa
Tud Thomas – Tanzania
Sidiki Diabate – Mali
Kidomminant – Nigeria
Bebe Philip – Ivory Coast
Best African Dancer
Kaffy Dance Queen – Nigeria
The Grove – Angola
Sherri Silver – Rwanda
La Petite Zota – Ivory Coast
Manuel Canza Laurenzo – Angola
Moses Iyobo – Tanzania
Ghetto Triplet Kids (Uganda)
Dream Chaser Kids (Nigeria)
Dem3 – Ghana
Didi Emah – Nigeria
Best Rap Act
Shane Eagle – South Africa
Olamide – Nigeria
Zoro – Nigeria
Sarkodie – Ghana
Tha Dogg – Namibia
Casper Nyovest – South Africa
MHD – Senegal
Phyno – Nigeria
Nasty C – South Africa
Khaligraph Jones – Kenya
Best Collaboration
Tiwa Savage ft Wizkid – Ma Lo
Diamond Platnumz ft Neyo – African Beauty
Duncan Mighty x Wizkid – Fake Love
Heavy K ft Bucie, Wokwazi – Inde
Nasty C ft Runtown – Said
Kwesta ft Wale – Spirit
Fally Ipupa – Mannequin ft Kebzla & Naza
Major Lazer ft Dj Maphorisa, Ice Prince, Patoranking & Jidenna – Particular
Nsoki ft Rayvanny – African Sunrise
Dj Spinall ft Wizkid – Nowo
Song of the Year
Wizkid – Soco
Big Shaq – Man’s Not Hot
Davido – FIA
Distruction Boyz – Omunye
Diamond Platnumz ft Omarion – African Beauty
Afro B – Joanna (Drogba)
Nasty C & Runtown – Said
Duncan Mighty ft Wizkid – Fake Love
Major Lazer & Dj Maphoriza ft Ice Prince, Nasty C, Patoranking & Jidenna – Particular
Harmonize ft Diamond Platnumz – Kwangaru
Best African Dancehall/Reggae Act
Stone Bwoy – Ghana
Burnaboy – Nigeria
Shatta Wale – Ghana
Timaya – Nigeria
Samini – Ghana
Patoranking – Nigeria
Winky D – Zimbabwe
Yxng Bane – Congo/Angola
Wyre – Kenya
Takana Zion – Guinea
AFRIMMA Achievers Award
Luol Deng – South Sudan
Trevor Noah – South Africa
Lupita Nyongo – Kenya
Fatma Samoura – Senegal
Kamaru Usman – Nigeria
Serge Ibaka – Congo
Bismack Biyombo – DRC
DJ Mbenga – Congo DRC
Nigerian Bobsled Team
Djimon Honsou – Benin
Feature image: tooxclusive.com
