The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 (MAMA) have announced a performance lineup that includes top stars from across the continent including Nigerian megastar Wizkid, Uganda’s Sheebah Karungi, Tanzanian Diamond Platnumz, South Africa’s Nasty C, Kenya’s Khaligraph Jones, Suspect 95 from the Ivory Coast, Cape Verde’s Soraia Ramos, and São Tomé and Príncipe’s Calema.
The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 serves as a platform to showcase the country’s and African music and sounds to the world.
The virtual show – to be held in partnership with the Uganda Tourism Board – will broadcast to MTV’s global audience in 180 countries. It will air locally on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV Africa (DStv Channel 130) on 20 February 2021.
“The MAMAs are a global spotlight on African music and artists, and this lineup of incredible talent speaks to the tremendous power of music on our continent,” said Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager ViacomCBS Networks Africa. “This year’s show is dedicated to the youth of Africa, and we are committed to amplifying social change through music and culture and to elevating youth voices across our platforms.”
One of the MTV MAMA Kampala 2021 nomination leaders with five nods, Tanzanian artist Diamond Platnumz will return to the MAMA stage after his energetic 2016 performance.
A first-time nominee from Uganda, songstress Sheebah Karungi has scored two nods in the Best Female and Best Ugandan Act categories.
South African Hip Hop sensation Nasty C, who is nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category, also returns to the MAMA stage on 20 February.
Fellow Hip Hop award contender, Suspect 95 from Côte d’Ivoire, will also take to the virtual stage, while Kenya’s Khaligraph Jones and Cape Verde’s Soraia Ramos will be making their debut on the much-coveted stage.
São Tomé and Principe’s Calema, who are running for the Song of the Year and have four MAMA nominations in total.
Grammy® award-winning global sensation, DJ and record executive, DJ Khaled, best known for his hip-hop and RnB hit anthems, will be the international co-host for this year’s edition.
More performers will be announced in the next few days, as well as finalists for the MAMA Generation Change Award, which will recognize youth change-makers on the continent.
MTV Base is a 24-hour English language music television channel reaching 48.5 million African viewers in 10.5 million households in 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It is available across Africa on satellite (pay-TV) on DStv and GTV (pan-Africa) and on terrestrial television on partner stations Azam TV, Century Sun, SDTV (Century Sun / Startimes), TV3 (Ghana), NTV (Kenya), STV (Nigeria), NTA (Nigeria), Moreplex (Nigeria), Oyawatch (Nigeria) and SuperTV (Nigeria).
Targeted at mass Pan-African youth, MTV base is MTV’s first bespoke channel for the African market and features the continent’s broadest mix of contemporary artists and music genres. It was launched on the 22nd of February in 2005, and combines African and international music genres relevant to young African viewers including Hip Hop, R’n’B, dancehall, kwaito, hiplife, reggae, zouk, m’balax, Amapiano, Afrobeat and Gqom, celebrating the cultural vibrancy and creativity of African music and artists.
The full MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 nominee list is available here.
Check out the first list of performers below.
