Music awards could be a topic that many artistes would proudly not contribute to.
Just last year, Bebe Cool stated that he doesn’t want to be part of any local awards and before the dust could even settle, more acts like Ykee Benda have asked to be excluded from events like the HiPipo awards.
This makes the entry of the Africa Music Industry Awards, a people’s choice kind of event an interesting one. The show that in 2017 happened in Las Vegas, USA has taken a bold move to launch on the continent and choosing Uganda as the first host of what they claim will become Africa’s version of the Grammy Awards.
Slated for March 24 at Serena Hotel’s Victoria Hall, the show has already released a nomination list made up of 30 categories and more than 100 African acts like Nyashinki, C4 Pedro, Koffi Olomide, Yemi Alade and Ali Kiba among others.
Ugandan acts like B2C, Bebe Cool, Eddy Kenzo, Sheebah and Lydia Jasmine, too, make the cut.
According to Stella Nantumbwe, Vice President Africa Music Industry Awards, the nominations were mostly made based on the music people have and how the general African audience is consuming it.
They have also put together a performers’ line up that features acts like Lizha James, Sarkodie, Fabregas and Nandy among others.
There have been concerns about why there are no Ugandan performers yet and the organisers have noted that more acts are yet to be announced.
Much as the Kampala edition will be the second one the organizers will be holding, they are yet to make a splash with advertising and promotion especially with a fact that the event is only days away.
