Uganda eyes promoting tourism, local talent in sponsoring MTV Africa Music Awards

The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).

by Nicholas Agaba

posted onNovember 27, 2020

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MTV Africa and MTV Base announced the return of the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA), where African culture, music, and creativity will be showcased.

To held virtually in partnership with Uganda, the awards are set for Feb. 20, 2021.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).

The repeat show will also be aired on BET Africa, BET International and MTV channels across multiple continents as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage feature.

The event will be marked by recognizing and rewarding musicians, trailblazers and those who are shining a light on the continent's diverse talent and creativity by instilling positive impact on African music and youth culture over the previous year.

The awards ceremony will feature vibrant performances from leading African and international artists and will also showcase some of the biggest cross-genre and cross-border collaborations, according to officials.

The event will celebrate African talent across 20 award categories, including Best Male, Best Female, Best Song, and Best Collaboration.

The contribution of artists from Portuguese and French-speaking Africa will also be recognized in the Best Lusophone and Best Francophone categories.

Additional new categories included are the MAMA Generation Change Award, Best Fan Base, Alone Together Best Lock-down Performance and Personality of the Year.

These new categories seek to demonstrate MTV Base’s commitment to supporting the youth of Africa.

The MAMA Generation Change Award will recognize the inspiring, young changemakers of the continent who are tackling some of the world's most challenging social problems.

The Alone Together Best Lock-down Performance recognizes outstanding performances that took place virtually by celebrating artists who took to streaming services to share their music and unite society during the unprecedented 2020 Lockdown.

The nominees will be announced in December 2020 and music lovers will have their say by voting for their favorite stars online.

The virtual launch of the MAMA was attended by Monde Twala and Craig Paterson, Senior Vice Presidents and General Managers at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA), Ugandan State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda and the CEO of the Ugandan Tourism Board, Lilly Ajarova.

The engaging Q&A discussion included accomplished Ugandan artiste Bebe Cool, highly skilled songstress Sheebah Karungi together with talented South African rapper Nasty C.

Monde Twala, Senior Vice President & General Manager, VCNA, says: "It is an incredible honour to announce that the seventh MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be hosted by the vibrantly diverse Uganda, The Pearl of Africa for the first time on February 20th, 2021.

“We are excited to bring this amazing showcase to audiences across the continent and globally with an innovatively re-imagined awards show and celebration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, content production has embraced innovation as the new gold and we are excited to take Africa to the World and showcase its immense talent and culture as we stage the biggest music awards show on the continent."

Godfrey Kiwanda, State Minister for Tourism in Uganda, said: “It is an incredible achievement for Uganda to host the continent and International stakeholders for the MAMA Kampala 2021 for the first time. The awards are an extraordinary African cultural experience, and we understand the important role it plays in driving awareness, cross-culture education, and profiling the continent's rich leisure tourism offerings on the international stage.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for global audiences to experience Uganda's magnificence, the profusion of brilliant life and diverse natural wildlife, and the vast scale of entertainment, events, art, culture, cuisine, history and shopping. We are also so proud to be able to highlight Uganda’s musical richness and give our talented artists the opportunity to showcase their immense talent, and the diversity of Uganda’s sounds, to music fans beyond this continent. This is indeed a momentous occasion for audiences to experience Uganda as truly 'the Pearl of Africa'."

Uganda committed to sponsoring the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 because it saw an opportunity to promote tourism, wildlife and cultural heritage conservation for the socio-economic development and transformation of Uganda.

Sustainable tourism, wildlife and cultural heritage will contribute to transforming Uganda into a modern and prosperous nation, officials say.

Always celebrating the pan-African scope of the MAMA, the awards will encompass three pulsating Road to MAMA broadcasts featuring MAMA nominees from across the continent.

The MAMA Kampala 2021 brings the much-anticipated music industry workshops in a virtual format for the continent's aspiring musicians, youth upskilling and development.

First staged in 2008, the MTV Africa Music Awards has recognised the talent of musicians, achievers and personalities from across Africa, rewarding iconic artists and game-changers such as 2Face Idibia, AKA, Anselmo Ralph, Big Nuz, Cassper Nyovest, Clarence Peters, Cabo Snoop, Davido, D'Banj, Diamond Platnumz, Flavour, Gangs of Ballet, HHP, Fally Ipupa, Liquideep, Lira, Lupita Nyong'o, Mafikizolo Nameless, P-Square, Sarkodie, Tiwa Savage, Toofan, Trevor Noah, Uhuru, Wahu, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Zebra & Giraffe and many more.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130) on February 20th 2021.

The show will also be aired on MTV channels across multiple continents as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage feature.

MAMA 2021 Award Categories

1. Best Female

2. Best Male

3. Best Group

4. Best Breakthrough Act

5. Best Collaboration

6. Best Hip Hop

7. Best Alternative

8. Best Ugandan Act

9. Best Lusophone Act