MTV Africa and MTV Base announced the return of the continental flagship award show in 2021.
The Iconic MTV Base celebration, MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA), which showcases the ultimate in African culture, music, and creativity, will be held in a re-imagined virtual format in partnership with Uganda, The Pearl of Africa on February 20th 2021.
The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).
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 Lockdown 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 Lockdown 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 category selection criteria are from October 1st 2019 to October 1st 2020. The nominees will be announced in December 2020 and music lovers will have their say by voting for their favourite stars online.
The news was revealed o Wednesday via a virtual press conference broadcast from Johannesburg and Kampala by Monde Twala and Craig Paterson, Senior Vice Presidents and General Managers at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA), The State Minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda at Ugandan Ministry of Tourism and the CEO for the Ugandan Tourism Board, Lilly Ajarova.
"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”, said Twala.
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 gamechangers 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.