Debola Abimbolu

Soundcity’s MVP Awards set the ball rolling for music enthusiasts in 2020, as the first music award show of the decade. Fans started voting for their favourite artists between the 4th & 11th of January , and on Saturday the winners were revealed at the award ceremony hosted in the Eko Convention Centre.

The lineup promised performances from Diamond Platnumz, Prince Kaybee, Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Rema and Stonebwoy, while Tiwa Savage and GoodGirl LA came out as the surprise acts. Though their performances were among the show’s highlights, the awards are what everyone came for.

Popular narrative tends to pit the three breakout artists from last year, Joeboy, Rema and Fireboy DML, against each other, but all three acts won awards for Best Pop Song, Best New MVP and Listeners Choice respectively at the Soundcity MVP Awards.

Fans were also excited to see Naira Marley win his first award since breaking out with “Japa” in 2018, and the often controversial rapper went home with the Viewers’ Choice award while Burna Boy went home with the most awards, bagging the Best African Artist of the year award, the Best Male MVP award and Song of The Year.

See the full list of nominees below.

Song of the Year

Jealous – Fireboy DML

Killin Dem – Burna Boy (Winner)

Malwhede – King Monada

Soapy – Naira Marley

Tetema – Rayvanny

Zanku – Zlatan

Baby – Joeboy

Case – Teni

Dumebi – Rema

Fetch Your Life – Prince Kaybee

Jama – DJ Mic Smith

African Artist of the Year 

Burna Boy (Winner)

Davido

Diamond Platnumz

Shatta Wale

Tiwa Savage

Wizkid

Yemi Alade

Best Pop

Innos B

Nandy

Joeboy – Winner

Otile Brown

Kizz Daniel

Teni

Mayorkun

Rayvanny

Naira Marley

Best Hip-Hop

Blaqbonez

Falz

KHALIGRAPH Jones – Winner

Kwesta

Medikal

Shinski

Sarkodie

Reminisce

Ricky Rick

Zakwe

Best Duo

Black Motion

Blaq Diamond

DopeNation (Winner)

Ethic

Show Dem Camp

Toofan

African Producer of the Year

Cracker

Prince Kaybee

Jay Synth

Kel P

MOG

Ozedikus

Pheelz

Rexxie

S2Kizzy

Best Female MVP

Betty G

Daphne

Nandy

Sho Madjozi

Teni (Winner)

Tiwa Savage

Yemi Alade

Best Male MVP

Burna Boy (Winner)

Davido

Diamond Platnumz

King Promise

Sjava

Wizkid

Zlatan

African DJ of the year

DJ Creme De La Creme

DJ Kaywise

DJ Neptune

DJ Spinall (Winner)

DJ Vyrusky

DJ Zinhle

Digital Artiste of the Year

Cassper Nyovest

Davido (Winner)

Diamond Platnumz

Kizz Daniel

Mr Eazi

Yemi Alade

Wizkid

Listeners’ Choice

Baby – JoeBoy

Dumebi – Rema

Fetch your Life – Prince Kaybee

Jealous – Fireboy DML (Winner)

Jama – DJ Mic Smith

Kainama – Harmonize

Killin Dem – BurnaBoy

Kpo K3K3 – StoneBwoy

Oil & Gas – Olamide

Viewers’ Choice

49-99 – Tiwa Savage

Able God – Chinko Ekun

Banomoya – Prince Kaybee

My Level – Shatta Wale

On The Low – Burna Boy

Soapy – Naira Marley (Winner)

Tetema – Rayvanny

Zanku (Legwork) – Zlatan

Video of the Year

49-99 – Tiwa Savage by Meji Alabi (NG) – Winner

Dangote – Burna Boy by Clarence Peters (NG)

Jericho – Simi by Adasa Cookey (NG)

Ngwa – Blick Bassy by Tebego Malope (SA)

Ohema – Kuami Eugene by Rex (GH)

Song of the Year

Jealous – FireBoy DML (NG)

Killin Dem – Burna Boy (NG) – Winner

Malwhede – King Monada (SA)

Soapy – Naira Marley (NG)

Tetema – Rayvanny (TZ)

Zanku (Legwork) – Zlatan (NG)

Baby – JoeBoy (NG)

Case – Teni (NG)

Dumebi – Rema (NG)

Fetch Your Life – Prince Kaybee (SA)

Jama – DJ Mic Smith(GH)

African Artiste Of The Year

Burna Boy (NG) – Winner

Davido (NG)

Diamond Platnumz (TZ)

Shatta Wale (GH)

ShoMadjozi (SA)

Tiwa Savage (NG)

Wizkid (NG)

Yemi Alade (NG)

Excellence in Philanthropy: DJ Cuppy – Winner

Excellence in Sports: Anthony Joshua – Winner

Excellence in Social Entrepreneurship and Digital Influence: Bright Jaja – Winner

Community and Socio-Political Development: Adebola Williams & Jude Jideonwo – Winner

Excellence in Music: Innocent Idibia (2Baba) – Winner

Burna Boy win the awards for Best African Artist of the year, Best Male MVP and Song of The Year.