Over the weekend, nominees for the next edition of the Soundcity MVP awards were announced. Across three days, nominations were unveiled on social media, an elaborate move that has become customary for an award show that has grown into one of the most glamorous celebration of music in these parts. Formerly known as Soundcity Video Music Awards before transitioning into Soundcity MVP Awards, the award ceremony was set up with the plan to recognise outstanding achievements of African artists in 15 various music categories which include Best Male MVP, Best Female MVP, Song of the Year, Music Video of the Year, African Artist of the Year, African DJ of the year among others.

 

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Not much has changed this year with regards to the categories, and while nominations cut across different acts from across Africa, the nominees list is overwhelmingly Nigerian. In one of the more diverse categories, Tems, Tyla, Gyakie, Zuchu, Tiwa Savage and five more artists from across four countries will vie for Best Female MVP. As is often the case with most award shows in Africa, men lead the pack of nominees: Burna Boy has the highest number of nods with eight in seven categories, and he’s closely followed by NATIVE Issue 005 cover stars Rema and Asake, both with seven total nominations. All three are in the Best Male MVP category alongside Wizkid, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, Focalistic, Kidi, Omah Lay and King Promise.

In the African Producer of the Year category, BlaiseBeatz, Andre Vibez, Tempoe, Niphkeys and more Nigerian producers make up nine of the ten nominees. have as well been announced as nominees for this category. The Video of the Year category is similarly Nigerian-dominated, with nominees including Rema’s “Calm Down,” Omah Lay’s “Soso,” Kizz Daniel and Tekno’s “Buga,” Asake and Fireboy’s “Bandana,” and more. In announcing the nominees for this category, the organisers failed to credit the directors for these videos. While these videos are quite strong selections, the hard work of the video directors and the entire production team should never go uncredited. The visual representation of a record is created by the music video directors and for this reason, they should be handed their flowers. 

In a recent instagram post made by popular music video director TG Omori, he expressed his displeasure at the awards and shared that a category such as Video of the Year should not be credited to the artists alone and the Video directors should never be left out of the larger conversations. This in fact is very understandable as most of the time, it’s usually a collaborative effort between the performing artist and the video director so for this reason, they should as well be credited. The music industry is constantly growing and Nigerian music is at a very sensitive point where it’s exporting many different talents and as the music is growing, the other parts of the industry aside from the music should be growing just as fast. Award shows, music festivals/concerts and more should be intentional about the work that’s put into its creation. 

Although it has now been rectified and the awards have announced the video directors in the place of the artists following the alarm raised by TG Omori—who has three nods in the category—this does not dispute the fact that intentionality should be a keyword when addressing the hard work of creatives. The Soundcity MVP Award ceremony is set to hold on the 11th of February at the Eko Convention Center.

Check out the full list of nominees below.

BEST NEW MVP

1. Victony (NG)
2. Ayra Starr (NG)
3. Young Jonn (NG)
4. Seyi Vybez (NG)
5. Fave (NG)
6. Ruger (NG)
7. Black Sherif (GH)
8. Costa Titch (SA)
9. Phina (TZ)
10. Wakadinali (KE)

AFRICAN ARTIST OF THE YEAR

1. Burna Boy (NG)
2. Wizkid (NG)
3. Diamond Platnumz (TZ)
4. Kidi (GH)
5. Msaki (SA)
6. Asake (NG)
7. Rema (NG)
8. Kizz Daniel (NG)
9. Temz (NG)
10. Zuchu (TZ)

BEST COLLABORATION

1. Pheelz & Bnxn Fka Buju – Finesse (NG)
2. Fireboy & Ed Sheeran – Peru (Remix) (NG)
3. Black Sherif & Burnaboy – Second Sermon (GH)
4. Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. Mayorkun, King Promise & Darkoo (GH)
5. Costa Titch – Big Flexa ft. C’buda M, Alfa Kat, Banaba Des, Sdida & Man T (SA)
6. Asake – Sungba (Remix) ft. Burna Boy (NG)
7. Kizz Daniel & Tekno – Buga (NG)
8. Daliwonga – Abo Mvelo ft. Mellow & Sleazy (SA)
9. Mayorkun & Victony – Holy Father (NG)
10. Mavin All Stars – Overdose (NG)

BEST HIP-HOP

1. Black Sherif – Kwaku The Traveller (GH)
2. Blaqbonez – Back In Uni (NG)
3. M.I – The Guy (NG)
4. Kaligraph (Og) Jones X Dax – Hiroshima (KE)
5. Nasty C & Aka – Lemons To Lemonades (SA)
6. Psycho Yp – Bando Diaries ft. Odumodu Blvck (NG)
7. Ladipoe – Running ft. Fireboy (NG)
8. Wakadinali – Geri Inengi ft. Sir Bwoy (KE)
9. Chyn – Hosanna ft. Fxtune (NG)
10. Vector – Clowns ft. Ladi Poe (NG)

LISTENER’S CHOICE

1. Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa (NG)
2. Kizz Daniel & Tekno – Buga (NG)
3. Burna Boy – Last Last (NG)
4. Ch’cco & Mellow & Sleazy – Nkao Tempela (SA)
5. Daliwonga – Abo Mvelo Ft. Mellow & Sleazy (SA)
6. Rema – Calm Down (NG)
7. Mavin All Stars – Overdose (NG)
8. Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. Mayorkun, Darkoo & King Promise (GH)
9. Black Sherif – Kwaku The Traveler (GH)
10. Patoranking – Kolo Kolo Ft. Diamond Platnumz (NG)

VIEWERS CHOICE

1. Asake – Pbuy (NG)
2. Timaya – Cold Outside ft. Bnxn Fka Buju (NG)
3. Kizz Daniel & Tekno – Buga (NG)
4. Costa Titch – Big Flexa ft. C’buda M, Alfa Kat, Banaba Des, Sdida & Man T (SA)
5. Kidi – Touch It (GH)
6. Burna Boy – Last Last (NG)
7. Rema – Calm Down (NG)
8. Camidoh – Sugarcane (Remix) ft. Mayorkun, Darkoo & King Promise (GH)
9. Black Sherif – Kwaku The Traveler (GH)
10. Ayra Starr – Rush (NG)

DIGITAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

1. Ckay (NG)
2. Wizkid (NG)
3. Rema (NG)
4. Burna Boy (NG)
5. Davido (NG)
6. Diamond Platnumz (TZ)
7. Omah Lay (NG)
8. 1da Banton (NG)
9. Zuchu (TZ)
10. Tems (NG)

AFRICAN DJ OF THE YEAR

1. Dj Obi (NG)
2. Dj Tunez (NG)
3. Dj Big N (NG)
4. Uncle Waffles (SA)
5. Dj Maphorisa (SA)
6. Dj Dips (NG)
7. Black Coffee (SA)
8. Dj Vyrusky (GH)
9. Dj 4kerty (NG)
10. Dj Tariqo (MZ)

BEST MALE MVP

1. Burna Boy (NG)
2. Wizkid (NG)
3. Asake (NG)
4. Davido (NG)
5. Diamond Platnumz (TN)
6. Focalistic (SA)
7. Kidi (GH)
8. Omah Lay (NG)
9. Rema (NG)
10. King Promise (GH)

BEST FEMALE MVP

1. Tems (NG)
2. Ayra Starr (NG)
3. Gyakie (GH)
4. Tiwa Savage (NG)
5. Boohle (SA)
6. Niniola (NG)
7. Nkosazana Daughter (SA)
8. Tyla (SA)
9. Zuchu (TZ)
10. Msaki (SA)

AFRICAN PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

1. Blaisebeatz (Big Flexa)
2. Andre Vibez (Calm Down)
3. Magicsticks (Organise)
4. Pheelz (Finesse)
5. Niphkeyz (I’m A Mess)
6. Tempoe (Soweto)
7. Rewardbeatz (Xtracool)
8. Chopstix (Last Last)
9. P.Prime (Woman)
10. S2kizzy (Kwikwi)

BEST GROUP OR DUO

1. Blaq Diamond (SA)
2. Show Dem Camp (NG)
3. Ajebo Hustlers (NG)
4. Major League Djz (SA)
5. Cavemen (NG)
6. Mellow & Sleezy (SA)
7. Dopenation (GH)
8. Buruklyn Boyz (KE)
9. Yababuluku Boyz (MZ)
10. Nsg (Uk, GH & NG)

BEST POP

1. Fireboy – Peru (Remix) ft. Ed Sheeran (NG)
2. Rema – Calm Down (NG)
3. Young Jonn – Xtra Cool (NG)
4. Kidi – Touch It (GH)
5. Diamond Platnumz – Mtasubiri ft. Zuchu (TZ)
6. Ruger – Dior (NG)
7. Omah Lay – Woman (NG)
8. Ayra Starr – Rush (NG)
9. Crayon – Ijo Laba Laba (NG)
10. Lasmid – Friday Night (GH)

SONG OF THE YEAR

1. Omah Lay – I’m A Mess (NG)
2. Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa (NG)
3. Wanitwa Mos, Master Kg & Lowsheen – Sofa Silahlane Ft. Nkosazana Daughter (SA)
4. Bien X Aaron Rimbui – Mbwe Mbwe (KE)
5. Burna Boy – Last Last (NG)
6. Camidoh – Sugarcane Remix ft. Mayorkun, King Promise & Darkoo (GH)
7. Kizz Daniel & Tekno – Buga (NG)
8. Asake – Organise (NG)
9. Zakes Bantwini X Kasango – Osama (SA)
10. Mayorkun & Victony – Holy Father (NG)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

1. Rema – Calm Down (NG) [Director: DK]
2. Fireboy X Asake – Bandana (NG) [Director: TG Omori]
3. Costa Titch – Big Flexa ft. C’buda M, Alfa Kat, Banaba Des, Sdida & Man T (SA) [Director: Darion 4k & The Lotus Sutra]
4. Asake – Pbuy (NG) [Director: TG Omori]
5. Camidoh – Sugarcane Remix ft. Mayorkun, King Promise & Darkoo (GH) [Director: Rex]
6. Kizz Daniel & Tekno – Buga (NG) [Director: TG Omori]
7. Zakes Bantwini X Kasango – Osama (SA) [Director: Darion 4k]
8. Diamond Platnumz – Mtasubiri ft. Zuchu (TZ) [Director: IVAN]
9. Blaqbonez – Back In Uni (NG) [Director: Perliks & Blaqbonez]
10. Omah Lay – Soso (NG) [Director: Tophshotta]

[Featured Image Credits/NATIVE]

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