East Africans enter MTV Awards
Oct 13, 2005
For the first time, East African music has been recognised on the world map.
By Jude Katende
and Ssebidde Kiryowa
For the first time, East African music has been recognised on the world map.
The Kleptomaniax, a Kenyan hip-hop group, have been nominated to represent East Africa as Best African Act at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards, which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal on November 3.
The awards will be beamed live to Ugandans on MTV base (DSTV Channel 88) at 11:00-1:00p.m.
Alex Okosi, the vice president and general manager of MTV base said, “We have so much respect for Kleptomaniax. We are delighted that this nomination will bring their names and music to a broader audience with more than one billion viewers!â€
The Kleptomaniax trio — Collo, Nyashinki and Raba, who started out in 1999, rap in English, Swahili and Luo.
They made history in Kenyan music by being the first artistes to release a song while still in school and two of the members are still at university.
Kleptomaniax’s debut single, Freak It, released in 2002, was a huge hit. Their follow-up single, Maniax Anthem, released in 2003, further cemented their position and potential in the market, receiving massive radio airplay.
The group’s first album, M4E (Maniax 4Ever), launched in April 2005, aptly showcased the trio’s contemporary urban style. It marries hip-hop, R&B, dance, salsa and features the smash hit single Swing — one of the most played tracks on radio in East Africa.
Kleptomaniax are one of just five African acts who will be competing for the first African award at the MTV Awards.
Others are Kaysha (DRC), Zamajobe (South Africa), 2-FACE Idibia (Nigeria) and 02 (Angola).
Kaysha, started his career in Belgium, but lives in Paris. A singer, songwriter and producer, Kaysha has won several African awards including the KORA.
He does R&B, Afro-Caribbean, hip-hop, zouk and salsa.
Zamajobe, a former South Africa Pop Idol contestant, was nominated as Best Newcomer in the 2005 South African Music Awards.
2-FACE Idibia is an R&B star in Nigeria. His hit, African Queen, was the first song played on pan-African music channel and MTV’s 100th channel, MTV base. He has a mantelpiece full of awards and has done collaborations with Wyclef Jean and Beenie Man.
Angolan music veterans, 02, base their unique music style on the rhythmic fusion between Kizomba (Angolan Zouk) and Soul R&B, with Afro-Jazz influences. In Angola, 02 recently won three prestigious Awards.
African fans can vote on www.ema.mtvbaseafrica.com before November 3.
Ends
and Ssebidde Kiryowa
For the first time, East African music has been recognised on the world map.
The Kleptomaniax, a Kenyan hip-hop group, have been nominated to represent East Africa as Best African Act at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards, which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal on November 3.
The awards will be beamed live to Ugandans on MTV base (DSTV Channel 88) at 11:00-1:00p.m.
Alex Okosi, the vice president and general manager of MTV base said, “We have so much respect for Kleptomaniax. We are delighted that this nomination will bring their names and music to a broader audience with more than one billion viewers!â€
The Kleptomaniax trio — Collo, Nyashinki and Raba, who started out in 1999, rap in English, Swahili and Luo.
They made history in Kenyan music by being the first artistes to release a song while still in school and two of the members are still at university.
Kleptomaniax’s debut single, Freak It, released in 2002, was a huge hit. Their follow-up single, Maniax Anthem, released in 2003, further cemented their position and potential in the market, receiving massive radio airplay.
The group’s first album, M4E (Maniax 4Ever), launched in April 2005, aptly showcased the trio’s contemporary urban style. It marries hip-hop, R&B, dance, salsa and features the smash hit single Swing — one of the most played tracks on radio in East Africa.
Kleptomaniax are one of just five African acts who will be competing for the first African award at the MTV Awards.
Others are Kaysha (DRC), Zamajobe (South Africa), 2-FACE Idibia (Nigeria) and 02 (Angola).
Kaysha, started his career in Belgium, but lives in Paris. A singer, songwriter and producer, Kaysha has won several African awards including the KORA.
He does R&B, Afro-Caribbean, hip-hop, zouk and salsa.
Zamajobe, a former South Africa Pop Idol contestant, was nominated as Best Newcomer in the 2005 South African Music Awards.
2-FACE Idibia is an R&B star in Nigeria. His hit, African Queen, was the first song played on pan-African music channel and MTV’s 100th channel, MTV base. He has a mantelpiece full of awards and has done collaborations with Wyclef Jean and Beenie Man.
Angolan music veterans, 02, base their unique music style on the rhythmic fusion between Kizomba (Angolan Zouk) and Soul R&B, with Afro-Jazz influences. In Angola, 02 recently won three prestigious Awards.
African fans can vote on www.ema.mtvbaseafrica.com before November 3.
Ends