Who is taking the award home?

Oct 30, 2008

IT is that time of the year again. The time when the PAM Awards cast their beady eyes upon the artistes who have excelled on the local music scene. Many have argued, discussed, and come close to exchanging blows over who the eventual winners will be.

By Gilbert Mwijuke

IT is that time of the year again. The time when the PAM Awards cast their beady eyes upon the artistes who have excelled on the local music scene. Many have argued, discussed, and come close to exchanging blows over who the eventual winners will be.

Tomorrow evening we shall put to rest all that at the Shimoni Grounds. Who do you think will take what award?

Best Hip-hop Single
GNL Zamba has two songs in the race for this award: Salooni (featuring Navio) and Soda Jinjale (featuring Unik). This gives him an edge over others. Rocky Giant’s Nani Wuyo is a song from last year, while Ragga Dee—after 20 years of ragga—would not compete favourably on the mainstream hip-hop scene.

Best Afro Beat Artiste/Group
Bobi Wine is a good bet to retain the award he won last year since Clever J, Jose Chameleone and Toolman have been less visible than the ghetto president.

Best Gospel Artiste/Group
Wilson Bugembe is the current sound of Uganda’s gospel music. So, let’s not waste valuable time arguing about whether Ambassada, Betty Namaganda or Martin Seku stand a chance to beat the good pastor to the award.

Best Ragga Artiste/Group
If I had my way, I would give this award to Bebe Cool, since he has had the year’s biggest ragga hit, Kus Kus. Bella deserved this nomination last year; not now. Peter Miles’ impact has not been felt all year and I still wonder how KS Alpha made it to this list!

Best Reggae Artiste/Group
Bebe Cool would have taken this award. But boy, Main Street’s Juba was really hot! The song made you press the replay button over and over again. Kid Fox and Henry Tigan can try their luck next year.

Best R&B Artiste/Group
The nominees are Iryn Namubiru, Juliana Kanyomozi, Michael Ross and the Obsessions. But the one who does something close to the R&B is Michael Ross.

Best Female Artiste
Let’s face it; Juliana Kanyomozi has been the sound of 2008. Catherine Kusasira knows it, Desire Luzinda knows it too. And Iryn Namubiru knows it too well. Juliana’s 2007 album, Kibaluma, was the real deal — an eight-song filler-free offering that spawned over six hits! It must have been scientifically engineered to only deliver hits!

Best Male Artiste
Bebe Cool, of course. Since he recorded his Omunene album early this year, Bebe Cool has ramped up his ambitions. He performed in front of 46,664 people at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in Hyde Park, London in July, and in the Big Brother Africa III house in South Africa.

Cool is the only Ugandan nominee in this year’s MTV Maama Africa Awards, and has garnered two nods in the KORA All-Africa Music Awards. Bobi Wine, Mega Dee and Sweet Kid cannot match such achievements.

Artiste of the Year
The contest for this year’s biggest musical title in the land is between Juliana Kanyomozi, Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Geoffrey Lutaaya. Of these, Juliana deserves the award most.

Her catalogue of hits has been one long diary since she released Kibaluma toward the end of last year. There was Kanyimbe, Kibaluma, Diana, Mundeke, Nkyanoonya, Usiyende (featuring Tanzania’s Bushoke) and Sirina Mulala (featuring Sweet Kid).

Juliana is clearly at the top of her game, a reason she should take the award. But hey, let’s wait for tomorrow!

Song of the Year
In contention for this title is Kapapala (David Lutaalo), Kus Kus (Bebe Cool), Mazi Mawanvu (Bobi Wine) and Nakudata (Mowzey Radio, Suuna, Weasle).

But when we look back at 2008, with its changing political landscape, its depressing run of national sporting failures, and the never-ending scandals that have rocked the country, there is one song that will bring back the memories — Nakudata.

It will therefore be churlish if Mowzey Radio and Weasel don’t take home the Best New Artiste Award along with the Album of The Year title for Nakudata.

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