The highflying Malawian rapper, Tay Grin’s song Chipapapa featuring Nigeria’s 2Baba, has scooped the Best African Traditional Video award at the WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards (WAMVA) 2016.
WatsUp TV, organisers of the awards, on Wednesday announced winners of the maiden edition of the pan African entertainment awards.
Tay Grin is among the 22 winners emerged out of the 170 music acts and video directors who were nominated when the WAMVA 2016 were launched in September. He was the only Malawian act nominated for the awards.
This is the Nyau King’s second international music award this year after scooping the Star Award at the Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television Arts (BEFFTA) UK Awards in November where he was also competing for the Best International Male African Act. He also bagged two awards at the 2016 UMP Awards, Artist of the Year and Best Music Video – Chipapapa.
WAMVA is an annual award presented by WatsUp TV dedicated to the celebration and honouring of the best in African Music Videos. The awards are meant to boost and encourage the production of quality music videos across Africa and beyond.
This year the awards had 20 categories and for the Best African Traditional Video, the Malawian rapper was facing competition from leading African acts from Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda.
Out of the 10 spots in the category, Nigeria had four nominations occupied by Flavour ft. Selebobo – Mmege Mmege, Yemi Alade – Ferrari, Humblesmith ft. Davido – Osinachi and Timaya ft. Flavour – Money.
Ghana had two nominations taken by 4X4 ft. BukBak – Atongo and Bisa Kdei – Brother Brother. South Africa has Mzee ft. Rafiti – Salif Keita, Uganda had Knoweless Butera – KoNashize, while Uganda had Navio – Njogereza.
Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz emerged top with three awards; Best African Male Video – Kidogo featuring P-Square, which also scooped Best African Music of the Year and the Best African Collabo Video – Make Me Sing featuring AKA.
WAMVA creates the best opportunity to judge African Music Videos from various Anglophone and Francophone thereby bridging the gap between the music industries in Africa.
The annual awards ceremony is set to become a legendary trend on the Bloc of honouring African musicians and other industry players across Africa. Nominations and winners are chosen by the general public and a special jury collated from the industry across the continent.
The 2016 winners are expected to storm Ghana next year for a Made In Africa concert, a music festival by WatsUp TV.
Below are full list of winners for the first edition of WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards.
Best Newcomer Video of the Year
Badoo ft Diamond Platinium (Hamonize) Tanzania
Best African Reggae Dancehall Video
Shatta Wale (Chop Kiss) Ghana
Best Afro Pop Video
Scientific Ft Quincy B (Rotate) Liberia
Best African Hip Pop Video
Iba One (Dokera) Mali
Best African RnB Video
Alikiba (Aje) Tanzania
Best African Traditional Video
Tay Grin FT 2BABA (Chipapapa) Malawi
Best African Dance Video
Oudy 1ER (Lokolo) Guinea
Best African Collabo Video
Diamond FT AKA (Make Me Sing) Tanzania
Best African group Video
Navy Kenzo (Kamatia) Tanzania
Best African Male Video
Diamond Platinium FT Psquare (Kidogo) Tanzania
Best African Female Video
Vivian Chidid (Wuyuma) Senegal
Best African Performance
DJ Arafat (Concert a Korkogo) Cote D’Ivorire
Best International Video
Beyonce (Formation) USA
Best East African Video
Alikiba (Aje) Tanzania
Best Central African Video
Ferre Gola ft Voctoria Kimani (Tucheze) DR Congo
Best North Africa
Ibtissam Tiskat
Best South African Video
Casper Nyovest (War Ready)
West Africa Video
DJ Arafat
Best African Video Director
Kidigo (Nigeria)
Best African Music of the Year
Diamond Platinium FT PSquare (Kidigo) Tanzania
Special Recognition Award Music Video Africa
Mr Eazi ft Efya (Skin Tight) Nigeria
Viewer’s Choice Awards
Designer Panda (USA)