adminMelissa Mpofu Showbiz Editor
AS usual, South Africa-based dancehall musician — Buffalo Souljah — is the only Zimbabwean nominated for this year’s Channel O Africa Music Video Awards (Chomvas) for his Basawine video. Now in their 11th year, this year’s awards will take place on November 29 at Nasrec Expo Centre in Soweto, South Africa.
Buffalo Souljah, popularly known in South Africa as Big Buffs, has become a permanent fixture on the Channel O awards nominees’ list.
While many Zimbabweans have been reluctant to submit their music videos for airplay on Channel O and other international channels, Buff has each year made it a point that he submits one hit video which he banks on for a nomination.
And indeed, his efforts are always rewarded as he has been on the nominees list for almost five years in a row, winning three awards for the dancehall category. Though he did not win last year, he was visible at the awards ceremony as he was the second artiste to perform.
The artiste, who runs a record label U.N.A Entertainment in South Africa, has assisted fellow countrymen such as former Miss Zimbabwe — Vanessa “Queen Vee” Sibanda, to record their music. Though Queen Vee has never been nominated for an award, two of her videos Hey Lover and Do Me receive a sizeable amount of airplay on Channel O. He also assisted urban grooves artiste Nox to also have his videos on Africa’s biggest music video station.
Leading with the most nominees this year is South Africa’s new kid on the Hip Hop streets Cassper Nyovest; K.O “Mr Caracara” and Nigeria’s Davido with five nominations each. Nyovest flexes his musical prowess with his nominations for Most Gifted Male Video, Most Gifted Newcomer Video, the ever controversial Most Gifted Hip Hop Video, Most Gifted Southern Video as well as the prestigious Most Gifted Video of the Year categories for “Doc Shebeleza”.
Davido represents West Africa with his impressive nominations for the track Aye which dominated in four categories Most Gifted Male Video, Most Gifted Afro Pop Video, Most Gifted West Video and Most Gifted Video of the Year, while “Skelewu” earned him a comfortable spot in the Most Gifted Dance Video category.
K.O, the man behind one of the most popular tracks Caracara, makes his Channel O Africa Music Video Awards nominee debut as a solo artiste in the categories Most Gifted Male Video, Most Gifted Duo, Group or Featuring Video, Most Gifted Hip Hop Video, Most Gifted Southern Video and Most Gifted Video of the Year.
Channel O director Nkateko Mabaso said: “This year’s Channel O Africa Music Video Awards nominees are a showcase of original African music from all corners of the continent – befitting to the dashing 17-year-old music channel that has and continues to consistently be a pioneer for Africa’s musicians and music for well over a decade.”
“The quality of music videos we have seen over the past few years is testament to the way music videos are playing an increasingly important role in the promotion of African music.”
Mabaso added that it was refreshing to see newcomers going against industry veterans.
“This proves that there is no barrier to making an impact on the music scene. The music as well as the videos produced on our African soil is of the same, if not even better, quality as that of those produced internationally and most of our nominees are no stranger to performing on global stages,” Mabaso said.
Voting will take place across a wide range of digital platforms: via the website www.channelo.tv and mobile site.
And the nominees are:
Most Gifted Male
Cassper nyovest – Doc shebeleza
Davido – Aye
Riky Rick ft Okmalumkoolkat – Amantombazane
K.O. ft Kid X – Caracara
Sarkodie – Illuminati
Most Gifted Female
Thembi Seete – Thuntsha Lerole
Bucie ft Heavy K – Easy To Love
Lizha James ft Uhuru – Quem Ti Mandou
Tiwa Savage ft Don Jazzy – Eminado
Seyi Shay – Irawo
Most Gifted Newcomer
Dream team ft Tamarsha, AKA & Big Nuz – Tsekede
Cassper nyovest – Doc Shebeleza
Emmy gee ft Ab Crazy & Dj Dimplez –Rands and Nairas
Diamond – Number One
Patoranking –Girlie O (remix)
Most gifted Duo, Group or Featuring
Uhuru ft Oskido & Professor Y – Tjukutja
Dj clock ft Beatenberg – Pluto (I remember)
R2bees ft Wizkid – Slow Down
K.o. Ft kid X – Caracara
Kcee ft wizkid – Pull over
Most Gifted Dance
Uhuru ft Oskido & Professor Y– Tjukutja
Davido – Skelewu
Dj Clock ft Beatenberg – Pluto (i remember)
P Square – Personally
Busiswa ft Various –Ngoku
Most gifted Ragga Dancehall
Buffalo Souljah –Basawine
Orezi –Rihanna
Jesse Jaggz ft Wizkid –Bad Girl
Patoranking –Girlie O (remix)
Shatta Wale –Everydoby Likes My Ting
Most Gifted Afro Pop
Davido –Aye
Mafikizolo ft May D –Happiness
Diamond –Number One
Flavour– Ada Ada
Iyanya –Jombolo
Most Gifted Kwaito
Uhuru ft Oskido & Professor Y–Tjukutja
Character ft Mono t & Oskido –Inxeba Lendoda
Big nuz ft Khaya Mthethwa – Incwadi Yothando
Dj Vetkuk vs Mahoota – Khaba Lenja
Dj Cndo – Yamnandi Into
Most Gifted R&B
2face ft t Pain – Rainbow
Jimmy Nevis ft Kwesta – Balloon
Gb Collective ft Brian Temba & Reason – Chocolate Vanilla
Donald – Crazy But Amazing
Niyola – Too Bad
Most Gifted Hip Hop
Cassper nyovest – Doc Shebeleza
Khuli chana ft Da L.e.s & Magesh – Hape Le Hape
Phyno – Alobam
K.o. Ft Kid X – Caracara
Aka – Congratulate
Most Gifted Southern
DJ Clock ft Beatenberg – Pluto (I Remember)
Cassper Nyovest – Doc Shebeleza
Aka – Congratulate
Zeus – Psych
K.O. ft Kid X – Caracara
Most Gifted West
R2bees Ft Wizkid – Slow Down
Davido – Aye
Burna Boy ft D banj – Won Da Mo
Olamide – Turn Up
Dr Sid ft Don Jazzy – Surulere
Most Gifted East
Sauti Sol – Nshike
Diamond – Number One
Navio – No Holding Back
Eddy Kenzo – Sitya Loss
Elani – Kookoo
Most Gifted Video Of The Year
Emmy Gee Ft Ab Crazy & DJ Dimplez – Rands And Nairas
Davido – Aye
K.o. Ft Kid X – Caracara
Burna Boy – Run My Race
Tiwa Savage Ft Don Jazzy – Eminado
Dr Sid Ft Don Jazzy – Surulere
Riky Rick Ft Okmalumkoolkat – Amantombazane
Cassper Nyovest – Doc Shebeleza
Sarkodie – Illuminati
DJ Clock Ft Beatenberg – Pluto (I Remember)
Aka – Congratulate
Diamond – Number One
Online Reporter