Diamond, Emtee, Kwesta, & Patoranking to Raise the Roof at the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016

Johannesburg/Lagos, 26 September 2016: VIMN Africa and MTV Base (DStv channel 322) have revealed that Diamond, Emtee, Kwesta and Patoranking are to join the glittering ranks of performers at the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016.
The MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 is brought to you by Joburg Tourism in partnership with Absolut Vodka and Google and in association with MTN and DStv.

Diamond, Emtee, Kwesta and Patoranking join previously announced performers Alikiba, Babes Wodumo, Cassper Nyovest, Nasty C, Ycee and Yemi Alade on the giant purpose-built MAMA stage at the Ticketpro Dome, 22 October 2016.

Last year’s Best New Act winner Patoranking is again in contention for the 2016 awards – nominated this year for Best Male, where he goes head-to-head against last year’s winner, Tanzanian Bongo Flava star, Diamond. Patoranking also scored a second nomination in the 2016 awards for Best Collaboration for “No Kissing” feat. Sarkodie. After a standout year, Emtee received his first MAMA nod this year in the hotly contested Best Hip Hop category, while “Ngud” star Kwesta still has to learn if he’s scored a nod in MAMA 2016.

Highlighting the “gold standard” in contemporary music, creativity and achievement, The MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 promises to be the biggest and best ever, with more than 15,000 music lovers expected to party up a storm at the Ticketpro Dome for this spectacular showcase. Tickets for the awards are on sale now priced ZAR 250 (standing only) and ZAR 300 (bleadhers) via www.ticketpros.co.za, and at Ticketpro retail outlets or dealers. Over 18s only.

The definitive annual celebration of African and international talent and achievement, MAMA 2016 recognises and rewards musicians and achievers who have made the most impact on African music and youth culture over the previous year. The ceremony will feature stunning performances from African and international artists along with the show’s signature cross-genre and cross-border collaborations.

MAMA 2016 will celebrate African talent across 18 award categories, including Best Male, Best Female, Listener’s Choice and Best Group. The contribution of artists from Portuguese and French-speaking Africa is recognised in the Best Lusophone and Best Francophone categories. Additional categories include the Africa Re-Imagined Award and Personality of the Year.

DStv, e.tv and Metro FM are the official South African media partners of the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016.

For more information on the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016, please go to www.mtvbase.com or www.mtv.co.za like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica. To join the conversation about the awards please use the hashtag #MTVMAMA2016.

About MTV
MTV is the world’s premiere youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of nearly 785 million households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. Outside of the United States, MTV is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all platforms.

About Johannesburg
Johannesburg, also known as Joburg, Jozi or Egoli (“Place of Gold”), is the economic powerhouse of Africa, gateway to many parts of the world – and home to 4.6 million people. Over 55 international airlines link the city to major centres worldwide, making Johannesburg one of the most accessible centres on the continent. Now proudly taking its place as Africa’s most visited city for three consecutive years (2013, 2014 & 2015 – according to the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index), Joburg is growing at an unprecedented rate, constantly and continuously transforming itself. Joburg, also offers a plethora of cultural, leisure, sporting, fashion and lifestyle activities that are fast making the city the leading destination for both leisure and business tourists.
Joburg’s legendary shopping, dining, entertainment and nightlife are complemented by fabulous weather, as well as an astonishing array of facilities including spectacular golf courses, gyms, spas and wellness centres that add to its appeal as a destination.
Aside from being Africa’s Most Visited City, the stature of Johannesburg is underscored by the many accolades that it has received, including:

• The “Most Popular African City” overall for young people aged 15-to-29 in 2015 – Youthful Cities Index
• SA’s wealthiest city
• The Best City in South Africa for Business
• The New Cool Capital of the Southern Hemisphere (GQ Magazine, UK – 2015)
• For further information please go to www.joburgtourism.com or contact +27 87 151 2950

About ABSOLUT Vodka
On every bottle of ABSOLUT, you will find the portrait of an extraordinary entrepreneur and the founder of the world’s most iconic vodka brand: Lars Olsson Smith. In 1879, at 43, he created the purest vodka that gave birth to the ABSOLUT brand we know today. His superior vodka blend was made out of a distinct character of grain using a revolutionary distilling method called continuous distillation. ABSOLUT’s reputation as a premium vodka applies the simple concept of “One Source”. This means that the sourcing of all natural ingredients to the bottling of the final product is completed at one location to maintain the highest levels of quality and production, i.e.Åhus, Sweden.

About MTN Group
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a multinational telecommunications group, operating in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 30 June 2016, MTN recorded 233 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. Visit us at www.mtn.com.

About Google
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit Google at Google Africa G+ page or the Google Africa Blog: google-africa.blogspot.com. You can also follow Google’s Africa team on Twitter: twitter.com/googleafrica.