Ghana’s reigning artiste of the year, Stonebwoy, is up against two South African acts, Cassper Nyovest and Mafikizolo, Nigeria’s Flavour and Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo in the Best Live category.

The duo, R2Bees,  is facing stiff competition from Tanzania’s Navy Kenzo, South Africa’s Mi Casa, Toofan from Togo and Kenya’s Sauti Sol in the Best Group category.

In the Best Collaboration category, “No kissing me” by Ghana’s rapaholic, Sarkodie featuring Nigeria’s Patoranking is rivaling “Baddest” by AKA feat. Burna Boy, Khuli Chana & Yanga (South Africa/Nigeria), DJ Maphorisa feat. Wizkid & DJ Bucks  “Soweto Baby” (South Africa/Nigeria), “Juice Back Remix” by Nasty C feat. Davido, Cassper  (Nigeria/South Africa) and Sauti Sol feat. Alikiba  with “Unconditionally Bae” (Kenya/Tanzania)

General Manager, Multichoice Ghana, Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, congratulated all the nominees most especially the Ghanaian trio and encouraged all to vote massively for our nominees.

He added: “the time has come for Ghanaian music to take centre stage on the African scene at Africa’s premier music and arts festival.”

By 3news.com|Ghana

Find below the the first batch of nominations

MAMA 2016 NOMINATIONS (PART 1)
Best Male
AKA (South Africa)
Black Coffee (South Africa)
Diamond (Tanzania)
Patoranking (Nigeria)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Live
Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Flavour (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best Group
Mi Casa (South Africa)
Navy Kenzo (Tanzania)
R2bees (Ghana)
Sauti Sol (Kenya)
Toofan (Togo)

Best Collaboration in partnership with Absolut
AKA feat. Burna Boy, Khuli Chana & Yanga – “Baddest” (South Africa/Nigeria)
DJ Maphorisa feat. Wizkid & DJ Bucks – “Soweto Baby” ((South Africa/Nigeria)
Nasty C feat. Davido, Cassper – “Juice Back Remix” (Nigeria/South Africa)
Patoranking feat. Sarkodie – “No Kissing” (Nigeria/Ghana)
Sauti Sol feat. Alikiba – “Unconditionally Bae” (Kenya/Tanzania)

Best Hip Hop in association with MTN
Emtee (South Africa)
Kiff No Beat (Ivory Coast)
Olamide (Nigeria)
Riky Rick (South Africa)
Ycee (Nigeria)

Best Pop/Alternative
Desmond & The Tutus (South Africa)
LCNVL (South Africa)
Shekinah (South Africa)/ Kyle Deutsch (South Africa)
Timo ODV (South Africa)
Tresor (DRC)

Best Lusophone
C4 Pedro (Angola)
NGA (Angola)
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Nelson Freitas (Netherlands/Cape Verde)
Preto Show (Angola)

Personality of the Year in association with DStv
Caster Semenya (South Africa)
Linda Ikeji (Nigeria)
Pearl Thusi (South Africa)
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best International
Adele (UK)
Beyoncé (USA)
Drake (Canada)
Future (USA)
Rihanna (Barbados)