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AFRIMA 2021: Top Shots Gear Up For ‘Best Act In The Diaspora (Male)’

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African art has become one of globally renowned phenomenon. From folklore to visual arts, you can find a bit of Africa in every corner of the world. After several powerful Afro-American musicians surfaced, from the Banjo, and Gumbe players among black slaves, to post-independence singers such as Jazz lord Thelonious Monk, Blues Legend Little Walter, and the vocal amazon Dinah Washington, among others, music from African natives in the Diaspora has continued to be on a steady upward drive.
Now, with the likes of Rotimi, Jae5, Dave, Seal, among others, African acts continue to seize the spotlight in contemporary musicdom. With barely 10 days to the All African Music Awards (AFRIMA), here are some of the big shots in the ring for the highly acclaimed ‘Best African In The Diaspora’ (Male).

Dave

DAVE

Double S

DOUBLE S

Nelson Freitas 3

NELSON FREITAS

Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde & Portugal)
FONDLY called ‘Mr. Magic’, Nelson Freitas is an avant-garde singer, dancer and one of Europe’s most vibrant crowd controllers. “I ain’t got on diamonds, ain’t got on pearls to give / But I’ll give you loving, every day all day / Every day all day,” Freitas’ song, Every Day All Day featuring Spanish producer, Juan Manuel Magán González, perhaps best embodies the 46-year-old singer. Born to African Parents from Cape Verde, the wide-eyed singer rose from a music enthusiast on the streets of Holland, to become one of the finest Afro-fusion singers in the Diaspora.

Dave (Nigeria & UK)
Two years ago, Dave beat the likes of Anna Calvi, The 1975 and Foals for the prestigious 2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize with his debut album dubbed, Psychodrama. That album became the foundation of David Omoregie’s phenomenal rise within the UK and African Hip/Hop music scene. Born to Nigerian parents, Dave grew up with under his mother in the streets of Brixton. His clear-minded lyricism underscores his entire discography, pushing him to the limelight as one of UK’s most socially conscious lyricists.

Double S (Uganda & UK)
Born Bashir Bazanye, Double S is a prolific British rapper repping both Tottenham and Uganda. He is very popular for being an original-founding member Shoddy Crew-a grime collective from the Northumberland Park Estate in Tottenham – which also comprised Chipmunk. When it comes to Grime Music, the maverick is best known across UK as one of the ‘big daddies’ of Grime.

Headie One (Ghana & UK)
Irving Adjei is one son that Ghana, and Africa, can be proud of. The 27-year-old rapper better known as Headie One is an enigmatic drill rapper in Tottenham, London. He is a member of the drill group dubbed, OFB. His raps are mostly stewed in his life experiences and observations. The artiste whose last album dubbed, Edna, is named after his mum, is one of the masters of dancehall, hip-hop, drill and trap fusions in UK’s musicdom.

Jae-5-Press-Shot-WEB

JAE5

tion-wayne

TION WAYNE

Headie One

HEADIE ONE

JAE5 (Ghana & UK)
Jonathan Mensah is not just your typical 28-year-old African creative. The Ghanaian-British music producer is one of the hottest on the scene right now. He is notorious for his dexterity in combining hiplife, hip-hop, house, dubstep, bashment, Afrobeats into his discography. His summer smash with Rema dubbed, Dimension, alongside his other unreleased collaborations, have solidified his position as one the most vibrant African-British music makers of our time.

Tion Wayne (Nigeria & UK)
Another 28-year-old Nigerian-British rapper winning on the big scene is Dennis Odunwo, better known as Tion Wayne. His collaborations with other African heavyweights such as Davido, Kojo Funds, Rema, Afro B, among others might be the only records you remember of the rapper, but Wayne has been winging it on the lyricist side since 2010.

Rotimi (Nigeria & US)
You might probably have known him first for his role as Andre Coleman in the Starz network blockbuster Power, but 32-year-old Olurotimi Akinosho is one of the most talented Nigerian-American RnB singers. His earlier soundpieces dubbed, The Resume (2011) and While You Wait (2011) helped him develop a vibrant musical personality that pushed him towards public attention. His recent smash single featuring Nigerian-American rapper, Wale, which is dubbed In My Bed, has kept the singer in the ears of many black people, especially Africans.

Tayc (Cameroon & France)
The Cameroonian RnB superstar, Tayc, shook the African music scene, last year, with the release of his avant-garde album dubbed, Fleur Froide, which also translates to ‘Cold Flower’. The 18-track album has been certified Platinum by the French-based SNEP.

MHD (Guinea & France)
Mohamed Sylla has carved a legacy for himself as one of Africa’s most vivacious rappers, under the moniker MHD. The French artiste of Guinean-Senegalese origins is best known for pioneering the Afro-Trap legacy, with his continentally-smashing hits. In France and Africa, MHD continues to power his fame with his hit-laden albums, the most recent being Mansa, which was released mid-July.

MHD 1

MHD

Rotimi

ROTIMI

Tayc

AFRIMA 2021 holds at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria from Friday, November 19 – Sunday, November 21, 2021. Preceding the award ceremony is the African Music Business Summit (AMBS), a platform for business networking and interaction among music professionals which will take place on Friday, November 19, 2021at 8.30am.
Sunday, November 21, 2021 comes with glitz from Africa’s music superstars, celebrities, and international personalities at AFRIMA awards ceremony with Red Carpet at 4.30pm and main awards at 7.30pm. Voting and ticket sales are ongoing on AFRIMA website www.afrima.org .
AFRIMA has been regarded as the ultimate celebration and recognition of African talents and creatives globally since 2014.

For more information, please contact:
Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi
Email – maureen.ihuamaduenyi@afrima.org

Phone – +2348026620173

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South African Actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tells Success Story on Glo-Sponsored African Voices

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Delectable South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, will this week on Globacom-sponsored Cable News Network International’s African Voices Changemakers, reveal her trajectory from the Rainbow Nation to the global stage of make-belief.

In the 30-minute magazine programme, show anchor, Larry Madowo, will engage Mbatha on her soaring career which earned her a mention in the prestigious TIME100 Next in 2025.

The thespian who has been featured in two Hollywood productions has also gained acclaim in the beauty industry as she has signed endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Cream of Nature, both global brands in skincare and haircare, respectively.

Madowo and Mbatha sat for the exclusive interview on set of the final season of the hit television series, Shaka iLembe at the historic Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg where she highlighted the cultural significance of Shaka iLembe, and why giving back to her society is at the center of her aspirations as well as the legacy she desires to build beyond the glitz and glamour of the big screen.

This edition of African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with additional broadcasts at noon same day. On Sunday, further repeats hold at 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. The repeats continue on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m and Sunday, March15 at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m as well as Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.

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Tiwa Savage Launches Music Foundation in Lagos

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Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tiwa Savage, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at nurturing emerging African creatives, announcing the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and a landmark partnership that will bring the prestigious Berklee College of Music to Lagos for the first time.

The 46-year-old singer announced on her social media platform on Wednesday, declaring, “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home.”

She introduced Tiwa Savage Music Foundation as “a new initiative dedicated to empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship and world-class music education,” adding that, “For the first time ever, Berklee comes to Lagos with the Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme empowering Africa’s next generation of talent.”

Berklee College of Music, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music, renowned for its programmes in jazz, modern American music, and a broad range of genres including rock, hip hop, reggae and more.

In an interview with CNN, the “Ma Lo” singer explained that while Afrobeats has gained global prominence, the industry requires more structural support to remain sustainable.

“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal — but access is not,” she said.

According to CNN, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is designed to bridge that access gap.

Beyond supporting vocalists and performers, the foundation will also focus on producers, composers, sound engineers and music business professionals — areas Savage considers critical to building a durable creative economy across Africa.

The foundation’s first major project, tagged Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, will see Berklee faculty travel to Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026, to host a fully funded four-day training for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators.

The programme marks Berklee’s first-ever event in West Africa.

Savage underscored the impact of short, focused training, saying, “You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to.”

With the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and the forthcoming intensive programme in Lagos, the award-winning singer is now seeking to extend that same opportunity to the next generation — shifting from building global acclaim to building sustainable structures at home.

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Spider-Man Voice Actor Alexis Ortega Dies at 38

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Mexican voice actor of Spider-Man, Alexis Ortega, has died at 38, according to a report by World Dubbing News.

The platform said: “We regret to announce the sensitive passing of voice actor Alexis Ortega, we send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in this difficult time.”

The cause of death was not disclosed at the time of the announcement.

Alexis Ortega was born in Mexico in 1987 and began his career in 2013 as an onscreen actor and voice performer. He later became widely known for dubbing Tom Holland’s roles in Spanish for several Marvel films, including Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War.

He also worked on multiple Disney projects, providing Spanish dubbing for films such as Big Hero 6 and Star Wars: Rogue One.

Following confirmation of Alexis Ortega’s death, fans took to social media to share tributes and memories of his work.

“Sad news. Way too young at 38. Rest in peace, Alexis,” user Ilman posted on X.

“Such sad news Alexis Ortega brought Spider-Man to life for so many fans. Rest in peace,” Rechardo wrote.

“It’s truly a loss when a talented voice brings so much life to a character we love. Alexis Ortega’s legacy will surely live on through his iconic performances,” Victor shared.

“Lives on for the rest of time with these movies for the world to know him,” Bunsan added.

Beyond voice work, Ortega appeared on screen in shows including Luis Miguel: The Series, Thursday’s Widows, El Candidato, and The House of Flowers. He also collaborated with Mr Beast, dubbing Spanish versions of the YouTuber’s videos.

Ortega’s final Instagram post, shared in November last year, showed him sitting on a couch with his dog at his home in Mexico City. He captioned the photo, ‘My doggo.’

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