African Muzik Magazine Awards 2021: All the winners

Now in their eighth edition, the AFRIMMAs celebrate African music and its artists while spotlighting the continent’s music on the world stage. The 2021 iteration was run under the theme, Flavors of Africa, in partnership with YouTube Music and as part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

The awards show was livestreamed on YouTube from Dallas, US, with performances from Sauti Sol (Kenya), Ladipoe (Nigeria), Focalistic (South Africa), Soweto’s Finest (South Africa), Ruger (Nigeria), Toofan (Togo), DJ Tarico (Mozambique), Zuchu (Tanzania) and Nandy (Tanzania).

On a night dominated by West African acts, Wizkid continued his 2021 winning streak and emerged as the biggest winner of the night. He swept the trophies for Song of the Year, Crossing Boundaries With Music, and Artist of the Year. Congolese soukous star Awilo Logomba was awarded the AFRIMMA Legendary Award. 

Other notable winners included Flavour, whose ‘Berna’ won the AFRIMMA Video of the Year, and Sauti Sol, who were adjudged Best African Group. 

Below is the full list of winners: 

Song of the Year

• ‘Ke Star (Remix)’ – Focalistic and Davido 
• ‘Feeling’ – Ladipoe (featuring Buju) 
• ‘Kua Buaru’ – Calema (featuring Perola, Soraia Ramos and Manecas Costa)
• ‘Yaba Buluku’ – DJ Tarico and Burna Boy 
• ‘Le Temps’ – Tayc 
• ‘Coming’ – Naira Marley and Busiswa 
• ‘Essence (Remix)’ – Wizkid (featuring Tems and Justin Bieber) 
• ‘Niko Sawa’ – Nviiri The Storyteller (featuring Bien) 

Best Collaboration

• ‘Ke Star (Remix)’ – Focalistic and Davido 
• ‘Dieu Merci’ Dadju –  (featuring Tiskola) 
• ‘Berna’ – Flavour (featuring Diamond Platnumz and Fally Ipupa) 
• ‘Yaba Buluku’ – DJ Tarico and Burna Boy 
• ‘Cash App’ – Bella Shmurda and Zlatan 
• ‘Coming’ – Naira Marley and Busiswa 
• ‘Waah’ – Diamond Platnumz (featuring Koffi Olomide) 
• ‘Leggo’ – Serge Ibaka and Tayc  

Best Male West Africa

• Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)
• KiDi (Ghana)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Wally Seck (Senegal)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)

Best Female West Africa

• Adina (Ghana)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Zeynab Habib (Benin)
• Simi (Nigeria) 
• Yasmine (Guinea Bissau)
• Dior Mbaye (Senegal)
• MzVee (Ghana)
• Tems (Nigeria)

Best Newcomer

• Yaw Tog (Ghana)
• Ruger (Nigeria) 
• Black Sheriff (Ghana)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Kamo Mphela (South Africa)
• Nviiri The Storyteller (Kenya)
• Busta 929 (South Africa)

Artist of the Year

• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Fally Ipupa (Congo)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Wizkid (Nigeria) 
• Aya Nakamura (Mali/France)
• ElGrande Toto (Morocco)
• Tayc (Cameroon)
• Dadju (Congo)

Best Male East Africa

• Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) 
• Ali Kiba (Tanzania)
• The Ben (Rwanda)
• Khaligraph Jones (Kenya)
• Gildo Kassa (Ethiopia)
• Otile Brown (Kenya)
• Meddy (Rwanda)

Best Female East Africa

• Nadia Mukami (Kenya)
• Vinka (Uganda)
• Zuchu (Tanzania)
• Nandy (Tanzania) 
• Sheebah Karungi (Uganda)
• Nikita Kering (Kenya)
• Tanasha Donna (Kenya)
• Knowless Butera (Rwanda)

Best Male Central Africa

• Gaz Mawete (Congo)
• Innoss’B (Congo)
• Tayc (Cameroon)
• Fally Ipupa (Congo) 
• Dadju (Congo)
• Salatiel (Cameroon)
• Calema (Sao Tome)
• Ko–C (Cameroon)

Best Female Central Africa

• Coco Argentée (Cameroon)
• Shan’L (Gabon)
• Daphne (Cameroon)
• Mayra Andrade (Cape Verde)
• Liloca (Mozambique)
• Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
• Mimie (Cameroon) 
• Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)

Best Male Southern Africa

• Focalistic (South Africa) 
• Slapdee (Zambia)
• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• Shimza (South Africa)
• Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
• The Dogg (Namibia)
• Sjava (South Africa)
• Anselmo Ralph (Angola)

Best African Group

• Toofan (Togo)
• Calema (Sao Tome)
• Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• Blaq Diamond (South Africa)
• Chelsy and Nsoki (Angola)
• Mi Casa (South Africa)
• B2C (Kampala Boys) (Uganda)
• The Cavemen (Nigeria)

Crossing Boundaries With Music Award

• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Aya Nakamura (Mali/France)
• Dave (Nigeria/UK)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
• Headie One (Ghana/UK)
• S. Pri Noir (Guinea Bissau/France)
• Tems (Nigeria)
• Dadju (Congo)

Best Gospel

• Mercy Chinwo (Nigeria)
• Joe Mettle (Ghana)
• Miguel Buila (Angola)
• Icha Kavons (Congo)
• Diana Hamilton (Ghana)
• DJ Kerozen (Ivory Coast)
• Tim Godfrey (Nigeria)
• Sinach (Nigeria)

Best Male North Africa

• ElGrande Toto (Morocco) 
• Balti (Tunisia)
• Hamaki (Egypt)
• Saad Lamjarred (Morocco)
• Soolking (Algeria)
• Mouh Milano (Algeria)
• Akram Hosny (Egypt)

AFRIMMA Video of the Year

• ‘Berna’ – Flavour (featuring Diamond Platnumz and Fally Ipupa) 
• ‘Le Temps’ – Tayc 
• ‘Hustle’ –Teni 
• ‘Baddest Boss’ – MzVee 
• ‘Sukari’ – Zuchu 
• ‘Kelebe’ – Rayvanny and Innoss’B 
• ‘Bounce’ – Rema 
• ‘Essence’ – Wizkid (featuring Tems) 

Music Producer of the Year

• Kimamba (Tanzania)
• P. Priime (Nigeria) 
• S2Kizzy (Tanzania)
• Salatiel (Cameroon)
• London (Nigeria)
• Mr JazziQ (South Africa)
• Richie Mensah (Ghana)
• DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)

Best African Dancer

• Poco Lee (Nigeria)
• Henry Le Sheriff (Cameroon)
• La Petite Zota (Ivory Coast)
• Masaka Kids Africana (Uganda)
• Sayrah Chips (Nigeria)
• Angel Nyigu (Tanzania)
• Soweto’s Finest (South Africa) 
• Incredible Zigi (Ghana)

Best Francophone

• Dadju (Congo)
• Toofan (Togo) 
• Wally B. Seck (Senegal)
• Tayc (Cameroon)
• Innoss’B (Congo)
• Aya Nakamura (Mali/France)
• Tenor (Cameroon)
• Gaz Mawete (RDC)

Best Male Rapper

• Olamide (Nigeria) 
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Moobers (Angola)
• Nasty C (South Africa)
• Khaligraph Jones (Kenya)
• Fik Fameica (Uganda)
• Phyno (Nigeria)
• Yanga Chief (South Africa)

Best Female Rapper

• Nadia Nakai (South Africa)
• Sampa the Great (Zambia)
• Rosa Ree (Tanzania)
• Bomb$hell Grenade (Zambia) 
• Askia – Cameroon
• Eno Barony (Ghana)
• Muthoni Drummer Queen (Kenya)
• Ms Banks (Nigeria)

Best Video Director

• Dr Nkeng Stephens (Cameroon)
• Deska Torres (Kenya)
• TG Omori (Nigeria)
• David Duncan (Ghana)
• Sasha Vybz (Uganda)
• Director Kenny (Tanzania) 
• Dammy Twitch (Nigeria)
• Ofentse Mwase (South Africa)

Best Female Southern Africa

• DBN Gogo (South Africa)
• Ammara Brown (Zimbabwe)
• Lady Du (South Africa)
• Shashl (Zimbabwe)
• Sally Boss Madam (Namibia)
• Gemma Griffiths (Zimbabwe)
• Elaine (South Africa) 
• Edmazia (Angola)

Best Live Act 

• Flavour (Nigeria)
• Sauti Sol (Kenya)
• Stonebwoy (Ghana)
• Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Fally Ipupa (Congo)
• Focalistic (South Africa)

Best Female North Africa

• Souhila Ben Lachhab (Algeria)
• Emel (Tunisia)
• Marwa Loud (Morocco)
• Sandy (Egypt)
• Latifa (Tunisia)
• Ruby (Egypt)
• Najoua Belyzel (Morocco)
• Asma Lamnawar (Morocco)

Best DJ Africa

• DJ Spinall (Nigeria)
• DJ Zinhle (South Africa)
• DJ Dollar (Senegal)
• DJ Soupamodel (Nigeria)
• DJ Big N (Nigeria)
• Major League DJz (South Africa)
• DJ Kess (Ghana)
• DJ Moh Spice (Kenya)

Best African DJ USA

• DJ Ecool (Nigeria)
• DJ Shinski (Kenya)
• Dj Buka (Nigeria)
• DJ Moh (Ivory Coast)
• DJ Tunez (Nigeria)
• DJ Akua (Ghana)
• DJ K Meta (Ethiopia)
• DJ Oreo (Nigeria)

Best Lusophone

• Matias Damasio (Angola)
• Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
• Anselmo Ralph (Angola)
• Mayra Andrade (Cape Verde)
• Calema (Sao Tome)
• C4 Pedro (Angola)
• Prodigio (Angola)
• Paulo Flores (Angola)

 Personality of the Year 

• Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (Nigeria)
• Boity Thulo (South Africa)
• Do2tun (Nigeria)
• Serwa Amihere (Ghana)
• Konnie Toure (Ivory Coast)
• Afonso Quintas (Angola)
• James Onen (Uganda)
• Jamal Gaddafi (Kenya)