Nadia Mukami was pitted against the queen of Bongo music Zuchu at the 2023 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMAs) and she emerged victorious.
The songbird was the only Kenyan artiste to win at the just concluded Afrimma award gala that was held in Dallas, Texas, US on Sunday, September 17, 2023.
Kenya had received five nomination nods for the Afrimma awards but only won in one category where Nadia Mukami floored music giants to emerge victorious.
Mukami had been pitted against music heavyweights such as Zuchu and Nandy in the Best Female East Africa category.
The Kenyan singer without fear of contradiction gladly accepted her new title ‘Queen of East Africa’.
“The Biggest celebration: THE WEIGHT LOSS🙏 I feel like God’s Favorite because I really struggled for months and I hated music videos and pictures in General! I thank God for his unconditional love and always giving me 3 things! Grace, Mercy & Favor. Queen of the East is my New Name Now🇰🇪 Thank you @afrimma,” Nadia Mukami wrote.
Diamond Platnumz won Best Male East Africa category even as his sweetheart Zuchu was floored by Nadia Mukami.
Interestingly, slain South African rapper AKA was feted posthumously at the Afrimma award gala as he won Best Male Southern Africa category.
Congolese singer Fally Ipupa emerged as the biggest winner at Afrimma 2023 as he won Best Francophone as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Below is the full list of Afrimma winners:
Artist of the Year
- Asake – Nigeria
- Fally Ipupa – DR Congo
- Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
- Burna Boy– Nigeria
- Rema – Nigeria (winner)
- SoolKing – Algeria
- Aya Nakamura – Mali
- Davido – Nigeria
Best Male West Africa
- Adekunle Gold – Nigeria
- Black Sherif – Ghana
- Bnxn – Nigeria
- Santrinos Raphael – Togo
- Asake – Nigeria
- Didi B – Côte d’Ivoire
- King Promise – Ghana (winner)
- Tonton Pal – Mali
- Omah Lay – Nigeria
Best Female West Africa
- Ammarae – Ghana
- Tems – Nigeria
- Josey – Côte d’Ivoire
- Manamba Kante – Guinea
- Ayra Starr – Nigeria (winner)
- Gyakie – Ghana
- Tiwa Savage – Nigeria
- Fatoumata Diawara – Mali
Best Male East Africa
- Lij Michael – Ethiopia
- Nyashinski – Kenya
- Eddy Kenzo – Uganda
- Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania (winner)
- Mbosso – Tanzania
- Bien – Kenya
- Harmonize – Tanzania
- Meddy – Rwanda
- Single Dee – South Sudan
Best Female East Africa
- Maua Sama – Tanzania
- Nadia Mukami – Kenya (winner)
- Zuchu – Tanzania
- Azawi– Uganda
- Nikita Kering – Kenya
- Spice Diana – Uganda
- Fena Gitu – Kenya
- Nandy – Tanzania
- Hewan Gebrewold – Ethiopia
Best Male Central Africa
- T-Rex – Angola
- Fabregas – DR Congo (winner)
- TayC – Cameroon
- Fally Ipupa – DR Congo
- Calema – São Tomé
- Mic Monsta – Cameroon
- Gerilson Israel – Angola
- Djodje – Cape Verde
Best Male Southern Africa
- Costa Titch – South Africa
- DJ Tarico – Mozambique
- Macky2 – Zambia
- Musa Keys – South Africa
- DJ Maphorisa – South Africa
- Winky D – Zimbabwe
- AKA – South Africa (winner)
- Han C – Botswana
- Sjava – South Africa
Best Female Southern Africa
- Ami Faku – South Africa
- Tamy Moyo – Zimbabwe
- Mpho Sebina – Botswana
- DJ Zinhle – South Africa
- Sha Sha – Zimbabwe
- Nadia Nakai – South Africa (winner)
- Towela – Zambia
- Makhadzi – South Africa
- Tyla – South Africa
Best Newcomer
- Hewan Gebrewold – Ethiopia
- Guchi – Nigeria
- Jyzno – Liberia
- Young Jonn – Nigeria
- Lavalava – Tanzania
- Odumodu Blvck – Nigeria (winner)
- Lisandro Cuxi – Cape Verde
- Lasmid – Ghana
- Shalipopi – Nigeria
Best Gospel
- Mercy Chinwo – Nigeria
- Piesie Esther – Ghana
- Christina Shusho – Tanzania
- Miguel Buila – Angola
- Bidemi Olaoba – Nigeria
- KS Bloom – Côte d’Ivoire
- Mike Kalambay – DRC (winner)
- Joel Lwaga – Tanzania
- Pulani Maphari – South Africa
- Sumisola Agbebi Okeleye – Nigeria
Best Live Act
- Sauti Sol – Kenya
- Burna Boy – Nigeria
- Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania
- Flavour – Nigeria (winner)
- Barnaba – Tanzania
- Fally Ipupa – DR Congo
- Calema – Sao Tomé
- C4 Pedro – Angola
Best Male Rap Act
- Odumodu Black – Nigeria
- Yung Lunya – Tanzania
- Ninho – DR Congo
- Black Sherif – Ghana
- A-Reece – South Africa
- Blaqbonez – Nigeria (winner)
- Blxckie – South Africa
- Marwan Moussa – Egypt
Best Collaboration
- Mbosso ft. Costa Titch & Alfa Kat – ‘Shetani’
- Spyro x Tiwa Savage – ‘Who’s Your Guy?’ (winner)
- Davido x Musa Keys – ‘Unavailable Musa Keys’
- Rema ft. Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down Remix’
- Wegz x AshMusic – ‘Amira’
- Fally Ipupa ft. Charlotte Dipanda – ‘Garde du Coeur’
- Joshua Baraka ft. Joeboy, King Promise & Bien – ‘Nana Remix’
- Boutross ft. Juiceer Mann – ‘Angela’
Best DJ Africa
- DJ Spinall – Nigeria
- DJ Dollar – Sénégal
- Waffles – South Africa
- Ms DSF – Nigeria (winner)
- DJ Danni Gato – Cape Verde
- DJ Faculty – Ghana
- DJ Nelasta– Angola
- Major League DJz – South Africa
- DJ Consequence – Nigeria
Best African DJ USA
- DJ Nani – Nigeria
- DJ Akua – Ghana
- DJ Prince – Nigeria
- DJ Shinski – Kenya
- DJ Birame BB l’amour – Côte d’Ivoire
- DJ Yas Meen Selectress – Egypt
- Lex and Answer – Zimbabwe
- DJ Freshy K– Nigeria (winner)
Music Producer of the Year
- C4 Pedro – Angola
- Andre Vibez – Nigeria
- 207 – Uganda
- Ayo Lizzer – Tanzania
- Magicstickz – Nigeria
- MOGBeatz – Ghana
- Kabza De Small – South Africa
- Maajabu Gospel – DRC (winner)
- London – Nigeria
Best Francophone
- Fally Ipupa – DR Congo (winner)
- Serge Beynaud – Côte d’Ivoire
- Josey – Côte d’Ivoire
- Wally B. Seck – Sénégal
- TayC – Cameroon
- Innos B – DR Congo
- Tenor – Cameroon
- Dadju – DR Congo
Best African Group
- Disco Misr – Egypt
- Sauti Sol – Kenya
- Calema – São Tomé
- The Cavemen – Nigeria
- Show Dem Camp – Nigeria
- Toofan – Togo (winner)
- Jano Band – Ethiopia
- Mafikizolo – South Africa
AFRIMMA Album of the Year
- Davido – Timeless (winner)
- AKA – Mass Country
- Ammarae – Fountain Baby
- Fatoumata Diawara – London Ko
- Stonebwoy – 5th Dimension
- Asake – Work of Art
- Nomfundo Moh – Ugcobo
- Omah Lay – Boy Alone Deluxe
Lifetime Achievement Award
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo) and Timaya (Nigeria)
AFRIMMA Legendary Awartd
Kcee – Nigeria
