Amid Covid Restrictions
By Robert Serge Saint-Pé
The 2020 MTN Liberia Music Awards (MLMA) on Saturday, November 14th, produced a lot of new winners, performances, occurrences and had a huge controversy. The award ceremony looked a bit different from previous years, primarily due to the COVID-19 preventive measures.
The organizers had a restricted amount of attendees in order to follow preventive health procedures. Attendants were required to wear nose masks, observe sanitizing methods and had their temperatures taken before entering the venue. The Ministerial Complex hosted the MLMA for the second year in a row and, even with a necessarily low attendance, still featured buzzworthy performances from artists, such as Boifaty, who brought the party on stage, which followed a zombie choreography by Trillie’s dancers, a tribute performance of Quincy B’s Mr. All The Time by Jzyno, and later a dramatic performance by Kpanto, who took off his trousers on stage while performing his hit song “Take Off Trouser”.
The list of performing artists also featured gospel sensational musician Paul Harding, CO.Z the Kamikaze rapper, Stunna, Faithvonic of Africa, TeddyRide, ‘The Boy To Love To’, Eric Geso ‘The Stage Killer’, and had a classical ending of performances by Lucky Bucky and MightyBlow.
The star-studded ceremony was themed “Next Level” and was hosted by Rickslyn Myers for the third consecutive time, co-hosted by Cypha D’King, while the red carpet was represented by Alpha X’Mas Bah. The ceremony also had big names in the building such as LMA founder, Boakai Boley; Lonestar Cell MTN C.M.O, Yaw Agyapong; entertainer and political aspirant DJ Blue; Barkue Tubman-Zawolo, an entrepreneur and entertainment executive turned international consultant; along with former Minister of Information and Tourism, now Commissioner of Liberia Maritime Authority, Eugene Nagbe and his wife, who both presented the award to J. Slught for album (EP) of the year, Home & Beyond.
The award ceremony also included C.E.O of Royal Grand Hotel, Helen Eid Hariz who, alongside Grace Weah (alias Master Queen), awarded Kpanto with Hip-Co/Trap-Co Artiste of the year.
For the categories, TeddyRide led with nine nominations, while Eric Geso and J.Slught were tied on six nominations. Jyzno made history at the MLMA by being a new comer with five nominations, a dream come true for most new artistes, while MC Caro set a record for being the first female to be nominated for artiste of the year. In addition to the historical event, Spesh D DJ won Deejay of the year for the second time in a row, while Nuchie Meek won his first MLMA.
The 2020 MLMA nomination panel was headed by renowned broadcast executive Chris Wolo amongst others, who judged 22 categories. These individuals were said by MTN’s communication director to have compiled the nominees recommended by deejays, producers, promoters, and other key industry stakeholders. The categories of producer and video director of the year were decided by board members, while additional 18 categories were based on online and SMS votes (40%), and nominations board (60%). Each of the board members votes were counted as 10% out of 60%.
Even with all of the voting methods and procedures put in place, the videographer of the year received major criticism. The majority of the fans believe that a Ghanaian videographer should not have been added to the nominees, let alone win the award. Brian Ohene directed videos such as “Baby” by C.I.C featuring L.Drez and “Oh Wow” by Eric Geso, which were both nominated for videos of the year. The next day Jackie Russ, who was the favorite to win the award, posted a congratulatory note on his social media accounts to Brian Ohene and J.Slught for respectively winning videographer of the year and album of the year. Jackie Russ of Massive Media is also a versatile artiste who was nominated for the album of the year with his 22 songs project, Magic SZN.
The event showed that there is love amongst Liberian entertainers as Faithvonic embraced MC Caro after the latter was announced as the female artiste of the year. TeddyRide also had an emotional award dedication to his mother after winning Afro Pop Artiste of the year with his single, ‘Pray for Me’, which he claimed was written as a tribute to his mother’s care and support.
Afodoe, Kpando’s producer, gave a motivational speech about upcoming artists sticking up with their managements and not following just anyone for the sake of money. He claimed that Kpanto’s success would not have been the same if the “Fluckor” artiste had left him for a bigger management team.
The ceremony also awarded former CEO of Lib Records and President of Liberia Music Union, Sammy Gbogay, with the Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution towards Liberian music since the end of the civil war.
Refreshments of the event were catered by Liberian restaurant, Ma Ju’s & Burger Spot along with services provided by Royal Hotel’s restaurant.
Below is the full list of winners at the 2020 MLMA:
– International Artiste of The Year
*. Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Shatta Wale (Ghana)
Joeboy (Nigeria)
Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
Davido (Nigeria)
– Hip Co Trap Co Song of The Year
Ur Mouth – Angel Michael Ft. Barsee Mokopala Kiloda
*Don’t Ask Me – MC Caro
I Eat Your Jue – Kpanto
Hip Co / Trap Co – Barsee Mokopala Kiloda Ft. JB
Ali Bomaye – Nuchie Meek
– Afro Pop Song of The Year
Chocolate – Nuchie Meek Ft. C.I.C
*Kpan Kpan Me – Jzyno Ft. TeddyRide
Can’t Get Enough – C-Jay
I Do – J. Slught
Engine Oil – Stunna Ft. Barsee Mokopala Kiloda
– Reggae /Dancehall Artiste of The Year
*Baka Ex
Beenieking BS2
Black-1 Black Diamond
AK Feeling Man
Nasseman
– Hip Hop Artiste of The Year
*CO.Z
Scientific
Foreign Ward
Tito Gee
Owezzy
– Producer of The Year
*Kellz Beat
J. Slught
Flexx Beatz
Stone Luck Shine
Duke Blac
Afodoe
Smykid
Lil Jay
– Gospel Artiste of the year
Sayon Mayson
David Mell
Jesse Pratt
*Princess Snowe Yancy
Bewill Smith
– Traditional / Gbema Artiste of The Year
*Eric Geso
Kzee Bigname
Mz Menneh
Fullest 4
– Afro Pop Artiste of The Year
Eric Geso
*TeddyRide
Stunna
J Slught
C. Jay
– Video Director of The Year
*Brian Ohene
Lolly Ox
Jackie Russ
Kenzo
– DJ of The Year
*Spesh D DJ
DJ Nelly
DJ Jamz
DJ Mo
DJ Shine D Beast
– Album of The Year
*Home & Beyond – J Slught
Love Letters & Heartbreak – Stunna
Kra Kay 1 – Barsee Mocopala Kiloda
Esco Vibes – Nuchie Meek
Magic SZN – Jackie Russ
– Hip Co & Trap Co Artiste
Nuchie Meek
MC Caro
Barsee Mokopala Kiloda
*Kpanto
LIB Foreign
JB D General
– Song of The Year
*Zombie – Trille ft. DenG
Pray For Me – TeddyRide ft. DJ Blue
Kpan Kpan Me – Jzyno ft. TeddyRide
Take off Trouser – Kpanto
Oh Wow – Eric Geso
Thank You (Merci Beaucoup) – Boifatty
– Video of The Year
*Chocolate by Nuchie Meek Ft. C.I.C
Can’t Get Enough – C. Jay
Baby – CIC ft. L. Drez
Oh Wow – Eric Geso
Medicine – Bucky Raw
– Male Artiste of The Year
TeddyRide
Boifatty
*Kpanto
Eric Geso
J Slught
– Female Artiste of the Year
*MC Caro
Faithvonic
Pillz
Mai Myers
Da Vero
Raquel Hage
– New Artiste of The Year
*Trillie
Jzyno
Lavien
Star-Paf
CY
Raquel Hage
– Collaboration of The Year
Chocolate – Nuchie Meek ft. CIC
Kpan Kpan Me – Jzyno ft. TeddyRide
*Zombie – Trille ft. DenG
Pray For Me – TeddyRide ft. DJ Blue
DuDu – MC Caro Ft. Christoph
– Outstanding Achievement Award
Tamba Hali
– Life Time Achievement Awards
Sammy Gbogay
Former CEO of Lib Records and President of Liberia Music Union
– Artiste of The Year
*Eric Geso
MC Caro
TeddyRide
Kpanto
Boifatty J Slught
