INTERNATIONAL ACTS, FALLY IPUPA AND PROFESSOR JOIN ARTISTE LINEUP AT MTV ALL STARS CONCERT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Fally Ipupa (@fallyipupa01) and Professor (@professorkalawa) are the latest stars to sign up for MTV Africa All Stars KwaZulu-Natal with Snoop Lion, the urban music extravaganza staged by MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and KwaZulu-Natal Province in Durban.

MTV Africa All Stars KwaZulu-Natal is fast shaping up as the most exciting urban music event of the decade asFally Ipupa and Professor join previously announced artists Snoop Lion (@SnoopLion), 2Face(@2faceidibia), Flavour (@2niteFlavour) and Zakes Bantwini (@ZakesBantwiniSA) on the bill for the concert.  

The event is being staged at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (@MMStadium), People’s Park, in Durban on 18 May.

Charismatic Congolese star Fally Ipupa, who first made a musical impact with hits like "Eternellement" and "Ko Ko Ko Ko" alongside veteran musician Koffi Olomide, is making a rare trip to South Africa for the All Stars gig.  Ipupa made his mark as a solo artist after the 2006 release of his debut album “Droit Chemin”. His 2009 album “Arsenal de Belles Mélodies” brought him to global attention; thanks to hits like "Chaise Electrique", a bilingual love song featuring former G-Unit vocalist Olivia.  Blending a silky smooth voice with a range of music genres from soukous to ndombolo, pop and R&B, Ipupa has won legions of fans and music industry accolades. In 2010 he took home two MTV Africa Music Awards, one for Best Video ("Sexy Dance" featuring Krys) and another for Best Francophone Artist.  Ipupa recently announced that he has been signed to Universal Music France for a 3-album deal – a significant endorsement for the DRC-based singer.

Well known for his jaw-dropping beats and catchy lyrics, Durban native and South African kwaito guru Professor hit the headlines with his first solo album “University of Kalawa Jazmee”, thanks to hypnotic hits such as “Jezebel”, “Lento” and “Jimaphi” which filled club dance-floors and dominated the radio airwaves across South Africa. Recognition of his talents came at the 2011 MTN South African Music Awards, where he won Best Kwaito Album, Best Male & Record of the Year, and Professor has since been making more waves thanks to the success of his second album, “Orientation”. 

For an awesome preview of what to expect at MTV Africa All Stars, check out the highlights of the MTV Africa All Stars, airing on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) from 10 May.   Featuring high octane performances from Africa’s biggest live performers, the series takes us on an urban music odyssey from Durban (10th May @ 16.00 CAT) to Nairobi (17 May @ 16.00 CAT), before winding tour up in Lagos (24th May @ 16.00 CAT).

More than 10,000 people are expected to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime concert as Snoop Lion aka Snoop Dogg, the legendary hip hop icon turned reggae superstar, performs his greatest hits interspersed with his new, “Reincarnated” reggae-flavoured repertoire.

More details about MTV Africa All Stars KwaZulu-Natal with Snoop Lion, including additional performers, will be announced shortly.

Doors for MTV Africa All Stars KwaZulu-Natal with Snoop Lion open at 17:00 CAT on Saturday 18 May, and the first performance starts at 18:30 CAT.  

To find out more about the MTV Africa All Stars KwaZulu-Natal with Snoop Lion, please go towww.mtvbase.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified,

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Lynnsha x Fally Ipupa - Kobosana te (studio session)

Kobosana te was written by Fally Ipupa & Lynnsha. It was produced by Fally and published by Sushiraw pub. & Aztec music pub. Video filmed, edited & color graded by Kaysha @ Canon 5DmkIII / FCPX

About Lynnsha

Jordier Sophie, aka Lynnsha (born January 4, 1979 in France) is an RnB singer. She started singing at the age of five and became a backup vocalist for singers of Afro-Caribbean and French descent. She's worked with the likes of Wyclef Jean, Arsenium of Calbo and more.

About Fally Ipupa

Fally Ipupa is a singer-songwriter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was part of the band of Koffi Olomidé, Quartier Latin International, from 1999 to 2006 before starting a solo career. He's one of top rated African artists as of today.

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2face Idibia, Fally Ipupa, Teargas, D'banj & others nominated for the 2011 BET Awards

Nominees have been announced for the 2011 BET Awards! From Nicki to RiRi to Young B, Weezy to Breezy to Yeezy—they're all here, and more. Look at the 2011 BET Awards, all star-studded!

Watch for a glittering awards ceremony scheduled

to air live from LA on the BET cable channel on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET. This year's award will be hosted by ace comedian Kevin Hart. The producers have left no stone unturned to make this year's award night one to remember; the best international act category as opposed to the previous years was split into two sections: one for UK and the other for Africa. Smart move by BET! Last year's result was a bit devastating because many people assumed P Square was going to win based off the vote on BET's website. This year leaves Africa a better chance to take home the award.

Check out the 2011 nominees for the BET Awards.

Best International Act (Africa)

2Face Idibia (Nigeria)
D' Banj (Nigeria)
D-Black (Ghana)
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
Teargas (South Africa)

Best Female R&B Artist
Marsha Ambrosius
Beyoncé
Keri Hilson
Jennifer Hudson
Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Cee-Lo Green
Bruno Mars
Trey Songz
Usher

Best Group
Diddy Dirty Money
Cali Swag District
N.E.R.D.
New Boyz
Travis Porter

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Diamond
Cymphonique
Lola Monroe
Nicki Minaj

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
B.o.B
Drake
Lil Wayne
Rick Ross
Kanye West

Best Collaboration
B.o.B ft. Haley Williams of Paramore, "Airplanes"
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, "Look At Me Now"
Kanye West ft. Rihanna, "All of the Lights"
Chris Brown ft. Tyga & Kevin McCall, "Deuces"
Waka Flocka Flame ft. Roscoe Dash & Wale, "No Hands"
Rihanna ft. Drake, "What's My Name"

Best New Artist
J. Cole
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Willow Smith
Wiz Khalifa

YoungStars Award
Shenell Edmonds
Keke Palmer
Diggy Simmons
Jaden Smith
Willow Smith

Video of the Year
"Far Away" Marsha Ambrosius
"Airplanes" B.o.B ft. Hayley Williams of Paramore
"Look At Me Now" Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
"Pretty Girl Rock", Keri Hilson
"Whip My Hair" Willow Smith
"Runaway" Kanye West ft. Pusha T

Best Gospel
Byron Cage
Deitrick Haddon
Mary Mary
Karen Clark Sheard
BeBe & CeCe Winans

Centric Award
Marsha Ambrosius
Eric Benét
Cee-Lo Green
R. Kelly
Kem

Best International Act (UK)
VV Brown
Chipmunk
Laura Izibor
Skepta
Tinchy Stryder
Tinie Tempah

Best Actress
Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Regina King
Zoë Saldana
Kerry Washington

Best Actor
Laz Alonso
Chris Brown
Don Cheadle
Idris Elba
Jamie Foxx

Best Movie
Death at a Funeral
For Colored Girls
Takers
The Book of Eli
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, Too?

Sportswoman of the Year
Tamika Catchings
Candice Dupree
Maya Moore
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Sportsman of the Year
Carmelo Anthony
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Derrick Rose
Michael Vick

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FALLY IPUPA, 2FACE & J. MARTINS TO HEADLINE MTV LIVE EVENT IN LAGOS

FALLY IPUPA, 2FACE & J. MARTINS TO HEADLINE MTV LIVE EVENT IN LAGOS TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE CHOOSE OR LOSE CAMPAIGN

Fally Ipupa, 2FACE and J. Martins will headline the first edition of MTV Live – MTV’s new live music night that will be taking over Africa in 2011.

On Friday April 1, 2011 at Tribeca in Lagos, MTV Live will see Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa give his first full live set performance in Nigeria, showing more of the star quality that wowed music fans at MAMA 2010, Lagos, in December. Fally Ipupa will perform a stunning live set with his full band and back-up dancers, including his signature, hip-shaking sensational song ‘Sexy Dance’. Nigerian favourite 2Face, who won Best Male and Artist of the Year at MAMA 2010, will be on hand at MTV Live, showcasing the trademark blend of reggae, R&B and traditional African musical influences that has

made him Nigeria’s favourite contemporary musician.

MTV Live will also witness an on-stage reunion between J. Martins and Fally Ipupa as they reprise their 2010 collaboration on the remix of Martins’ hit Jupa Remix. The first edition of MTV Live will be themed around ‘Choose or Lose’, MTV’s voter mobilization campaign, and

is designed to inspire and empower young Nigerians to exercise their right to vote ahead of the upcoming April elections. The event will also include an opportunity to see a screening of Rep 4 Naija, the cool music video

collaboration between Nigerian musicians eLDee, Sound Sultan, Black Twang, Naeto C,D'banj and M.I..

Fally Ipupa led the winners at the third edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards with Airtel (MAMA), taking home two trophies at the music awards ceremony at the Eko Expo Hall, Lagos on 11 December 2010. Nominated in four separate categories, Ipupa scored wins forBest Video (“Sexy Dance”) and Best Francophone act. Having first made his name with Koffi Olomide’s Quartier Latin, Ipupa subsequently scaled the heights of solo success with the release of his two solo albums “Droit Chemin” (2006) and “Arsenal de Belles Melodies” (2009).

Over on the wheels of steel to keep the MTV Live beats going until dawn will be Naija’s finest DJs including DJ Humility, resident DJ at Lagos based Rhythm FM, Beat FM’s DJ Caise and Cool FM’s DJ Jimmy Jatt.

Tickets to MTV Live will be available at Tribeca, 62 Adetokunbo Ademola, Victoria Island, Lagos, priced at 5000 Naira. MTV Live is produced in association with The Beat 99.9 FM.

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FALLY IPUPA feat KRYS : SEXY DANCE

hey say it is Fally Ipupa, charming, excellent dancer w hhoas a haunting voice. " This artist is known by all to be the cornerstone of the group Quartier Latin Koffi Olomide, where he has been evolving for almost a decade.

Fally Ipupa was born in 1977 in Kinshasa (DRC), the capital of African music. Like many young people of his generation, music is first before winning his hobby as a priority in his life to the point of taking precedence over his studies. He soon discovered his gift for singing with her crystalline voice, confusing, prone to rumba and languorous songs. Therefore he will live only through and for music.

He began his musical classes in various small groups of Kinshasa (DRC) in the early 90s. Hungry for discovery and renewal, it does not drag in these groups and pass training courses, to finally find its place within a band appropriately named latent talents.

With his new teammates, he drew public attention Kinshasa, during the budding bands contest in the capital.

After this episode, Fally Ipupa works his singing and eventually attract the attention of Koffi Olomide, which he joined the orchestra (Latin Quarter) in the late 90s. The young man finally found his place and he will become a essential pillars.

For nearly 10 years, Fally Ipupa reinforces his art and expresses his talent in the "Latin Quarter" he mastered more and more writing over the band's albums. With "Forever" and "Ko Ko Ko, two major songs which he is a songwriter, Fally takes lace and grows in confidence to occupy despite his young age, the position of conductor.

The Congolese public likes nicknames and superlatives will soon nicknamed the 'DiCaprio' for its beauty, 'Anelka the most expensive transfer' to its value, or 'The Wonder' for his talent.

Fally is musically curious and greedy. His musical tastes range from classical to Hip-Hop, among its models are Marvin Gaye, Shaggy and Craig David. His influences married to his talent make it an extraordinary artist who dreams of new sounds, aspirations which are not easy to realize in a group like the Latin Quarter.

It is in the interests of artistic freedom that Fally took on the project of a solo album and personally like him and mix without difficulty expressing his creativity than his personality.

Fally is the first Congolese artist of his generation to attempt the adventure of a bivalent musical career, which combines innovation and tradition.

In short: Fally is a prodigy who lives with his time, without forgetting its roots.

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ONE8 - Hands Across the World

8 SUPERSTARS FROM ACROSS AFRICA UNITE WITH ONE MAJOR GLOBAL MEGASTAR TO FORM ONE8 – THE ALL STAR GROUP TO TAKE THE BEST IN MUSIC FROM AFRICA ONTO THE GLOBAL STAGE, CONNECTING MILLIONS OF FANS THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC

The wait is over and a music revolution has begun -after weeks of speculation ONE8 is here!

Through the power of the universal language of music and combining genres, sounds, voices and audiences - while breaking down stereotypes, geographical borders and divisions - ONE8 is the ultimate music force that is single-handedly changing the face of the African music industry.

Planet music is the playground for ONE8 as the hottest African talent from eight major African countries joins forces to create an African supergroup unlike anything seen before.

The power and excitement around this collective of African stars is so big that ONE8 was joined by the biggest names in music and music video production in the world for its first single and video - R Kelly (USA), 2face Idibia (Nigeria), 4x4(Ghana), Alikiba, (Tanzania) Amani (Kenya), Fally Ipupa (Congo), JK (Zambia), Movaizhaleine (Gabon) and Navio (Uganda).

This all star group ONE8 is produced and managed by the first major pan-African record label and 360 music company, ROCKSTAR4000 within the family of the world’s number 1 recording company Sony Music. Sony Music has delivered some of music’s biggest icons and pioneers and boasts a vast catalog of some of the most important recordings in the history of music including the likes of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, R Kelly, Alicia Keys, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Santana, Shakira and Kings of Leon to name a few. ONE8 is destined for greatness, shattering perceptions about African music as it builds networks and excitement across the pan-African music landscape and across the world.

ONE8 is not only just another all-star lineup, but is a progressive, digital media driven project. It’s driven by the passion of the artists to not only allow their fans access around the clock, but to give them the freedom to escape from their every day challenges and empowering their fans to be whatever they want to be through the power of music and the digital world - connecting them across cities, borders and continents.

All the artists have worked together to create a song that is a truly Pan-African creation.

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Banky W, Teargas, Fally Ipupa & Daddy Owen rock MAMA

BANKY W, TEARGAS, FALLY IPUPA, & DADDY OWEN TO ROCK

THE MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS WITH ZAIN IN LAGOS

Change is in the air as MTV and Zain lock down Banky W, Fally Ipupa, Teargas and Daddy Owen to deliver a series of spine-tingling live performances at the upcoming MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA). The four artists are the first performers to be announced for the 2010 edition of the Awards, which take place on Saturday 11 December 2010 at the Eko EXPO Hall, Lagos, Nigeria.

Smooth R&B artist Banky W is the first Nigerian artist booked to perform at this year’s show, while South African outfit Teargas will be representing the best of South African Hip Hop on their MAMA debut. Kenya’s Daddy Owen will make his mark as the first ever Gospel singer to perform at the MAMA Awards, showcasing the unique Gospel vibe that’s successfully made the cross-over into the mainstream music consciousness. Congolese star Fally Ipupa makes his second appearance at MAMA, after his exciting collaboration with Mozambique’s Lizha James and Uganda’s Blu3 at MAMA 2009 in Kenya.

Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, “Banky W, Teargas, Fally Ipupa and Daddy Owen are all thrilling performers that epitomize the awesome spirit and passion of contemporary African musicians. Their involvement in this year’s awards is sure to guarantee that 2010 will be the most creatively inspiring and exciting MAMA event so far.”

Commented Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Africa, “Music in all its genres or origins strikes a chord with our continent as it provides a platform to express ourselves at each turn in our daily lives. The choice of the performers at the 2010 edition shows an excellent choice of musicians with a wide appeal in the continent."

The “crown prince” of African R&B, Banky W is the stage name of Olubankole Wellington, whose ultra-smooth voice, writing and production skills and uncanny showmanship and dance skills have catapulted him into the contemporary music spotlight. Born in the United States to Nigerian parents, Banky moved to Nigeria, West Africa at the tender age of 5, getting access for the first time to the traditional African music and rhythms that are deeply rooted in his sound and which form the basis of huge hits such as Lagos Party and Strong Ting. Using his everyday struggles as a source of inspiration for his music, Banky has gained an army of followers around the world thanks to his heartfelt lyrics, larger-than-life presence and mesmerising live show, and has won numerous awards including the Urban Independent Music Award for R&B/Soul, The Nigerian Entertainment Award, and the highly coveted songwriting award from the John Lennon Foundation.

Charismatic South African Hip Hop trio Teargas is made up of Ntokozo “K.O.” Mdluli and two brothers: Ezee “Ma-E” Hanabe and Bantu “Ntukza” Hanabe. Five years after their critically-acclaimed debut album “K’shubile K’bovu”, Teargas is riding high on the success of their third album “Dark Or Blue”, which was released at the end of 2009, spawning a host of hit singles including “Go Away”, “Party 101” and “Mhlobo Wami” and winning them Best Rap Album at the 2010 South African Music Awards.

Bringing his uplifting, Gospel-fusion sound to MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain, Daddy Owen is the self-appointed creator of “Kapungala“ - a jubilant mash-up of Gospel with Kenyan genres Kapuka and Lingala. Daddy Owen has already enjoyed an amazing 2010, receiving massive radio airplay for hit tracks Tobina and Kiriro, and sweeping the boards at the 2010 Groove Awards, East Africa’s annual celebration of Gospel music, where he took home gongs for Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year (“System ya Kapungala”), Video of the Year (“Kiriro”), Central Song of the Year and Collabo of the Year (“Kiriro” – Daddy Owen ft Allan Aaron & Kerah).

Fally Ipupa, nicknamed “Dicap La Merveille” (DiCaprio the marvellous) by his Congolese fans, is riding high as one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s most successful music exports. A silky-smooth voice, skilful songwriting skills and a larger–than-life personality that have made Ipupa a hit in Africa and on the international music scene, reaching the hearts of many with his infectious blend of soukous, ndombolo, pop and R&B.

Teargas said, “We are truly honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to perform at one of Africa’s biggest ceremonies and to reach our fans in the rest of Africa, and the world. We’d be lying if we weren’t a little nervous about being told that more than one billion people might be watching! We’re interested to see which other great African artists we’ll be collaborating with.”

Known for its awe-inspiring staging, exhilarating music and gripping musical collaborations, the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain was created in 2008 to recognise and reward Africa’s finest contemporary musicians. Past winners have included Amani (BEST FEMALE 2009), Nameless (BEST MALE/LISTENER’S CHOICE 2009), Samini (BEST PERFORMER 2009), P Square (BEST GROUP 2009), Zebra & Giraffe (BEST ALTERNATIVE ACT 2009), M.I. (BEST HIP HOP/BEST NEW ACT 2009), 2FACE (BEST R&B), D’BANJ (ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2008/2009), HHP (BEST VIDEO 2009) and LUCKY DUBE (MAMA LEGEND 2009).

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

Following Bharti Airtel’s acquisitions of Zain’s operations across Africa, plans are underway to rebrand Zain to Airtel. This is a huge exercise that will positively impact ongoing partnerships such as MTV Africa Music awards with Zain. The expected change in brand will be communicated appropriately. As such, the Zain identity and brand will continue to be used for an interim period.

The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain is open to all soloists or groups who have received airplay on MTV base or MTV during the qualifying period (30 June 2009 to 31 August 2010) including artists from: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Comores, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The nominations for the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain will be revealed in November 2010.

For further information please contact:

MTV Networks Africa

Alison Reid Nike Fagbule

Communications Director BHM Ltd

Alison.reid@mtvne.com nike@bhmng.com

+33 385 596771 +234 808 247 7059

Zain Africa Zain Nigeria

Michael Okwiri Emeka Oparah

Head of Corporate Communications Head of Corporate Communications

Airtel Africa Zain Nigeria

Michael.Okwiri@africaairtel.com Emeka.oparah@ng.zain.com

+254 734 111379 +234 802 222 1120

About MTV Networks Africa

MTV Networks Africa is Africa’s leading provider of multi-platform music, youth and kids’ entertainment, reaching in excess of 90 million viewers via a combination of pay-TV, terrestrial and CATV distributors, including DStv, Daarsat, STV, DBN, TBC1, WBS and Clouds TV. MTV Networks Africa comprises four TV channels and two websites, representing MTV base, MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon across sub-Saharan Africa. MTV Networks Africa is part of MTVNI’s Emerging Markets Group, one of the fastest growing regions in the company’s portfolio of multi-platform businesses. The Emerging Markets Group manages 29 television channels, 30 websites, one video portal and four mobile TV channels encompassing the MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, VIVA and Comedy Central and COLORS brands in Central & Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East and India. Additionally, the Emerging Markets portfolio includes MTVNHD, MTVNI’s first international high definition channel dedicated to music and kids which is operated by the Emerging Markets Group of behalf of MTVNI. MTVNI is owned by Viacom Inc (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

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