Cameroonian rapper, Askia, aka Mami Bakala, has won the Best Female Rap Act at this year’s African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA). This was her first international award in her eight years in music.
The AFRIMMA 2023 award ceremony took place on September 17 at the prestigious Meyerson Symphony Centre in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Announcing Askia’s victory on its Instagram handle today, AFRIMMA indicated that she bagged the award thanks to her song “Ngarma”, which featured Mr. Leo. This was Askia’s breakthrough after she failed to win during previous nominations.
Mami Bakala beat several nominees in the same award category this year to emerge victorious. Among them were Nata from Sierra Leone; Femi One from Kenya; Eno Barony from Ghana; Rosa Ree from Tanzania; Feli Nuna from Ghana; and Ami Yerewolo from Mali.
“Good morning, My Askians. We Won… BEST FEMALE RAP ACT… Thank you, guys, for voting. This one is loud,” Askia wrote on her Facebook handle.
Also, US-based Cameroonian singer Libianca emerged from the AFRIMMA awards with the Best Female Central Africa award.
This added to many other awards the 22-year-old has received since she released the song ‘People’.
The song has hit 189 million views on YouTube since it was released in January and was recently certified Platinum in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
Congolese star musician, Fally Ipupa, also won the AFRIMMA Video of the Year award for the song “Garde de Couer,” which featured renowned Cameroonian singer, Charlotte Dipanda.
Nigerian artists claimed a chunk of the AFRIMMA awards, with Rema receiving the Artist of the Year award while Davido’s “Unavailable” won the Song of the Year award.
Still in Nigeria, rapper Blaqbonez got the Best Male Rapper award; Flavor was recognised with the Best Live Act award; Patoranking bagged the Best Reggae/Dancehall award; and the Best Collaboration went to Spyro and Tiwa Savage’s “Who’s Your Guy?”
In other awards, the famous Ugandan dance troupe, Ghetto Kids, received the Best African Dancers award; Congolese gospel singer Mike Kalambay earned the Best Gospel award; and Egyptian singer Ruby won the Best Female North Africa award.
The AFRIMMA award ceremony was a three-day event that included the AFRIMMA Fashion Show, AFRIMMA Pre-Party, and AFRIMMA Music Panel speaking engagement.
