African music stars will perform to honour three of Africa’s renowned music legends, Manu Dibango, King Sunny Ade and Papa Wemba, at this year’s All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, on Sunday, November 6 at Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos.
In partnership with the African Union Commission, AUC, and the support of the Official Host City, Lagos State, AFRIMA 2016 grand awards ceremony is preceded by The AFRIMA Music Village on Friday November 4, 2016, a non-stop music concert with over 40 African artistes performing live at the Waterfront, Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“Contemporary African stars will be pledging their loyalty to these grassroot legends of African music to show the beauty of their music through outstanding performances on stage during the AFRIMA awards,” said President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada, describing the three music icons as the ‘voices of African music and the epitome of Africanness.’
“It is also a means of showing the younger generation that they can connect to music made by older generations of artistes and use this to unite the world through music.”
Some of the top African artistes billed to honour the legacy of the three African legends include: Kiss Daniel (Nigeria); Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania); Brymo (Nigeria); Wax Dey (Cameroon); Seyi Shay (Nigeria); FallyIpupa (DRC), YemiAlade (Nigeria); Victoria Kimani (Kenya); Tiwa Savage (Nigeria); Aramide (Nigeria); Niniola (Nigeria); YCee (Nigeria); TJAN (Nigeria) and Flavour (Nigeria) among others.
Eighty two year-old Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphone player Manu Dibango, nicknamed ‘The Lion of Cameroon’, is recognised for developing a music style fusing jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music. His song “Soul Makossa” has influenced several music hits, including Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin”, as well as his recording of that song with Akon, the Fugees’ “Cowboys”, and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” and Comedian Eddie Murphy in his 1982 parody song “Boogie in your butt”.
Artiste-in-Residence at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and two-time Grammy award nominee, known for his pioneering of modern world music.
And Papa Wemba, the late iconic musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who died at age 67 on April 24, 2016 during a stage performance in Cote d’Ívoire, also pioneered a blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds which became one of Africa’s most popular music styles. Dubbed the ‘King of Rhumba Rock’, Papa Wemba was also a fashion icon who popularised the La Sape look and style through his musical group Viva la Musica, with whom he performed on stages throughout the world.
Meanwhile, public voting continues on AFRIMA website.
