Wizkid
Sensational Nigerian act, Wizkid was not in Los Angeles to accept his award, nonetheless scooping his third BET by beating other African hopefuls, AKA and Babes Wodumo, Stoneboy among others.
South Africans came up short at this year’s International BET Awards as Nigeria, Tanzania and the United Kingdom dominated with Singer Songwriter Wizkid scooping the Best International Act from Africa, an award won by South Africa’s DJ Black Coffee last year.
Meanwhile, Yvonne Chaka Chaka got a standing ovation as she accepted the Global Good award for her decades long work in the humanitarian sphere.
The International Ceremony is recorded live and included in Sunday night’s main event.
While not everyone scooped the highest accolades, victory was celebrated for being nominated in the first place.
Twenty-year old Nasty C from Durban told us it was an honour to have been nominated.
“Wizkid congratulations, it’s for Africa, you took it home man, I’m proud of you. Everyone that’s coming up you just got to keep your head up, thick skin, just keep working, keep on your toes, keep it up.”
Tanzania’s Ray Vanny won the Africa Viewer’s Choice Award.
Vanny says, “This means a lot to me, I’m feeling so good, I’m very grateful for that, I didn’t expect to get this so I thanks my fans and everybody who voted for me and everybody who support Ray Van.”
With questions being raised as to why the International ceremony continues to be held separately from Sunday’s main event a matter, Alex Okosi, the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa said:
“The reality is that the BET awards was always a US show, I think it’s great that it’s evolved into having international categories, as you know at a lot of awards shows, there’s a lot of US categories that would not be in the main show in terms of being accepted on the main show. So for us its exciting that it is happening. We are having a special event to recognize our international talent from Europe and Africa and I think we’ll keep on pushing and hopefully next year we’ll be in the main show but again I think it’s more important to focus on the reality which is that it’s an incredible opportunity.”
South Africa’s Princes of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, added BET’s Global Good Award to what must be a vast trophy room by now.
“The Award from BET, I must say it is something that I never anticipated. I have received different awards worldwide but BET for me, that came, it was a shock and I’m just so happy and pleased and I really want to thank BET for honouring me and actually encouraging me to do more because you know I’m a musician first and then a humanitarian. If I wasn’t a musician, I wouldn’t have this platform that I have so I want to urge young people to say, when you have a platform, when you have the stage use it positively.”
Wizkid also beat Tekno, Mr. Eazi, AKA (South Africa), Babes Wodumo (South Africa), Nasty C (South Africa) to clinch the prize.
Although the awards ceremony proper holds on Sunday, June 25, in Los Angeles, the United States, winners of some categories are announced days before the D-Day.
Wizkid, whose career took a giant leap in 2017 with his collaborations with American super stars, Drake and Chris Brown, beat home boys Davido, Tekno and Mr. Eazi to clinch the prize.
Other African acts in the category are AKA (South Africa), Stonebwoy (Ghana), Babes Wodumo (South Africa), and Nasty C (South Africa).
This is the second straight year Wizkid will be winning the award. He beat Yemi Alade and other African artistes to win the award in 2016.
