Following the release of the 2020 MAMA Awards nomination list in a virtual event held here in Uganda on Monday evening, many Ugandan musicians have expressed their discontent in the list.
From Apass, Winnie Nwagi and Karol Kasita among other musicians took it to their social media to express their dissatisfaction.
“There’s when you aren’t nominated in the MAMA and people still don’t notice yet you worked you’re a** off the whole year,” said ‘Balance’ hit maker Kasita.
Nwagi went on her official Instagram account and ranting saying; “You can’t tell me you don’t know fire baby, muzeeyo bi awards byammwe(Take back your awards).”
However, today while speaking to one of the nominees in the Best Ugandan Act category, self-proclaimed Big Size Bebe Cool has said for starters local musicians and Uganda at large must celebrate the great achievement of being able to host MAMA awards which he believes are the greatest awards to ever be on the land of Africa.
“Uganda being among the first ten countries to host the MAMAs shows you that the music industry in Uganda is growing. Uganda is being advertised positively that means tourism is getting an opportunity because the more activities like that happening in Uganda, the more we benefit when it comes to tourism. It also helps us to show case the true Uganda,” said Bebe Cool.
Known for standing his ground no matter how many are in support of his opinions, Bebe Cool asserted that musicians attacking the awards are doing it out of ignorance because MAMA awards always have a period that it considers while nominating.
“Musicians are using their ignorance to attack MAMAs yet they don’t know that the MAMAs are good for us and are doing the right thing. Most of the hit songs now were released after the nomination process had ended,” said Bebe Cool.
Bebe Cool added that during the press conference they informed the musicians that they would consider songs within the period of October 1,2019 to October 1,2020.
“For example that’s the time John Blaq was breaking through so if he is in the breakthrough act, How would you complain. Fik had already broken through,” he added.
He also said that in the category where he was nominated, they all had hit songs within the award specified time. He further explained that most of the recent trending hit songs were not released within that period.
Bebe Cool is personally happy for scooping the nomination.
“Once nominated you’re a winner, the only difference is there will be one person who is better than all of you at that period of time,” said Bebe Cool.
When asked whether he felt he should have been on the same list as Diamond Platinumz, Bebe Cool said; “The issue is being nominated for example I have better videos than Diamond. If he was nominated for best video and I wasn’t there I would complain because I am sure mine are better than his.”