WHY CAMP MULLA WILL MISS BET AWARDS

Camp Mulla

Local hip hop sensation Camp Mulla will be missing in this year's BET awards. The hip hop group have been denied US visas and will not travel to America to join other A-listers in the gala night. According to our sources at the American embassy in Nairobi, the group submitted their VISA applications late and could not be processed in good time. However, Camp Mulla will be joining Coldplay in fighting hunger crisis in Sahel, West Africa. Currently, more than 18 million people in the Sahel region of West Africa are facing a food crisis. Food supplies are nearly non-existent. Prices of food are rising drastically. Women and children are faced with the harsh reality of hunger. Coldplay have been active supporters of Oxfam for several years, advocating for issues including making trade fair to end injustices against poor farmers. Nigeria's Ice Prince famed for his song Oleku is also going to be part of the project.

CAMP MULLA, WIZKID, LIRA NOMINATED FOR BET AWARDS

Kenya's CAMP MULLA, NAIJA'S Wizkid and Ice Prince have been nominated in the 'Best International Act: Africa’ category at the 2012 BET Awards. Other nominees in the category are: Lira (South Africa), Mokobe (Mali) and Sarkodie (Ghana). Camp Mulla have been rising and rising and have put Kenyan music on the global scene.

GRAMMY AWARD WINNER APPOINTED STATE MINISTER

Grammy-winning African music star Youssou N'Dour has been named as Senegal's minister for culture and tourism. Earlier this year the singer-songwriter, perhaps best known for co-writing and singing Neneh Cherry's 1994 hit '7 Seconds', announced his intention to stand as a presidential candidate against the octogenarian incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade. N'Dour criticized Wade's tenure, stating he was "hearing in mono, not stereo" and claiming he has held back the creation of a "new Senegal".
N'Dour failed in his bid for presidency, as his application was disqualified due to a lack of valid signatures. However, the new Senegalese president, Macky Sall, named N'Dour as member of his new cabinet earlier this week (April 4). N'Dour also held a concert in celebration of Sall's win.
When his own bid failed, N'Dour became an avid supporter of Sall, joining in street protests against the undemocratic reign of Wade – who was seeking an unconstitutional third term in office - and getting hit in the leg by a flying projectile in the process.
N'Dour has released 27 albums over the past 28 years, his most recent being 2011's 'Mbalakh Dafay Wakh'.

KORA AWARDS CHIEF WANTED IN NAIJA

Since winning the 2010 KORA Award for Best African Reggae Act, Best African Artist, and Best Music Video Director, King Wadada, P-Square and Jude Okoye, have not seen a dime of their prize money. King Wadada was supposed to get $20, 000 (N3m), P-Square $1m (N150, 000, 000) and Jude Okoye $10, 000 (N1.5m), but nothing has been heard from the KORA organizers. KORA Awards chairman, Ernest Adjovi, has literally disappeared into thin air. Nobody knows where he is...at least nobody in Nigeria, not even his erstwhile media managers, Z-Mirage. So please if you see him anywhere, tell him he's wanted in Nigeria.

AFRICAN STARS DURING BET AWARDS GALA NIGHT

2Face, D’banj, Fally Ipupa nominated for 2011 BET Best International Act-Africa

2011 BET awards are here and Africa will be represented by the usual suspects. 2Face, D’banj, Fally Ipupa and three other African artistes were nominated in the Best International Act -Africa category by the BET this year. Chris Brown and Rihanna top the nominees list.  The Awards will hold June 26 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.Congrats to all of them.