WIZKID AND SARKODIE SHINE AT BET AWARDS

They had been nominated for Best International Act-Africa in the Black Entertainment Television (BET) 2012 Awards.The Nigerian pop star Wiz Kid and Ghanaian hip-hop sensation Sarkodie also beat South Africa’s Lira, Mali’s Mokobe and Nigeria’s Ice Prince and Wiz Kid, who were all nominated in the same category to emerge the cream of the continent.This is the second time for two African musicians to get a tie in this category after Nigerian stars D'Banj and 2Face Idibia got a tie last year. Meanwhile, American rappers Jay Z and Kanye West emerged as the biggest winners in the awards after winning the Video of the Year award in the song ‘Ótis’ and also the Best Group for their collaboration on the "Watch The Throne" album. Jay Z’s wife Beyonce won two awards as well as R n’ B singer Chris Brown.Other winners included Drake, Wale, Big Sean, Common, Nicki Minaj, Kevin Durant, among others.The show was hosted by ‘The Avengers’ actor Samuel L Jackson and performances were by Nicki Minaj, Usher, Brown, Wale, G.O.O.D. Music, Y'Anna Crawley, Amber Bullock, Jessica Reedy, Melanie Fiona and 2 Chainz. Fallen musician Whitney Houston was also given a tribute with performances by Chaka Khan, Brandy, Monica and Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston.

BLUE-IVY CARTER UNVEILED

JAY Z AND BEYONCE ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT

In a statement that was released today, the new parents release details about the birth of their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. They said:

Blue was delivered naturally at a healthy 7 lbs and it was the best experience of both of our lives. Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven. We are thankful to everyone for all your prayers, well wishes, love and support."

Jay Z also in a new song titled - Glory, revealed very personal details about his and Beyonce's struggles to have a child. He rapped about Blue being conceived in Paris and Beyonce once having a miscarriage.

HOW D'BANJ SEALED KANYE WEST DEAL

Members of the Mo’hit crew Thursday in Lagos described the open contract it signed with the American super Kanye West’s record company Good News as the biggest thing to happen to the Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The contract sealed between Don Jazzy, President of Mo’hit records, D’Banj, Kanye West and management of Good records was witnessed by rap artiste Jay Z and other top rated American musicians.

Narrating the genesis of the deal, D’Banj disclosed that “After our collaborations with Snoop Doggy Dogg, we traveled to Dubai on business and that’s where we ran into Kanye. We were quite surprised when he told us he was familiar with our music and was willing to work with us.

We decided that since Snoop was only interested in collaborating with us, we should give Kanye a chance. And that’s how the whole process started”.

Now that the deal is sealed, the D’Banj continued “we will be traveling to America to begin recording of our first album and that will take us away from the country for about three months.Our going to America does not also translate to relocation, instead we would be spending some time there and the rest of the year in Nigeria”.

Don Jazzy who also spoke at the media brief held at the Koko Lounge in Yaba, Lagos allayed fears in some quarters that his record company would abandoned artistes on Mo’hits records saying, “ the contract we signed is between D’Banj and Mo’hits records and what this means is that, this is an opportunity for artistes signed our label to get world attention too.

Right now all our artistes have equal opportunity of getting on board the Mo’hit/Good records collaboration”.He also spoke about his company’s desire to sign on its first female musician pointing out that this year’s Koko Mansion will dwell on searching for Mo’hits’ first lady.