Just two weeks after the prestigious MAMA awards, dust is yet to settle down as controversies take centre-stage. The event held Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani that saw Kenyan acts not only share stage with internationally music heavy weights but also scooping top awards is now attracting mixed reactions from players in the industry.

Some Kenyan artistes are crying foul that only a section of the industry with connections to corporate world always get nominated in total disregard of others doing well. "It is like a cartel only a handful of musicians get nominated. Musicians like Redsan entered and did not get nomination yet his video was good," argues an artiste who did not want to be named.

"I guess even the following year we will see the same guys on the nominations list," he adds.

The sour grapes have extended to Uganda where the some sections of the press argue that Kenyan acts were favoured because the event was hosted in Nairobi. The tongue lashing that Ugandan girl trio, Blu 3, should have won is however sheer balderdash.

Pulse Editor CEO who is one of the judges in MAMA and Kora Awards refutes claims of favouritism, saying that some artistes shouting on rooftops did not enter the competition.

"It is sad that some artistes like Redsan did not get the nomination but the truth is a load of other complaining stars did not enter. The Kenyan entries were equally many and the best garnered votes from judges across all four African regions," he said. "The artistes who land nominations are the best and that’s why they are still nominees in upcoming Kora and Channel O music awards which has different set of judges. I feel that Ugandans are crying foul since most of their stars like Chameleone rarely enter awards," he adds.

Wahu

But controversy aside, Kenyan stars are coming of age and challenging music status quo in Africa. Songstress Amani scooped the Best Female Artiste of the Year for her song, Tonight denying Lira from South Africa — the bedrock of African music. Just like Wahu did before her. She defeated big names including Kel (Nigeria), Zamajobe (South Africa) and Lizha James (Mozambique).

Nameless bagged two awards; Listeners Choice Award for Sunshine and Best Male Artiste of the Year beating D’Banj and 2Face, and proving that there was shift in music power play in Africa.

Looking back to the first MTV Africa Music Awards held last year in Abuja,Wahu won the Best Female Artiste of the Year Award ahead of Asa from Nigeria whom most fans and bloggers had vouched for.

She also battled against Dama Do’ Bling, Sasha and Zonke carrying the day.

This was the turning point in awards fortune for Kenyan acts who failed in the past in international platform. West and Southern African singers bombard East African competition with exquisite videos and soulful vocals.

Others castigate Kenyans for poor song writing while others still think it was a fluke win.

Most local acts are signed to studios not record labels. The studios cannot offer adequate financial support for music and video production while some musicians are still in poverty to fund own high quality production.

Both Amani and Nameless argue that superb pan-African song writing and quality videos work magic.

"In Tonight video everything was well thought through. In fact, I changed my style of doing things and my attire was carefully put together in a particular colour scheme unlike the other videos I have done before," says Amani. "My focus is on Africa, especially Nigeria and South Africa who shoot expensive and high quality videos. I have to keep changing my style for diversity and spend more for better quality," she adds.

Nameless argues that his win was because he went more Pan African.

"I tried to get what could give me the edge across the continent and I think it is because the use of English language. Sunshine was easily understood across Africa, resulting in high rotation in West and South Africa. Channel O is different because they promote African music and Swahili and other languages can do well," he enthuses. Nameless adds: "My wife Wahu was nominated because her song was in English and therefore more Pan African, while I was not nominated for my song Salari which did not win because it only connected with East Africa. I will do more Pan African songs to get MTV nominations and also penetrate the West African market. I will still do others for my local fanbase too," explains Nameless.

They say that the proof is in the pudding. Amani is leading with four nominations in the upcoming Channel O Awards. Others in the contest include Wahu, Risasi and Cannibal (vote for them @ www.channeloawards.co.za.)

For a long time we thought that good music was Central, South and West Africa’s forte. And most awards ceremonies were held in South Africa as the artistes got international coverage.

Producer Robert Kamanzi aka R Kay says it is an honour to win big in continental awards. "It is an honour and challenge at the same time. An honour in the sense that it has not only boosted the local industry but it is a clear indication that local music entertainment has grown beyond the East African level," he explains.

Musyoka of Decimal Records also concurs with him saying that it was an eye-opening experience.

"It was a good thing for the entertainment industry. This was equally an opportunity to see how awards are organised."

Clement Rapudo of Calif Records thinks hosting the awards locally has taken Kenyan music to a different level besides boosting careers of some of the artistes.

"Kenyans have waited for this moment far too long and it is a good thing that the dream is finally being realised."

Ogopa Deejay’s spokeperson Emmanuel Banda thinks that local music has come of age besides growing beyond East Africa and will attract big recording companies with distribution network to open studios in Kenya.

Veteran producer Taabu Osusa, currently involved in creative arts recalls there were three major recording music companies in Kenya way back in 1950s until late 1980s.

They included CBS which was the first one to be established in 1950s. Others included EMI and Polygram. He adds that most Congolese artistes printed LPs at Polygram.

He says such recording companies based in Nairobi were known to promote artistes’ live perfromances effectively besides giving them a loans. This meant that the more perfromances an artiste had the better they became. "Although they served a good purpose and meant well for the local music industry they were forced to close down due to poor business in Kenya.

Osusa also feels that although the idea of hosting MAMA in Kenya was good, the organisers should promote diverse African culture.

"It is high time they found ways of creating a uniform culture aimed at harmonising African music to to avoid monotony."

"It is not only a shame that we Kenyans have no identity. It is evident that the more American you are — the bigger you are and so are your chances of winning such awards."

Veteran entertainer Fred Obachi Machoka recalls some of the major studios at the time as Melodica, Polygram managed by Jared Kangwana, AIT now turned AIR (Andrews International Records), belonging to Mike Andrews, Kanindo Records by Oluoch Kanindo, Matunda Records by Joe Mwangi and Sapra records in Kericho.

He says there were several others run by individuals.