Will Naija Bring It Home? | Wizkid, Ice Prince, Camp Mulla & Sarkodie Get Nominated For Best International Act – Africa in the 2012 BET Awards

It’s that time of year again. And, as the buzz for the Billboard  Music Awards slowly dwindles, the official nominations for the 2012 BET Awards are now in.

Stephen Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials, BET Networks, alongside DJ Khaled, Diggy Simmons, Mindless Behavior, A$AP Rocky, Astro and Melanie Fiona hosted a press conference yesterday May 22nd, 2012 where he made the announcements.

The 2012 BET Awards is slated to air live on July 1st, 2012 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. And, this year’s host is no other than the highest grossing actor of all time, the beloved Samuel L. Jackson. With performances from Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj confirmed and the A-List of celebrities slated to attend, this year’s show is going to be nothing short of a breath-taking star-studded event.

As usual, Africa wasn’t left out of the mix, inherently nor was Nigeria, with the Best International Act – Africa category spawning two cream-of-the-crop Nigerian exports – EME/Konvict Muzik Recording artist,Wizkid and the Chocolate City Hip-Hop star, Ice Prince.

Other African acts in the category include Ghana’s fast-spitting lyrical assassin and Azonto Ambassador,Sarkodie; the inventors of 254Low, Kenya’s Hip-Hop Group, Camp Mulla; the South African Afro-Soul sensation soon to make an US cross-over, Lira; and the Francophone Rapper Extraordinaire, Mali’s Mokobe.

Sarkodie

Camp Mulla

Lira

Mokobe

Even though, Nigeria has a good chance of winning this award with our high calibre exports – Wizkid andIce Prince – nominated, we cannot underestimate the level of the other artists in the category. Will Naijabring it home? We can only wait in tense anticipation to find out, as well as wish all nominees the best of luck.

Other notable feats include Kanye West‘s 7 nominations, Beyonce‘s 6 and Jay-Z‘s five nominations; it seems the Roc Family have it in for BET this year. Also, the “Turn Up The Music” crooner, Chris Brown, who walked away with four awards last year out of his six nominations, is nominated for three against top industry heavy weights like Usher, Trey Songz, Miguel and Bruno Mars.

With so much at stake in each category, the 2012 BET Awards is no doubt going to be a thrilling, suspense-filled event and while we patiently, though anxiously, wait for July to come, we surely hope that Naijabrings home the booty.


Check out the list of nominees below after the cut

Centric Award

Common

Estelle

Robert Glasper

Robin Thicke

Tyrese

 Best Movie

Good Deeds

Laugh At My Pain

Red Tails

The Help

Jumping the Broom

Best Female Hip-Hop Artists

Diamond

Nicki Minaj

Trina

Brianna Perry

Best Male Hip-Hop Artists

Big Sean

Drake

Lil Wayne

J Cole

Rick Ross

Young Jeezy

Best Group

Bad Meets Evil

Diddy Dirty Money

Maybach Music Group

Mindless Behavior

The Throne

Best Female R&B Artist

Beyonce

Rihanna

Marsha Ambrosius

Melanie Fiona

Best Male R&B Artist

Chris Brown

Bruno Mars

Miguel

Trey Songz

Usher

Best Collaboration

Beyonce ft. J Cole – Party

Big Sean ft. Kanye West & Roscoe Dash – Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay

DJ Khaled, Drake, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross – I’m On One

Drake & Tyga – The Motto

The Throne – Otis

Wale & Miguel – Lotus Flow Bomb

Best New Artist

Asap Rocky

Big Sean

Diggy Simmons

Future

Meek Mill

Video Director of the Year

Beyonce & allen Ferguson

Benny Boom

Chris Brown & Godfrey Tabarez

Kanye West & Hype williams

Video of the year

Beyonce – Love on Top

Beyonce – Countdown

The Throne – Niggas in Paris

The Throne – Otis

Usher – Climax

Coca Cola Viewer’s Choice

Drake ft. Lil Wayne & Tyga – “The Motto”

Beyonce – “Love On Top”

Chris Brown – “Turn Up The Music”

Mindless Behavior – “Hello”

The Throne [Jay-Z & Kanye West] ft. Otis Redding – “Otis”

Wale ft. Miguel – “Lotus Flower Bomb”

Subway Sportsman of the Year

Carmelo Anthony

Kobe Bryant

Kevin Durant

Victor Cruz

Lebron James

Subway Sportswoman of the Year

Skylar Diggins

Brittney Griner

Candace Parker

Serena Williams

Venus Williams

Best Gospel Artists

Yolanda Adams

James Fortune & FIYA

Fred Hammond

Kim Burrell

Trinitee 5:7

Young Stars

Diggy Simmons

Astro

Keke Palmer

Jacob Latimore

Willow Smith

Source: BET.com