the 1st Africa Music Awards came off last weekend and we have the list of winners. The 2nd edition is scheduled for 24th October 2009. Congratulations to all the winners

African Artist of the year
* P Square (Nigeria)

African Music Video of the year
* Mr Solek (Nigeria)

African Song of the year
* Do me P-Square (Nigeria)

The Africans By the Bay concert came off at DA CENTER at 8945 GOLF LINKS RD in
OAKLAND, CA on 5th December. The concert featured Tanzanian superstar, ALI KIBA and Kenyan duo, LONGOMBAS. It also featured West Africa's upcoming artist /dancer DODOYE and South Africa's DANANAI & HAKI. It was organized by DJ Slim. The event ended around 5am after sterling performances by Awilo Longomba's nephews - Christian and Lovy Longomba, as well as Alikiba.

Museke.com interviews Alikiba
Museke.com interviews Longombas

Here are some pictures from the event.

• View all from Samsong
  Album Brighter Day
  Artistes Samsong, Onyeka Onwenu
  Language English
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o941Ia23Ag
  Writer Samson Uche Mogekwu
  Year 2007

• View all from Koby Maxwell
  Album Abiba
  Artistes Koby Maxwell, Dickie D
  Language Twi
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF7fx0eeoKA
  Writer Maxwell Okwesi
  Year 2008

Over the weekend, the Longombas brothers were in the Bay area to perform at the "Africans by the Bay" concert" also featuring Tanzania's Alikiba. They sat down with Museke.com for an interview. They talked about their music, their interests and how they handle their many female fans, Below is the transcript of the interview.

Museke.com: Habari yako?
Longombas: Nzuri sana

Museke.com: How did you get into music and when did you start rapping? Did you rap in school?
Lovy Longomba: Music is in our family and we have been surrounded by it all our life. We grew up in a music family. Our grandfather, Vicky Longomba, was a member of T P OK Jazz, together with Franco Luambo Makiadi.

• View all from Ngoni
  Album Be mine
  Artistes Ngoni, Lady Jaydee
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqYXprkDAY
  Writer Patrick, Eddy
  Year 2007

• View all from Matonya
  Album Siamini
  Artistes Matonya, Fid-Q
  Language Swahili
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBqi1oJrpCM
  Writer Seif Shaban

Museke.com: Habari yako?
STL: Mzuri sana.

Museke.com: When were you born? can you tell us about your background and family?
STL: I was born on 1st September 1986 in Kenya and we moved to Norway when I was 5. I'm the second born in a family of three and we all live in Norway.

Museke.com: Was your family into music? How did you get into music?
STL: My Dad used to take us around Norway when we were young, performing Kenyan songs like .....Jambo jambo bwana Habari gani mzuri sana... but at a young age I faced a lot of racism in Norway and every time I came home, I'd tell my Dad about it and he told me to listen to the Public Enemy song “Fight the power”, so after a while I took Hip hop as a weapon to get me by whatever I was facing. When I was seven, I was now rapping and listening to more hip hop female artists like Queen Latifah, Salt and pepper and Mc Lyte. When I was 8, I knew this is what I wanted to do thus I started taking it really serious.

The 9th Metro FM awards came off during the weekend at the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria on November 29, 2008. The big winner was Rhythmic Elements which won song of the year and best dance album. See the list of nominees at this Museke.com link.

Song Of The Year
"2 by 2" by Rhythmic Elements

Hit Single of the Year
Umsindo by Slikour