Vee Mampeezy stuns Africa

Not many people had predicted our very own Odirile Sento aka ‘Vee Mampeezy’ to walk away with the One Africa Award, Metro FM awards’ only international category.

Nonetheless, Mampeezy rose above the carping of critics, to win the award, ultimately claiming his rightful place amongst the best in the 16th installment of the awards that took place in Durban over the weekend. Industry insiders had overwhelmingly weighed in on this category and Mampeezy was quickly brushed to the side as a lukewarm underdog amidst an electric field of rivals that included the Nigerian trio of Tekno with his song “Pana,” Tiwa Savage with “If I start to talk,” and Pato Ranking with “Kissing.”

Nonetheless, the one artist who was tipped as a frontrunner for the award was Tekno of Pana. His song was a radio staple in West and East Africa for the past few months. It even received many rotations in Southern African radio stations. The streets, dark city bars and clubs kept the song on their playlists.

So obviously, a threat at the awards would be inevitable. Right? But it was not to be as Vee Mampeezy’s win not only stunned pundits and critics but also tilted record-industry favourites from West Africa to Southern Africa for the first time ever. “I DO” is Mampeezy’s ground breaking record to date. He has worked so hard and smart on this record to make it an international success. It is an invitation to the dance floor that delivered the goods right across Africa and like ‘Pana’ also found a place in the charts.

Vee’s award is a major accolade that substantiates Metro FM’s bid to form a distinctive continental sound, a kaleidoscope of cultures and creativity. His win has definitely challenged the norm that African music is all about South Africa and Nigeria only.

He has broken the boundaries and it goes without saying that he holds the torch for other Botswana artists to branch out. Vee’s inevitable exposure and reign over Tekno reassures the masses that indeed the tipping industry is finally catching up with the times. Diversity and Inclusion is dawning. Congratulations Vee Mampeezy and like the theme of this year’s Metro FM Awards, “What’s next is all that matters,’’ we cannot wait to see which patterns you dismantle and which greater path you will tread.