MTV Africa Music Awards coming soon!

The MTV Africa Music Awards are coming to South Africa for the first, since they launched in 2008, it was announced in Durban this afternoon.

The ceremony will be held in the coastal city come June 7, at the ICC.

Eligible music videos must have been released between March 20 last year, to March 19 this year.

Alex Okosi, the MD of MTV Networks Africa, said: "We've been working at it for a while now [organising a follow-up to 2010's show].

"This is an incredible platform for our talent and an incredible opportunity for us- with all the networks we go out to- a billion people have a chance to see it."

It's another major fillip for the city, what with the Metro FM Awards and Royalty Soapie Awards recently being staged here, and the Top Gear Festival returning yet again to Moses Mabhida Stadium in June.

The music awards were started in 2008, with the inaugural ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria. They were launched with an aim to celebrate contemporary African and international genres including Hip Hop, Hip Life, R&B, Afro Pop, Afro House, Kwaito, Boomba, Bongo Flava, Coupé Décalé, Dancehall, Soul and Rock.

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The following year, the ceremony was moved to Nairobi, Kenya, with performances from musicians including 2Face (Nigeria), Brickz (South Africa), Da LES (South Africa), D’Banj (Nigeria), Fally Ipupa (DRC), HHP (South Africa), and Lizha James (Mozambique), and even Wyclef Jean and Akon.

It was back to Nigeria in 2010 with Eve, Rick Ross and T-Pain making appearances.

Okosi attributed the three-year gap between the last time the awards show was staged and this year to, among several reasons, the "economic downturn".

The announcement today was attended by musicians including DJ Tira, Mi Casa, Nigeria's Flavour, Dj Black Coffee, Da. Les, and The Arrows.

Nominees will be announced on April 16, while presenters and performers are yet to be revealed.