With four weeks to go until the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) with Zain, MTV is kick-starting the celebrations with THE ROAD TO MAMA - an out-of-this-world, all-star concert tour visiting the DRC, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria in the run-up to the Awards.

Spotlighting artists nominated in the inaugural MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain on 22 November 2008, the Road to MAMA concerts will boast a lineup of the hottest African and international musicians, with all four concerts fronted by Best Hip Hop nominee and US rap legend, The Game.

Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, ‘The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain is a pan-African ideal that supports talent across the continent and we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see the nominees in the flesh, and ultimately to encourage them to vote for their favourite artists.’

Mwambu Wanendeya, Zain Communications Director for Africa said, ‘The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain enable us to showcase the best of young African talent before an African and a global audience thereby demonstrating Zain’s commitment to promoting African music worldwide.’

The concerts are scheduled to take place in the two weeks prior to the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain, starting on Tuesday, 11 November at the Halle de la Gombe in Kinshasa, DRC, before hitting Johannesburg’s Standard Bank Arena (Thursday 13 November), Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi (Saturday 15 November) and Lagos’ Planet One (Tuesday 18 November).

African artists licensed to thrill at the ROAD to MAMA concerts alongside The Game include:

Kinshasa, DRC: Special Guest Artist: Fally Ipupa (DRC) Other artists (TBC) Johannesburg, South Africa: The Parlotones (South Africa) – Best Group and Best Alternative nominee HHP (South Africa) – Best Male, Best Hip Hop and Artist of the Year nominee Cassette (South Africa) – Best Live Performer nominee Loyiso (South Africa) – Best R&B nominee

Nairobi, Kenya: 2FACE (Nigeria) - Best Male nominee East African Bashment Crew (Uganda) – Best Group nominee Jua Cali (Kenya)- Best Male nominee Wahu (Kenya) – Best Female and Best New Act nominee

Lagos, Nigeria: 9ice (Nigeria) – Best Hip Hop, Best New Act nominee D’Banj & Mo Hits All Stars (Nigeria) – Best Male, Artist of the Year and Best Live nominee Naeto C (Nigeria) – Best New Act nominee Samini (Ghana) – Best Live Performer nominee.