Africa’s foremost urban music channel, Channel O announced the nominees for its prestigious 9th Annual Music Video Awards at The VIP Room, Michelangelo Towers in Sandton tonight (Friday, 31 August 2012).

Spread across 14 categories, this year’s Channel O Music Video Awards are a showcase of Original. African music – befitting to the music channel that has steadfastly flown the flag for Africa’s musicians and music for well over a decade.

Four of Ghana’s biggest music stars have been nominated for the prestigious award show. Now four time Channel O Music Video Award nominee D-Black hits the 2012 Channel O Awards with one nomination in the Most Gifted West Category for his video ‘Falling’ featuring Nigeria’s Mo Cheddah.

Sarkodie landed in the same category as well as in the Most Gifted Video of the Year category with his ‘Saa Okodie No’ Video featuring Obrafour and E.L in the Most Gifted New Comer category with ‘Turn The lights Down Low’. Rapper Manifest also landed a nomination in Most Gifted HipHop Video for ‘Makaa Maka’.

Both D-Black and Sarkodie are also up for the Nigerian Hiphop Awards ‘The Headies’ and are in the same category for Best African Artist.

“The quality of this year’s nominees is testament to the way music videos are playing an increasingly important role in the promotion of African music. Some of the nominees are newcomers and this proves that there is no barrier to making an impact on the African music scene.

The impressive videos among the nominees have also contributed to cementing Channel O’s reputation as the current leader in music television on the continent and we look forward to taking African music to the future!,” says Solly Moeng, Head of Programming.

Now in its 9th year, the Channel O Music Video Awards is the only public-voted annual music video awards show broadcast around the continent that exclusively features African artists. Starting in 2004 with an event at M-Net’s Johannesburg offices, the annual Channel O Music Video Awards has grown to be the Original African channel’s signature event.

2012 will see the awards taking place on Saturday, 17th November at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, bringing the Channel O Music Video Awards to Soweto for the first time.

With five nominees in most of the genres as well as regional categories and 10 in the running for the prestigious Most Gifted Video of the Year title, Channel O’s viewers can now have their say by voting in the biggest public-voted music awards event in Africa.

Congrats to our Ghanaian nominees. There are true representations of Ghanaian Hiphop.

Check out the full list below…

Most Gifted South video of the Year

Cashtime Fam – Shut it down (Stundee) HHP – Bosso Shota ft Shana Zeus – Dancing Shoes Paul G ft Maezee – The Feeling Shugasmakx ft Moneoa – Take it Easy

Most Gifted Hip-hop video of the Year

Khuli Chana feat Notshi – Tswa Daar L-Tido – Smash Ice Prince – Superstar M.Anifest – Makaa Maka K’NAAN feat Nas – Nothing to lose

Most Gifted West African video of the Year

D-Black ft Mo’Cheddah – Falling Wizkid – Pakurumo Sarkodie feat Obrafour – Saa Okodie No Naeto C – I gentle Wande Coal – Private trips

Most Gifted R&B music video of the Year

Lloyd Cele – Hero Lizha James ft Perola – Leva Boy Flavour feat Tiwa Savage – Oyi 2Face – Be there Habida feat Cannibal – My Reason

Most Gifted East African video of the Year

Keko feat Madtraxx – Make You Dance Camp Mulla – Party Don’t stop AY feat Sauti Soul – I Don’t Want to Be Alone K’Naan and Nas – Nothing to lose Navio – One & Only

Most Gifted Dance video of the Year

DJ Zinhle feat Busiswa – My name is DJ Cleo – Facebook OS3 feat Tchoboly – Mokongo Davido – Dami duro Bucie – Get over it Cpwaa – Hnmm

Most Gifted Newcomer video of the Year

Toya Delazy – Pump it on Davido – Dami duro E.L. – Turn the lights down Camp Mulla ft – Party don’t stop Donald – I deserve

Most Gifted Afro Pop video of the Year

Jozi – Ugologo DJ Sbu ft Zahara - Gal Level feat Toniks – Money Brymo – Ara Maurice Kirya – I don’t Want to Fight

Most Gifted Reggae video of the Year

HHP feat Lutan Fyah, Omar Retnu – Baheitane (remix) Buffalo Souljah ft Cabo Snoop – Styra Inonyengesa Ice Prince – Juju Orezi – Booty Bounce Wyre – Dancehall party

Most Gifted Kwaito video of the Year

Kabelo ft Professor: Amapantsula’Ajabulile Spikiri ft Various Artists – Ngeke Balunge Big Nuz – Serious Ees feat Mandoza – Ayoba The Dogg ft Brickz – Tromentos

Most Gifted Video of the Year

Dj Zinhle ft Busiswa – My name is Khuli Chana ft Notshi – Tswa daar Toya Delazy – Pump it on Lizha James feat Perola – Leva boy Big Nelo: Sente o beat D’banj – Oliver twist Brymo – Ara Sarkodie feat Obrafour – Saa Okodie No Camp Mulla – Fresh all day AY feat Romeo, Lamyia – Speak with your body

Most Gifted Female Video of the Year

Zahara – Loliwe Lizha James feat Perola – Leva body Tiwa Savage – Love me love me love me Mo’Cheddah feat Phenom – See me Keko feat Madtraxx – Make you dance

Most Gifted Male Video of the Year

Khuli Chana ft Notshi – Tswa Daar PRO – Makasana Big Nelo – Sent D’banj – Oliver twist Ay feat Romeo and Lamyia – Speak with your body

Most Gifted Group/Duo

Mi Casa – Heavenly sent Liquideep – Still Camp Mulla – Fresh all day Buffalosouljah ft Cabo Snoop – Styra Inonyengesa Psquare feat Akon, May D – Chop my money