#EVENT: THE ANNUAL SOUTH SOUTH MUSIC AWARDS (SSMA) DEC 6TH #SSMA2015 @AnnualSSMA_ @Andybello

The first edition of The South South Music Awards (SSMA) was held on the 20th of December 2009, at the Civic Centre, Benin City. The second and third editions took place at The Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre also in Benin City, while the Fourth edition took place at the prestigious BEST WESTERN HOMEVILLE HOTEL also in Benin City.
The need for an award event like this was borne out of a total absence of a music awards platform in the Niger-Delta region. Bearing in mind that this is the region that has produced some of the biggest musical acts in the history of the Nigerian Music Industry. For the benefit of doubt, the likes of Timaya, Kefee, Duncan Mighty, Faze, Djinee, Waje, Omawumi, StereoMan, Sammy Okposo, Majek Fashek, Ras Kimono, Felix Lebarty, Sir Victor Uwaifo and many more are from this region.

Concept:
Hard work should be rewarded, Excellence should be celebrated. The South South Region has an abundance of fast growing musical artistes who year-in and year-out work tirelessly to create music and entertain. Their effort should be encouraged. While in the process of creating music, they now set their minds on goals of not only selling cds but also on being counted worthy of being honoured as the best of the whole lot.

Lockdown Entertainment through her music video show MUSIC MIX airs a vast number of music videos of South-South Origin. Being the Biggest home-grown show of its kind, Music Mix became a reference point for measuring the quality of music and music videos produced around the region hence it is on this platform that the SSMA was based.
From the vast pool of videos shown on Music Mix, the most outstanding videos are nominated for voting by viewers.

Scope:
The Award is to honour outstanding Artistes and Music Videos of South-South origin both at home
and diaspora. It also celebrates non-indigenous Artistes and music that we consider outstanding.
Hence, there is a strong presence of Artistes and Entertainment Industry's Who's-Who on the
night of the event. We also celebrate Industry's most outstanding personalities who have
contributed so much to the growth of the industry, both indigenous and otherwise.

Categories:
Awards are given in various categories including:
1.  Best R and B
2.  Best Pop
3.  Best Hip Hop
4.  Best Reggae/Dance Hall
5.  Best Collaboration
6.  Best Gospel
7.  Best New Artiste
8.  Best Producer
9.  Most Popular Video by a Non-Indigenous Artiste
10. Best Use of Choreography
11. Best Hip-Hop (Non-Indigenous)
12. Most Popular Artiste in Diaspora
13. Best Highlife
14. Best Director
15. Video of The Year
16. Music Mix Viewers Choice Awards

There is also a Life-Time Achievement Award category which honours personalities
of both South-South and non-South-South origin. There are usually two recipients of this award at
every edition.

Attendance/Audience:

In the last edition, we had over one thousand six hundred (1,600) in attendance. In addition, because the event was aired on the MUSIC MIX show on Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS TV), Benin City and Delta Rainbow Television (DRTV), Warri, we were able to reach an estimated Four Million viewers in both Edo, Delta, Kogi, Ondo, Bayelsa and neighbouring States.
The television broadcast included both one hour Red-Carpet Event and Two Hours Main Event.
In addition to the above, our media partners like HIP TV and SILVERBIRD Television also aired highlights of the event through both their cable and terestial platforms.

This year's event will hold at the Oba Akenzu
a Cultural centre, airport road, benin city, edo state.

To keep tabs on the event via social media, follow on Twitter @AnnualSSMA_, @Andybello. The official hashtag is #SSMA2015.