Created by Jonathan Clarke Original language(s) English No. of episodes 26 Final episode date 31 August 2009 Presented by Leslie 'Lee' Kasumba Genre Reality television | Country of origin South Africa No. of seasons 2 First episode date 31 May 2008 Number of seasons 2 Number of episodes 26 Language American English | |
Theme music composer Don Juan (Octave Couplet) | ||
Emcee Africa - The Battle Chronicles was a talent show that was sponsored by Sprite. It was a continent-wide search for the premier freestyle MC/Rapper. The tour started in Accra, Ghana, and then went through Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Nairobi, Kenya, Luanda, Angola, Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa. Gaborone, Botswana was included in the second season, while Luanda, Angola and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania were cut from the tour. The motive of the tour was not only to find the best freestyle MC, but to initiate international awareness of the 'street life' surrounding social and cultural context of the localized music. In other words, the tour was attempting to better contextualize the application and reception of hip hop culture in each visited country.
Contents
- Format and rules
- Wildcard
- Ghana
- Tanzania
- Nigeria
- Kenya
- Angola
- South Africa
- Final Battle
- Botswana
- Winners
- Singles
- References
The winner received $10,000, a video and a song deal.
Format and rules
The first season of Emcee Africa followed the host Leslie 'Lee' Kasumba to the various host cities, where the local MC/Rapper's were invited to an audition. The final eight MC's were selected to face off in a knockout competition to determine the winner. During the auditions, each performer had two minutes to prove their candidacy for the final eight to a panel of judges. A topic was given to each contender to Freestyle about in order to ensure each contestant was truly improvising and not using any written material. After eight contestants were selected from each country, a separate contest was held, where the eight members would face off to battle each other in two 30 second parts, divided into 2 rounds, followed by the Final. The winner from each country was then flown into Johannesburg to compete for the "Emcee Africa" title, as well as the grand prize. A judge from each country's panel was then flown in to ensure neutrality in the final competition.
The second season followed a similar format with similar rules, except that ten contenders were selected from the auditions, rather than eight. In the second season, contestants who made it through to the second round did not Battle each other but were rather judged based on a performance. From the performance, the judges panel selected two finalists to face off in a final battle.
Wildcard
For the Final Battle in the first season, audiences could log in to www.channelo.co.za, and vote for their favorite MC/Rapper from the previous competitions, to reappear in the final stages.
Ghana
Date: Saturday, 22 December 2007
Location: Usher Forte, Accra, Ghana
Co-Host: Eddy Blay (XFM)
Judges: DJ Black, Kwame Swift, Reggie Rockstone
Final 8: Grafik, ID, J Town, Melodrama, Padlock, Rhyme Miller, Robin Hood, Trigger
Tanzania
Date: Saturday, 12 January 2008
Location: TCC Social Club, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Co-Host: Reuben (Clouds FM)
Judges: Lindu, Lufunyo, Professor Jay
Final 8: Abbas, Adili, God Emcee, Neville, Phoenix, Rage, Randal, X-Wray
Nigeria
Date: Saturday, 19 January 2008
Location: Nimbus Art Centre, Lagos, Nigeria
Co-Host: Tito (RayPower 100.5 FM)
Judges: Blaise, Ikechukwu, Modenine
Final 8: Del, Delta P, E-Law, Jizzy, Maximum, Teeto, Torpedo, Vector
Kenya
Date: Saturday, 26 January 2008
Location: WAPI, Nairobi, Kenya
Co-Host: Eve D'Souza (Capital FM)
Judges: Doobiz, Mwafrika, Nazizi
Final 8: Big Mic, Faya, Kimya, Lethal Dynamic, Mohammed, Point Blank, SNM, Tua
Angola
Date: Saturday, 1 February 2008
Location: Elinga Teatro, Luanda
Co-Host:
Judges: DJ Samurai, Kool Kleva, MC K
Final 8: Agape, Jorge, MG, Nigga Chi, One See, Ray D, Sunny Boy, Yung D
South Africa
Date: Saturday, 9 February 2008
Location: Roka Bar, Johannesburg, South Africa
Co-Host: AK (YFM)
Judges: Mizi, Proverb, Ready D
Final 8: Adamiz, Ben Sharpa, Heavy G, Projectah, Quaz, Slege, Snazz D, Steezy Stylish
Final Battle
Date: Friday, 28 March 2008
Location: The Pyramid, Johannesburg
Co-Host: Proverb (Metro FM)
Judges: DJ Black (Ghana), Mizi (South Africa), Modenine (Nigeria), Nazizi (Kenya), Professor Jay (Tanzania), Wordsworth (United States)
Finalists: Big Mic (Kenya), J Town (Ghana), Rage (Tanzania), Snazz D (South Africa), Teeto (Nigeria), Yung D (Angola)
Wildcard winner: Adamiz (South Africa)
Botswana
Date: Saturday, 18 April 2009
Location: Fashion Lounge, Gaborone, Botswana
Co-Host:
Judges: Apollo Diablo, Zeus,
Final 10: Aztech 1, Blain, Cibil Nyte, Dizzo, EQ, Kid, King Ming, Nitro, Oracle, Simba
Round 1
Blain vs. Aztech 1
Cibil Nyte vs. Nitro
Kid vs. Dizzo
EQ vs. King Ming (both disqualified)
Simba vs. Oracle (both advanced due to disqualification)
Round 2 (Individual Performance)
Aztech 1
Cibil Nyte
Dizzo
Simba
Oracle
Final: Oracle vs. Cibil Nyte
Winner: Cibil Nyte
South Africa
Date: Saturday, 25 May 2009
Location: Roka Bar, Johannesburg, South Africa
Co-Host: Reason
Judges: HHP, Nthabi, Zubz
Final 10: Adamiz, G.C., Maraza, Mr. Calibre, Otis, Phoenix, Rhyming Type, S!ck, Soniq, Ulysses
Round 1
Otis vs. Adamiz
Rhyming Type vs. Phoenix
G.C. vs. S!ck
Ulysses vs. Mr. Calibre
Maraza vs. Soniq
Round 2 (Individual Performance)
Adamiz
Phoenix
S!ck
Mr. Calibre
Maraza
Final: Maraza vs. Adamiz
Winner: Maraza
Ghana
Date: Thursday, 7 May 2009
Location: Tantra, Accra, Ghana
Co-Host: Eddie Blay
Judges: Kwaku T, Scientifik
Final 10: Augustt, Boy Gemini, C-Real, Chymney, Krime, Melodrama, Padlock, Props, Robin Hood, Rocky
Round 1
Padlock vs. Chymney (both advanced due to disqualification)
Props vs. Augustt
Melodrama vs. Robin Hood (both disqualified)
C-Real vs. Boy Gemini
Rocky vs. Krime
Round 2 (Individual Performance)
Chymney
Padlock
Props
C-Real
Rocky
Final: Props vs. C-Real
Winner: C-Real
Nigeria
Date: Sunday, 10 May 2009
Location: Insomnia Nightclub, Lagos, Nigeria
Co-Host:
Judges: B.O.U.Q.U.I., Modenine, Naeto C
Final 10: Black Jesus, Collyde, Cwitch, Dirty-A, Emperor Trench, E.Y.M.E., Jizzy, Sergio, Taikoff, Torpedo Mascaw
Round 1
Dirty-A vs. Torpedo Mascaw (both advanced due to disqualification)
Collyde vs. Taikoff (both disqualified)
Cwitch vs. Sergio (both disqualified)
E.Y.M.E. vs. Jizzy
Black Jesus vs. Emperor Trench (both advanced due to disqualification)
Round 2 (Individual Performance)
E.Y.M.E.
Dirty-A
Emperor Trench
Torpedo Mascaw
Black Jesus
Final: Black Jesus vs. Dirty-A
Winner: Black Jesus
Kenya
Date: Sunday, 28 June 2009
Location: Club Clique, Nairobi, Kenya
Co-Host: G-Money
Judges: Doobiz, Mwafrika, Nazizi
Final 10: Bizzill, Kaligraf, Kimya, Kips, Lethal Dynamic, Lon' Jon, OD, Olu, Point Blank Evumbi, X-tatic
Round 1
Point Blank vs. X-tatic
Kimya vs. OD
Lethal Dynamic vs. Bizzill
Lon' Jon vs. Olu
Kaligraf vs. Kips
Round 2 (Individual Performance)
Kaligraf
Kimya
Lethal Dynamic
Lon' Jon
Point Blank
Final: Point Blank vs. Kaligraf
Final Battle
Date: 28 June 2009
Location: Club Clique, Johannesburg, South Africa
Co-Host: Proverb (Metro FM)
Judges: HHP (South Africa), Naeto C (Nigeria), Nazizi (Kenya), Proverb (South Africa), Zeus (Botswana)
Finalists: Black Jeez (Nigeria), Cibil Nyte (Botswana), C-Real (Ghana), Maraza (South Africa), Point Blank (Kenya)
Round 1 (Individual Performance)
Black Jeez
Cibil Nyte
C-Real
Maraza
Point Blank
Final: Zeus vs. C-Real
Final 2: Cibil Nyte vs. Zeus
Winner: Cibil Nyte
Winners
Singles
2008: "Battle Chronicles (Emcee Africa)" - (by DJ Black, Rage, Yung D, J Town, Mode9, Snazz, Professor J & Nazizi) (3:49)
Produced by Don Juan (Octave Couplet) as featured on Hype Sessions Vol. 21: Jazzworx FM The Album.
CD published by HYPE Magazine in their 25th Issue, June/July 2008.
2009: "All Around The A" - (by Proverb, Naeto C, HHP, Nazizi, Zeus, Tamarsha & Cibil Nyte) (5:15)
Produced by Don Juan (Octave Couplet).