Gugu Sibiya

Gugu Sibiya

After a couple of false starts, king of the airwaves Trevor Nelson's excited voice assumes a confident tone as it crosses the ocean.

The urban music legend has every reason to sound happy. He will be the first host of the first MTV Africa Music Awards (Mamas) with Zain at the Velodrome in Abuja, Nigeria, tomorrow.

Nelson says his programme Soul Nation is making waves in the UK.

"It's doing well but alongside that there's The Licky on MTV, which broadcasts in 43 countries," Nelson says.

He also has BBC3's The Lowdown. A gold mine of information on everything to do with hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, soul and other urban genres, Nelson's Saturday Night Radio 1 show is a regular fixture with the biggest urban stars on the planet, with Nelson regularly welcoming world stars.

"I am so excited about my trip to Nigeria," he says. "I am looking forward to being with African people. I expect to experience the culture and I am taking lots of music with.

"African music is happening all over the world today. MTV is big even in Africa and it is only fitting that musicians nominated and getting awards shine. Life is about experiencing new things and for me Nigeria is that. I love going abroad."

The show will be broadcast on MTV base on DStv's Channel 322 on November 29.