On Friday night (11 November) the 2011 Channel O Awards hit the Sandton Convention Centre to bestow awards on musos from across Africa.
The theme for the night was The Arena and featured a bevvy of muscled torsos and booblicious cheerleaders who welcomed guests as they arrived.
Hottest cheerleaders spotted: Londi and UV.
The theme extended into the pre-drinks area which was a massive locker room complete rows of lockers, basketballs, other sporting gear and the chaos of revellers soaking up the atmosphere.
The red carpet was just outside and carried celebrity guests into the sweat of the action after they'd been snapped by an entourage of photographers and TV shows.
After the carpet and pre-drinks guests made their way into the auditorium for the ceremony, which aired lived and was hosted by Naija's Banky W and Channel O's Dineo Moeketsi.
Without further adieu ... here's who took top honours (in red):
Most Gifted Male Video
Professor who was nominated and performed but didn't win. The category was won by:
D'Banj feat. Snoop Dogg for Mr Endowed (Remix) (Nigeria)Professor feat. Speedy for Lento (South Africa)
Navio for Keep Moving (Uganda)
Cabo Snoop for Windeck (Angola)
Zakes Bantwini for Wasting My Time (South Africa)
D'Banj was nowhere to be seen at the Awards. Rumour has it (see Olu Famous) he refused to fly to the event because he'd been booked Economy class instead of First class.
Most Gifted Female VideoWaje feat. Muna for So Inspired (Nigeria)
Lizha James for Gotta Move On (Mozambique)
STL for Lookie Lookie (Kenya)
Lira for Phakade (South Africa) - a first for LiraTiwa Savage for Kele Kele (Nigeria)
Dineo waiting for her cue, during an ad break.
Most Gifted Newcomer VideoWizkid for Holla @ Your Boy (Nigeria)
Keko for How Do We Do (Uganda)
AKA for Victory Lap (South Africa)
Ice Prince/Brymo for Oleko (Nigeria)Zone Fam for Shaka Zulu on EM (Zambia)
Kwesta for Take That (South Africa)
Most Gifted Duo, Group or Featuring VideoHHP, Teargas and Liquideep for Born This Way (South Africa)Samklef feat. Wizkid, D'Prince & Ice Prince for Molowo Noni (Nigeria)
Slikour feat. various artists for Dubula (Remix) (South Africa)
Ay feat. Ms Triniti for Good Look (Tanzania)
Jozi for Electric Avenue (South Africa)
Paul G feat. Akon for Bang It (Angola)
Most Gifted Dance Video
Darey wasn't there and accepted his award via satellite.
Oskido presents Black Motion/Jah Rich for Banane Movoko (South Africa)
STL for Lookie Lookie (Kenya)
DJ Cleo for Bhampa Side To Side (South Africa)
Darey for Ba Ni Ki Di (Nigeria)Black Coffee feat. Hugh Masekela for We Are One (South Africa)
Lizha James for Gotta Move On (Mozambique)
Most Gifted Ragga Dancehall Video
Samini for Dadekye (Ghana)Wyre/Cecile for She Say Dat (Kenya)
Black Dillinger for Volcano Erupt (South Africa)
Nazizi for Take The People Away (Kenya)
Most Gifted Afro Pop Video
Theo for Ukhona (South Africa)J-Martins feat. Fally Ipupa for Jukpa (Remix) (Nigeria/Congo)
Shaa for Crazy (Tanzania)
Jaziel Brothers for Woza (South Africa)
Flavour for Nwa baby (Remix) (Nigeria)
Most Gifted Kwaito VideoBrickz feat.various artists (South Africa)
The Dogg for This Is My Time (Namibia)Howza for Hustler (South Africa)
Professor feat. Speedy for Lento (South Africa)
Most Gifted R&B Video
Jamali for Incurable (South Africa)
G2 feat. Trez Agah (Mozambique)
Loyiso feat. Khuli Chana for World Of Mine (South Africa)
(SMS code: 9C)
Banky W feat. M.I. for Feeling It (Nigeria)Leanne for Deal With It (South Africa)
Most Gifted Hip Hop Video
Jesse Jagz feat. M.I. and Ice Prince for Nobody Test Me (Nigeria)
ProVerb feat. Lungelo for The Beginning (South Africa)
Navio for Keep It Moving (Uganda)
Collo for Chini Ya Maji (Kenya)
AKA for Victory Lap (South Africa)Most Gifted African Southern Video
Liquideep for Settle For Less (South Africa)Cabo Snoop for Windeck (Angola)
Khuli Chana feat. JR (South Africa)
C.R.I.S.I.S. for The Fire Inside (Zambia)
L-Tido feat. K.O. for We Rolling (South Africa)
Most Gifted African West Video
Flavour who also performed and was nominated but didn't win. The category was won by:
Naeto C for 10 Over 10 (Nigeria)Flavour for Nwa baby (Remix) (Nigeria)
D-Black feat. Dr Cryme for Get On The Dance Floor (Ghana)
ASA for Why Can't We (Nigeria)
2 Face for Only Me (Nigeria)
Most Gifted African East VideoP-Unit/Mimmo for Kare (acoustic version) (Kenya)
Jaguar for Kigeugeu (Kenya)
Ay feat. Ms Triniti for Good Look (Tanzania)
Radio and Weseal, Keko for How We Dot It (Remix) (Uganda)CPWAA feat. various artists for Action (Tanzania)
Most Gifted Video of the Year
Khuli Chana feat. JR for No More Hunger (South Africa)
Samklef feat. D'Prince & Ice Prince Molowo Noni (Nigeria)
Zakes Bantwini for Wasting My Time (South Africa)STL for Lookie Lookie (Kenya)
D'Banj feat. Snoop Dogg for Mr Endowed (Remix) (Nigeria)
AKA for Victory Lap (South Africa)
2 Face for Only Me (Nigeria)
Liquideep for Settle For Less(South Africa)
Navio for Keep Moving (Uganda)
Lira for Phakade (South Africa)
The 2011 Special Recognition Award was awarded to D'Banj.
Coming soon! Keep a lookout on TVSA for red carpet and afterparty pics and goss.