Urban music legend and hip hop rebel Wyclef Jean is the host of this year’s MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA Awards) holding in Nairobi, Kenya.

The prolific artiste, musician, writer and producer will be jetting into the East African country to take command of the stage at the awards on October 10, 2009, bringing his legendary showmanship, outrageous sense of humour and infinite enthusiasm to the audience that will assemble at the Indoor Arena of the Moi International Sports Complex.

Wyclef will perform live along the hottest contemporary music talents from across the African continent, including Kenya’s Wahu, Nigeria’s M.I., South Africa’s Lira and Ghana’s Samini.

Haitian-born Wyclef is no stranger to the music awards scene, he has won and been nominated for multiple awards in his distinguished career, including Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, the BRITS and the BET Awards.

His credentials for hosting the show are impeccable – having hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards in Stockholm, Sweden in 2000 and the MTV Australia Music Awards in 2008, this gig is a perfect match for the “ecleftic” Mr Jean.

A 20-year veteran of the music industry, Wyclef Jean first found fame with hip hop pioneers The Fugees before launching a hugely successful solo career as artiste, performer and producer.
The platinum selling artiste, who has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide in his career with The Fugees and as a solo artiste, has recently announced plans to release his seventh album, entitled, “wyclefjean” early next year.

On his hosting the awards, Wyclef says: “The Prodigal Son is returning home. Anything can happen!”
Wyclef follows in the footsteps of renowned BBC broadcaster and DJ Trevor Nelson who hosted the maiden MAMA Awards in Abuja last year.