Richard Branson and Alicia Keys on MTV Base

British business entrepreneur and founder of the Virgin group sir Richard Branson will be the first global icon to be interviewed by African youths on the MTV Base Meets…with MTN TV series debuting on 18 July at 8:30pm on DStv channel 322. Award-winning musician, writer, producer and activist Alicia Keys will appear in the final episode of the series.

MTV Base Meets…with MTN is a youth empowerment initiative and multimedia campaign that allows African youth to connect directly with political, cultural and business leaders. 

Branson and Keys were selected to appear on the programme after African youth nominated the influencers or game-changers that they would most like to meet.

Branson faced an eclectic panel of African youth including Zimbabwean poet and political science student Belinda Zhawi (21), Ghanaian youth worker Arnold Sarfo-Kantanka, Nigerian model/singer/dancer Lil SImz (17) and Nigerian actor/director Ola Masha.

His participation provides young Africans with a unique opportunity to share his candid insights about business and entrepreneurship, and his views on some of the key issues facing African youth.  They will also learn more about Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group and the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Keys, who has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and won 14 Grammy Awards since her breakthrough 2001 album debut Songs in A Minor, will meet with a panel of youth from all over the African continent in an intimate Q&A session that will see her reveal her thoughts on music, as well as important issues such as HIV and AIDS, poverty, and more. 

MTV Base Meets Alicia Keys with MTN will premiere across Africa on MTV Base (DSTV channel 322) on 5 September 2011 and on terrestrial channels STV (Nigeria), Muvi TV (Zambia), Clouds TV (Tanzania), WBS (Uganda), Canal 2 (Cameroon), TV3 (Ghana) and NTV (Kenya). 

To win a chance of an all-expense paid trip to the USA to meet Alicia Keys and participate in the recording of the last episode of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, go to www.mtvmeets.com (competition extended from 17 to 25 July 2011).

Further episodes of MTV Base Meets…with MTN will include African heads of state Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (President, Liberia), Paul Kagame (President, Rwanda) and Julius Malema (President, ANC Youth League in South Africa), media mogul Ben Bruce and entrepreneur Aliko Dangote.

“MTN is proud to be associated with a programme that connects the youth of our continent with aspirational and inspiring leaders across business, music, politics and more,” says MTN Marketing Executive, Jennifer Roberti. “Communication, engagement and positive dialogue are all things that are very much valued at MTN and we are grateful to the esteemed guests such as Madame President Johnson-Sirleaf, Mr Kagame and Sir Richard Branson for their willingness to participate in a programme that also represents those ideals.”

MTV Base Meets…with MTN will premiere on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) on 18 July at 20:30 CAT and on partner TV stations as the following times and dates: