Black Coffee stamped his authority on the local music scene when he walked away with an impressive five nods at tonight’s SAMA25 nominee announcement.
The internationally acclaimed DJ’s album Music is King secured him spots in Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Dance Album. He also scored a double nomination in the Collaboration of the Year award, first for Drive featuring David Guetta and Delilah Montagu and second for Wish You Were Here featuring Asanda Lusaseni-Mvana.
For their 25th year, the SAMAs ‘returned home’ to their cradle at the Alberton Civic Theatre, east of Johannesburg where they were first held in 1994. The night heavy with sentiment and nostalgia was hosted by the iconic Dosto Noge of Duku Duku fame and child star Hulisani Ravele and featuring some spectacular performances from SAMA Award winning musicians. The industry also came out in droves to place bets on who would be nominated and what a nail-biter it turned out to be.
Hot on the heels of Black Coffee was Sjava’s Umqhele that earned him four nominations in Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Afro Pop Album and Best Engineer. Also standing at four nods is Sho Madjozi in Female Artist of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Best Kwaito/ Gqom/ Amapiano Album for Limpopo Champions League and Music Video of the Year for Huku.
It was also a good night for Zonke who bagged four nods in Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Best R&B/Soul Album and Best Produced Album for L.O.V.E. Sun-El Musician also hit a slam dunk with four nominations in Newcomer of the Year, Best Dance Album for Africa To The World and a double whammy in the Collaboration of the Year first for Sonini featuring Simmy and Ntaba Ezikude featuring Simmy.
Nasty C scored three nominations in Best Hip Hop Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineer for Strings and Bling while Vusi Nova also sits pretty with nods in Album of the Year, Best engineer and Best Afro Pop Album for Manyan-nyan.
The late Oliver Mtukudzi is up for the Rest of Africa Artist award where he is nominated with Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania, Kommanda Obbs from Lesotho, Mr Eazi from Nigeria and Nixon Zimbabwe.
It will be an epic battle as the Best Hip Hop Album award is vied for by AKA (Touch My Blood), Emtee (DIY2), Jabba X (#FGTBB), Kid X (Thank Da King) and Nasty C (Strings and Bling).
The top honours in the Best Jazz Album category is contested by Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane (Closer to Home), Thandi Ntuli (Exiled), Bokani Dyer Trio (Neo Native), Tune Recreation Committee (Afrika Grooves with the Tune Recreation Committee and Mandisi Dyantyi (Somandla).
In the Best Maskandi Album Thokozani Langa (Iyabuza Induna) takes on Ofeleba (Hi &Low), Sgwebo Sentambo (Yekani Umona), Mbuzeni (Ungishiyelani) and Ichwane Lebhaca (Imali Yesoso).
SAMA25 sees the return of the Best Reggae Album category. Nominees vying for the trophy are Bongo Riot (Next Levels), Botanist (Game Changer), Ras Vuyo (Diversion) The Mediators (Explosion) and Black Dillinger (Mavara is King).
Two reality TV show winners Tholwana (2.0.1.5) and Paxton (This is Me) stake their claim for glory in the Best Pop Album as they go up against Majozi (Majozi), Tresor (Nostalgia) and Jarrad Ricketts (Break the Rules) while in the Beste Pop Album Snotkop (SOUS) is pitted up against 4 Werke (4 by 4), The Rockets (Sonskyn), Brendan Peyper (Dis Nie Sonde Nie) and Jan Bloukaas (Lewe).
The Best Traditional Faith Music Album is a stiff competition between Lebo Sekgobela (Umusa), Kholeka (Your Word – Alibuyi Lilambatha Izwi Lakho), Spirit of Praise (Spirit of Praise Vol.7), Sipho Ngwenya (Intimate Worship Season 3) and Paul K (Time of God Manifest). In the Best Contemporary Faith Music Album Ntokozo Mbambo (Moments in Time) will slug it out with Neyi Zimu (Another Level of Worship), Khaya Mthethwa (All About Jesus), Tshwane Gospel Choir (The Next Revival) and We Will Worship (Seasons Volume 1).
Nhlanhla Sibisi, RiSA CEO congratulated the nominees: “This has been a great year of music. We are proud of this nomination list which we believe is a fair reflection of the artists who made a good impact in the industry and had music lovers entertained. The stage is set for a showdown as we start the countdown to Sun City for the final awards show. We salute all the nominees and send out best wishes to all.”
The theme for this year was revealed as #recognise. We recognise that this 25th year anniversary moment is bigger than any single artist, genre, award or song. We recognise that we are here because of all that has gone before:
The artists
The genres
The story of our Democracy
The soundtracks of our lives
We recognise the power of the moment where stand right now.
And we recognise the possibility of where we are going.
“Just like the SAMAs, Vodacom celebrates 25 years of connecting South Africans to the music they love this year, and in doing so acknowledges the hard work and dedication that goes in before being recognised on a nominees list of this calibre. My Muze, connected by Vodacom, congratulates every nominee, and wishes them all the best on the night and for a very exciting future.” – Rehana Hassim: Vodacom Portfolio Manager – Music.
The North West MEC for Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs, Mme Ontlametse Mochware also congratulated the nominees. “As sponsors of the Awards, we recognise that getting a nomination for the SAMA’s is in itself an achievement. We look forward to the finals at Sun City and by the best win”
