AKA, K.O, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa Lead The Pack As The SAMAs Announce This Year’s Nominees

The biggest night in South Africa’s musical calendar is just a few weeks away, and with the announcement that the awards are moving to Durban this year, RiSA has announced this year’s nominees – with AKA, K.O, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa leading the pack.

The late AKA leads the pack with a tally seven nods for his album Mass Country in the categories of Male Artist of the Year; Album of the Year; Best Engineered Album; Best Hip-Hop Album; Best Collaboration (for the single Lemons (Lemonade) featuring Nasty C); Best Collaboration (for the single Company featuring Kiddominant); and Best Produced Music Video (for Lemons (Lemonade) featuring Nasty C.

Hot on his heels is fellow rapper K.O who garnered six nominations thanks to his album SR3 and the single Sete featuring Young Stunna and Blxckie. He is nodded in the categories of Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Album, Best Collaboration, Best Produced Music Video and Remix of the Year for Sete featuring Young Stunna, Oxlade and Diamond Platnumz.

Sjava’s Isibuko album earned him a spot in the fiercely contested Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Produced Album and Best Engineered Album.

The maestros of Amapiano, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa earned at least four and three nominations respectively, they further walked away with two nods for their collaboration as Scorpion Kings.

Sincerely Anne bagged an impressive three nods for Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Best Engineered Album for To Whom it May Concern.

Full list of nominees

Female Artist of the Year

• Kelly Khumalo – From A God To A King
• Ntokozo Mbambo – Lavish Worship
• Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern
• Hle – Take Heart
• Thandi Ntuli – Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë

Male Artist of the Year

• Kabza De Small – KOA II Part 1
• AKA – Mass Country
• Sjava – Isibuko
• K.O – SR3
• Lloyiso – Seasons

Duo/Group of the Year

• DJ Maphorisa and Visca – Ba Straata
• Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
• Mafikizolo – Idwala
• DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small – Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena
• Msaki and Tubatsi – Synthetic Hearts

Newcomer of the Year

• Myztro – 2.0 Nkwari,
• Blakka Yut – Unleashed
• Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern,
• Lloyiso – Seasons
• Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain,

Album of the Year

• Mass Country – AKA
• SR3 – K.O
• Isibuko – Sjava
• KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
• Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo

Best Engineered Album

• To Whom it May Concern – Sincerely Anne (engineered and produced by Tjaart van der Walt and Daniel Baron)
• Mass Country – AKA (engineered & produced by Robin Kohl and Itu)
• Kanniedood – Francois van Coke (engineered & produced by Taylor Soundworks)
• Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë – Thandi Ntuli (engineered & produced by Shane, Tshepo, Thandi & Clinton)
• Isibuko – Sjava, (engineered & produced by Ruff)

Best African Adult Contemporary Album

• Celebrating African Song – Dumza Maswana,
• Smile – Choko
• I am Gold – S’nazo
• Usiba Lwe Gazi – Nathi
• Ubuhle Ubuhle – Lethiwe Sithole

Best Alternative Album

• Glitch Vol 2: The Future Is Now – uBeyond
• Synthetic Hearts – Msaki and Tubatsi
• Blue Lawns – The Great Yawn
• Leaving All The Time – Bye Beneco
• On the Romance of Being – Desire Marea

Best Amapiano Album

• Amukelani – Kelvin Momo
• Ba Straata – DJ Maphorisa and Visca
• 2.0 Nkwari – Myztro
• KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
• Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena – DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small

Best Classical/Instrumental Album

• Live in Europe 22 – CH2
• Fire Beast – Vox Chamber Choir and Franco Prinsloo
• One Night On Earth – Derek Gripper
• Maike – Juliet String Quartet
• Sanctuary – Carol Thorns

Best Collaboration

• K.O, Young Stunna featuring Blxckie – Sete
• AKA featuring Nasty C – Lemons (Lemonade)
• DJ Maphorisa and Visca featuring 2woshortrsa, Stompiiey, ShaunMusiQ, Ftears and Madumane – Ba Straata
• Morda featuring Oscar Mbo and Murumba Pitch – Mohigan Sun
• AKA featuring Kiddominant – Company

Best Pop Album

• Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis
• Heard You Got Love – Jeremy Loops
• Game Over – Tyler Page
• Seasons – Lloyiso
• Petrichor – Amy Lilley

Best Produced Album

• KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small (producer: Leslie George Theko, Artwork Sound, Da Muziqal Chef, Mdu aka TRP, Stakev, DJ Maphorisa and Felo Le Tee)
• Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis (producer: Darren Petersen)
• Amukelani – Kelvin Momo (producer: Kelvin Momo)
• Lindokuhle – Lindokuhle (producer: Mthunzi, Howard, Herc, Tshepo Morone, DJ Maphorisa, Masiano)
• Isibuko – Sjava (producer: Delayde, Ruff, Jah Cool)

Best Produced Music Video

• Lemons (Lemonade) – AKA featuring Nasty C (producer: Tebogo Mabaso; director: Nate Thomas)
• Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna & Blxckie (producer: K.O, Tsholofelo Moremedi, Ted Magerman; director: Ted Magerman)
• Be Free – Desire Marea (producer: Will Nicholson; Director: Imraan Christian
• Been Thinking – Tyla (producer: Jimi Adesanya; director: Meiji Alabi)
• Shine – Elaine (producer: Shayna Gianelli; director: Jesse Ray Diamond)

Best Reggae Album

• Unleashed – Blakka Yut
• Youth’s Cry – Botanist Mr Lamington
• Red Carpet Live – Maximum Stylez
• Flight More Riddim – Blackness Blue Productions
• Healing – Lavoro Duro

Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album         

• Sing, Hoop, Weerklink – Prop
• Skree Net Sag – Alter Ego
• Ep In F – Herman Kleinhans
• Jagvat – Jan Rhaap
• Toe Roep Ek Jou Naam – Jan Blohm & Ryno Velvet

Remix of the Year

• Ndinovalo – Morda
• Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna, Oxlade & Diamond Platnumz
• Hayii Citizen Deep Remix – Citizen Deep X Mzux Maen ft Yasmin Levy
• Au dede – Karyendasoul
• Tobesta Remake – Myztro featuring Focalistic, Daliwonga, Shaunmusiq and Ftears

Rest of Africa Award

• Sad Romance – Ckay
• Timeless – Davido
• Worry – Lyre
• Dynastie – Ferre Gola
• Sounds of Peace – Moreira Chonguiça

Best Gqom Album

• Meeting with the King – DJ Lag
• Fikelephi – Sizwe Mdlalose
• Love & Light – Cairo CPT
• Nande 2.0 – DJ Sandiso
• Ithuba – Newlandz Finest

Best African Indigenous Faith Album       

• Emmanuel – JTG Gospel Choir
• Mantswe A Supileng – Spiritual Gospel Choir
• Ikhoni Mfuyo – In Zion of Christ
• Ba Ya Mo Nyatsa – Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo
• Ntate Le Rato La Hao – Ingqayizivele Gospel Choir

Best Hip Hop Album

• Religion – MashBeatz
• Mass Country – AKA
• SR3 – K.O
• Life is Gangsta – Thato Saul
• Diaspora – Maglera Doe Boy

Best Jazz Album

• In the Spirit of Ntu – Nduduzo Makhathini
• Isambulu – Linda Sikhakhane
• Blk Elija & The Children of Meroe – Thandi Ntuli
• The 1^st Gospel – Mthunzi Mvubu
• Finish the Sun – Shane Cooper and Mabuta

Best Kwaito Album

• Speak n Vrostaan – Kwesta and Kabza De Small
• R Mashesha – Big Nuz
• I Am Who I Am – Nkiyase
• Jukebox – Shisaboy
• Barabbas – Taylor K

Best Maskandi Album

• Umqhele Nethawula – Khuzani
• Ngeke Ungiphathe – Menzi
• Is’khiye Se-Coldroom – Thokozani Langa
• Iphakade Lami – Abafana Bakamgqumeni
• Home Alone – Inkos’yamagcokama

Best R&B Album

• But Could The Moments in Between – Ndumiso Manana
• Germander II – Lesego Kyle Mnyandu
• 4LUV (Deluxe) – Sihle Sithole
• Bad Weather – Nanette Siphesihle
• Passion Fruit – Kabomo

Best Traditional Album

• African Queen 2.0 – Makhadzi
• Ke Bone Molelo O Timile – MmaAusi
• A Reyeng Bahurutshe – Oarabele France Makgore
• Obe Happy – Molebatsi Tsotetsi
• Inkabi Nation – Big Zulu

Best Adult Contemporary Album

• Dark Secrets – Louise Carver
• Bait For Steps Forward – Nobuhle Ashanti
• Memories – Drakensberg Boys Choir
• Ndikhethiwe – Vusi Nova
• Love – Viwo Kulati

Best Dance Album

• Asante – Morda
• Next Level – Russell Zuma
• The Gospel According to Artwork Sounds – Grain
• WL4OM – Bonga Ntozini
• A New Dawn – Siyanda Makanya

Best Afro-pop Album

• Isibuko – Sjava
• From A God to A King – Kelly Khumalo
• Idwala – Mafikizolo
• Love is Pain – Venom
• Ekhayakomama – Philadlozi Mfekayi

Best Rock Album

• Kanniedood – Francois Badenhorst
• Fine Thanks, and You? – Russell Coward
• Hellcats – End of Days – Warwick Rautenbach/Alessandro Benigno
• Fuzigish – Malcolm King
• Testify – Basson Laubscher

Best Traditional Faith Album

• The Overflow –  Dumi Mkokstad
• Hoja Ke Sena Wena – IPCC
• Ndiyabulela – Tsholofelo Ntuli
• The Grace Encounter Vol.1 – Phumulani Radebe
• Sedi Laka – Brown Mosiapoa

Best Contemporary Faith Album

• Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
• Mhalamhala – Brenden Praise
• Take Heart – Hle
• Restored: The Jesus Collective – The Jesus Collective
• Hope – Vincent Jiyane

Beste Pop

• Jona – Bernice van der Westhuizen
• Insomnia – Brendan Peyper
• Loufi Flippen Loufi – Ifan-Luc Carlo Handel
• Hittegolf – Brandon Eloff
• Die Onbekende – Renier van der Westhuizen

SAMA29 will be staged at the Durban ICC on the weekend of 17 and 18 November 2023 and broadcast live on SABC1.