The inaugural South African Amapiano Music Awards is here. Expectedly, many are excited, and many are already disappointed.
According to organizers of the award, they felt that amapiano wasn’t getting enough recognition, so they took it upon themselves to institute an award that focuses on the sound, as well as friends of the sound.
In a post to Twitter, the award body, via its official account, noted that amapiano is the biggest genre in South Africa at the moment, and it now has its own award. For the inaugural awards, the governing body stated that it considered the contributions artistes made to amapiano, as well as works released between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
The categories for the award include Best Amapiano Street Dancer, Friends of Amapiano, and Amapiano sog of the year.
The nominees list shows some of the top figures in the genre, as well as some up-and-coming artistes. Mi Casa, Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic, De Mthuda, DJ Melzi, Miano and Musa Keys are among those nominated. You can check out the list below.
BEST AMAPIANO STREET DANCER
- Hope Ramafalo | HOPE
- Lungy Gwala | LUNGY
- Dipolelo Dipsie | DIPOLELO
- Jessica Mashaba | JESSICA
- Theebuhle (Lundi Buhle Gugwana) | THEEBUHLE
BEST AMAPIANO MUSIC VIDEO
- Kamo Mphela Nkulunkulu | NKULUNKULU
- Focalistic Ke Star | KE STAR
- DJ Zandimaz Emathandweni | EMATHANDWENI
- Major League DJz, Abidoza, Mpho Sebina Dinaledi | DINALEDI
- Sha Sha Woza | WOZA
BEST AMAPIANO NEWCOMER
- DJ Obza | DJ OBZA
- Reece Madlisa & Zuma (Amaroto) | AMAROTO
- Soulful G | SOULFUL G
- Boohle | BOOHLE
- Nobantu Vilakazi | NOBANTU
FRIENDS OF AMAPIANO
- Cassper Nyovest | CASSPER
- Vetkuk vs Mahoota | VETKUK & MAHOOTA
- Riky Rick | RIKY RICK
- Oskido | OSKIDO
- Mi Casa | MI CASA
MOST VIRAL AMAPIANO SONG OF THE YEAR
- John Vuligate – Mapara A Jazz, Ntosh Gazi, Colano | JOHN VULIGATE
- Catalia – Junior De Rocka, Lady Du, Mr JazziQ, Mellow, Sleazy | CATALIA
- Khuza Gogo – Dbn Gogo, Blaqnick, MasterBlaq, Mpura, Ama Avenger, MJ | KHUZA GOGO
- Vula Mlomo – Musa Keys, Sir Trill, Nobantu Vilakaz | VULA MLOMO
- Dakiwe – Lady Du, Dbn Gogo, Mr JazziQ, Seekay, Busta 929 | DAKIWE
BEST AMAPIANO DANCE ACT
- Kamo Mphela | KAMO MPHELA
- Pabi Cooper | PABI COOPER
- Bontle Smith | BONTLE SMITH
- Uncle Vinny | UNCLE VINNY
- Lungy Gwala | LUNGY
BEST AMAPIANO LIVE VOCAL PERFORMANCE
- Samthing Soweto | SAMTHING SOWETO
- Daliwonga | DALIWONGA
- Shasha | SHA SHA
- Sir Trill | SIR TRILL
- Boohle | BOOHLE
BEST AMAPIANO LYRICIST/RAPPER
- Reece Madlisa & Zuma (Amaroto) | AMAROTO
- Lady Du | LADY DU
- Focalistic | FOCALISTIC
- Miano | MIANO
- Mpura | MPURA
BEST AMAPIANO VOCALIST
- Boohle | BOOHLE
- Samthing Soweto | SAMTHING SOWETO
- Soulful G | SOULFUL G
- Sha Sha | SHA SHA
- Lady Du | LADY DU
BEST AMAPIANO COLLABORATION
- REECE MADLISA & ZUMA FEAT. MR JAZZIQ & BUSTA 929 – JAZZIDISCIPLES (ZLELE) | ZLELE
- MR JAZZIQ, KABZA DE SMALL & LADY DU – WOZA (FEAT. BOOHLE) | WOZA
- KABZA DE SMALL & DJ MAPHORISA – EMCIMBINI (FEAT. AYMOS, SAMTHING SOWETO, MYZTRO & MAS MUSIQ) | EMCIMBINI
- SEMI TEE & MDU AKA TRP – ISINGISI (FEAT. SIR TRILL) | ISINGISI
- KILLER KAU & MR JAZZIQ – AMANEIGHBOR (FEAT. REECE MADLISA, ZUMA & THACKZIN DJ) | AMANEIGHBOR
BEST AMAPIANO MUSIC PRODUCER
- De Mthuda | DE MTHUDA
- Busta 929 | BUSTA 929
- Josiah De Disciple | JOSIAH
- Kabza De Small | KABZA
- Abidoza | ABIDOZA
BEST AMAPIANO PRODUCED SONG
- ABEKHO READY – (MAPLANKENG RESHUFFLE) – DE MTHUDA FEAT. SIR TRILL & DA MUZIQAL CHEF | ABEKHO READY
- UMSEBENZI WETHU – BUSTA 929 & MPURA FEAT. ZUMA, MR JAZZIQ, LADY DU & REECE MADLISA | UMSEBENZI WETHU
- LIYOSHONA – KWISH SA FEAT. NJELIC, MALUMNATOR & DE MTHUDA | LIYOSHONA
- DINALEDI – MAJOR LEAGUE DJZ & ABIDOZA FEAT. MPHO SEBINA | DINALEDI
- IDLOZI LAM – DJ OBZA FEAT. NKOSAZANA & DJ FREETZ | IDLOZI LAM
BEST AMAPIANO DUO OR GROUP
- Major League DJz | MAJOR LEAGUE
- Reece Madlisa & Zuma (Amaroto) | AMAROTO
- MFR Souls | MFR SOULS
- KayGee DaKing & Bizizi | KAYGEE & BIZIZI
- DJ Maphorisa & Khabza De Small | SCORPION KINGS
BEST AMAPIANO FEMALE DJ ACT
- Lamiez Holworthy | LAMIEZ
- Dbn Gogo | DBN GOGO
- Zandimaz | ZANDIMAZ
- T x C (Tarryn & Clair) | T X C
- Owami Mafokate | OWAMI
BEST AMAPIANO MALE DJ ACT
- Mr Jazziq | MR JAZZIQ
- DJ Stokie | DJ STOKIE
- DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small | SCORPION KINGS
- DJ Melzi | DJ MELZI
- Major League DJz | MAJOR LEAGUE
AMAPIANO ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- De Mthuda – Ace Of Spades | ACE OF SPADES
- Khabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa Scorpion Kings Live | SCORPION KINGS
- Mr Jazziq & Busta 929 – Maba Jabul’abantu | JAZZIQ & BUSTA
- DJ Obza – Masego | MASEGO
- Major League – DJz Pianochella | PIANOCHELLA
BEST FEMALE AMAPIANO ARTIST
- Dbn Gogo | DBN GOGO
- Lady Du | LADY DU
- Boohle | BOOHLE
- Kamo Mphela | KAMO MPHELA
- Sha Sha | SHA SHA
BEST MALE AMAPIANO ARTIST
- Focalistic | FOCALISTIC
- De Mthuda | DE MTHUDA
- Mas Musiq | MAS MUSIQ
- Mr JazziQ | MR JAZZIQ
- Musa Keys | MUSA KEYS
AMAPIANO ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kamo Mphela | KAMO MPHELA
- Major League DJz | MAJOR LEAGUE
- Focalistic | FOCALISTIC
- Dbn Gogo | DBN GOGO
- Lady Du | LADY DU
AMAPIANO SONG OF THE YEAR
- Ke Star – Focalistic feat. Vigro Deep | KE STAR
- Umsebenzi Wethu – Busta 929 & Mpura feat. Zuma, Mr JazziQ, Lady Du & Reece Madlisa | UMSEBENZI WETHU
- Khuza Gogo – Dbn Gogo, Blaqnick & MasterBlaq feat. Mpura, Ama Avenger & MJ | KHUZA GOGO
- Amanikiniki – MFR Souls feat. Major League DJz, Kamo Mphela & Bontle Smith | AMANIKINIKI
- Uthando – Soa Mattrix & Soulful G feat. Shaun 101 | UTHANDO
- Emathandweni – Zandimaz feat. Nokwazi | EMATHANDWENI
- Idlozi Lam – DJ Obza feat. Nkosazana & DJ Freetz | IDLOZI LAM
- John Wick – De Mthuda feat. Sir Trill & Da Muziqal Chef | JOHN WICK
- Vula Mlomo – Musa Keys feat. Sir Trill & Nobantu Vilakazi | VULA MLOMO
- Dinaledi – Major League DJz feat. Abidoza & Mpho Sebina | DINALEDI
Some amapiano fans have already registered their displeasure with the list, wondering why DJ Jaivane, Sha Sha and Daliwonga didn’t make the list.
What do you think, though? You may want to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
