'Amapiano king' Kabza Da Small dominates Samas list with six nods

Cementing the fact that amapiano has taken over the SA music industry, producer and DJ Kabza De Small scored a whopping six nominations at the 27th edition of the SA Music Awards (Samas) which were announced on Wednesday night.

Kabza's album I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust got nods in the Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Amapiano Album categories.

Once Upon A Time in Lockdown, his collaboration with DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) also scored Duo / Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Amapiano Album, bagging Kabza an impressive six nominations.

Sun-El Musician wasn't far behind with five nominations while Gospel sensation Bucy Radebe also did the most with four nods.

Other interesting nominees included Boity, whose album 4436 scored her a nomination for the Best Hip Hop album and landed her on the trends list as it left Mzansi split.

'Queen of gqom' Babes Wodumo also scored a nod for her latest offering Idando Kazi and goes up against the likes of Que, one half of Distruction Boyz.

Reggae vocalist Bongo Riot earned three nominations while Nomcebo Zikode of Jerusalema fame scored two nominations in the Best Dance Album and Best Female Artist of the Year.

RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi said: “We are delighted with the calibre of nominees for SAMA27. This is a reflection of the music industry and the movers and shakers who made an affect in 2020/21, a very difficult period in which the industry had to deal with a crippling global pandemic. 

“It was through music that life became bearable and for that we thank our artists who continue to redefine, reinvent and re-imagine their business.”

Here's the nominees for some of the popular categories:

Album of the Year

Persistence — Bongo Riot The Healers: The Last Chapter — Black Motion Once Upon A Time in Lockdown — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust — Kabza De Small Back to Love — Junior Taurus

Duo / Group of the Year

Ama Roto EP — Reece Madlisa & Zuma Musical Kings — MFR Souls Once Upon A Time in Lockdown — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) Shonamalanga — Mas Musiq & Aymos We Made It — Mi Casa

Female Artist of the Year

On the Frontline — Reign Africa Spiritual Encounter — Bucy Radebe What a Life — Sho Madjozi Xola Moya Wam’ — Nomcebo Zikode Your Kingdom on Earth — Hle

Male Artist of the Year

To The World & Beyond — Sun-El Musician Persistence — Bongo Riot I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust — Kabza De Small For the Groovists — Oscar Mbo Back to Love — Junior Taurus

White Star Newcomer of the Year

Jesus is Enough — Xolly Mncwango On the Frontline — Reign Africa Africado — BandaBanda & The Crocodiles Ingoma — Azana Spiritual Encounter — Bucy Radebe

Best R&B/Soul Album

A Force To Be Reckoned With — Thando LANGA — Langa Mavuso Sindisiwe — LaSauce Small World — Ricky Tyler Uhambo — Soul Kulture

Best Hip Hop Album

4436 — Boity Nadia Naked II — Nadia Nakai Zulu With Some Power — Nasty C POPSTAR — Yanga Chief Zakwe & Duncan — Zakwe & Duncan

Best Kwaito Album

Sgubhu OverDoze — Lvovo & Danger Endaweni — Darkie Fiction Don’t Lose Hope — Sukiripapa Bhut’Madlisa — Mampintsha Ama Roto EP — Reece Madlisa & Zuma

Best Dance Album

To The World & Beyond — Sun-El Musician For The Groovists — Oscar Mbo Xola Moya Wam’ — Nomcebo Zikode The Healers: The Last Chapter — Black Motion We Made It — Mi Casa

Best Traditional Faith Music Album

Project 17 — Chapter 2 — Worship House Buya Nkosi — Thinah Zungu Spiritual Encounter — Bucy Radebe Wathi Eloyi Eloyi — Sipho Makhabane Izulu — Sneziey

Best Afro Pop Album

Ingoma — Azana Molimo — Manu Worldstar Ngumama — Vusi Nova The Voice of Africa — Kelly Khumalo Tugela Fairy: Made of Stars — Simmy

Best Amapiano Album

Musical Kings — MFR Souls Back to Love — Junior Taurus I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust — Kabza De Small Once Upon A Time In Lockdown — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) Shonamalanga — Mas Musiq & Aymos

Best Gqom Album

We Don’t Play the Same Gqom — Que Make Cape Town Great Again — Mshayi & Mr Thela Isiqalo — DragerNation InzaloYekwaito — Zinaro Idando Kazi — Babes Wodumo