Three reasons the Samas were slammed, and three why they were praised

It's Sama time again! And with it, controversy and celebrations.

Nominees for this year's South African Music Awards were announced on Wednesday evening, with a lot of our faves getting the nod. But it was some of the biggest names getting “snubbed” that grabbed the attention of many on social media.

Soon the TL was filled with the good, the bad and the ugly from the nominations announcements.

Here are three Ls and three wins fans gave the awards:

MAKHADZI SNUB

Perhaps the strongest reaction to the nominations list so far was the exclusion of Limpopo star Makhdazi. Makhdazi has won over the hearts of Mzansi and made us forget about all the Covid-19 and lockdown blues.

Still, she was excluded from some of the big categories — and the streets were not happy. 

KELLY K'S OUTBURST

Kelly Khumalo joined rapper Cassper Nyovest before her in publicly slamming the awards and claiming her efforts had not been recognised.

She asked them to remove her work from any category she might be nominated in, and told a follower that organisers had insulted her hard work.

“As much as I respect what you do, I also ask that you respect my hard work and effort,” she said.

BOITY NOMINATION

One artist who did not have a problem with the list was rapper Boity, who was nominated in the Best Hip-Hop Album category.

While the muso and her fans were losing their minds at the nod, many on social media questioned it. They claimed it was an “unknown album” and challenged their followers to name songs from it.

KABZA LEADING THE NOMINATIONS

It wasn't all controversy and bad moods though, with the Amapiano star Kabza De Small topping the nominations.

After many believed he was snubbed by the awards last year, Kabza scored nominations in the Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Amapiano Album categories.

His collab album with DJ Maphorisa also earned him nods for Best Duo/Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Amapiano Album.

He earned a total of six nominations. Sun-El Musician bagged five.

AMAPIANO GETTING ITS OWN CATEGORY

The awards listened to calls for it to embrace and give respect to new genres, discontinuing the Best Kwaito/Amapiano/Gqom Album category and breaking it into three separate categories.

MFR Souls, Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa, Mas Musiq & Aymos, and Junior Taurus are the acts slugging it out for the first Best Amapiano Album award.

NOMCEBO GETS HER NOMINATION

After the debacle of Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode's hit song Jerusalema being “snubbed” at last year's ceremony, the songstress was recognised at the 2021 edition of the awards.

She is nominated in the Female Artist of the Year category, where she is up against Reign Afrika, Bucy Radebe, Hle and Sho Madjozi, and the Best Dance Album categories.