South African Music Awards 23 – Kwesta confirms his royalty at the SAMA 23

South African music is admirably increasing its urban feel without discarding its traditional vibes which flavor most South African hits. South African acts know their onions as much as their sounds, hence when they toast music, it a delicious melody that our ears drool for. Therefore the South African music awards was a big show sure to be plastered across the headlines globally.

The 2017 edition of the South African Music Awards sparkled in resplendence at the Sun City Super Bowl, North West. There the major acts were spicing up things in their tasty performances. Moving over to the winners for this year, Rapper Kwesta greedily packed the SAMA statuettes, looting the awards this night for a wonderfully successful year.

His awards for the night were a formal recognition of the obvious reality that Kwesa is not packing his luggage off the hiphop scene anytime soon. Kwesta went up to trigger his nice run at the awards night opening his trophy bag with the collection of the Best Collaboration Album at the industry awards. By the end of the night, he had voraciously eaten six mega awards altogether – Best Male Artist of the Year, SAMPRA Highest Airplay of the Year, Samro Highest Airplay of the Year, Best Rap Album, and finally the Best Album of the Year for his Dakar II album not forgetting his monster single Ngud. That was a completely deserved night for Kwesta a fair pound of flesh for all the volume of brains he soaks into production of his music.

Another person who had a memorable night was upcoming act Amanda Black, scooping up two of the biggest five awards. Amanda took home Best Female Artist of the Year and Best Newcomer of the Year, finishing the night with another her silverware for her closet: the Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album award. So it was not a bad day at the office at all for Amanda who ascended to three time SAMA winner for her debut album.

Next was the dazzling Nasty C piping the gloriously enviable Record of the Year award (which is also publicly voted). Nasty C kidnapped this one with his sickening delirious Hell Naw.

The Best Duo/Group of the Year as well as the Best Dance Album was deposited with Black Motion. And when we were looking for Dr Malinga , he showed up walloping the Best Kwaito Album award and then the Best Afro Pop Album trophy escorted sensation Vusi Nova home.

Withdrawing to the traditional category, Khuzani (who deeply confirmed his South African roots with his album Inyoni Yomthakathi) grasped the Best Maskandi Album. Over to the more spiritual category, the human angels of Spirit of Praise danced home with the Best Traditional Faith Music Album with the Living in Christ Legends corroborating their gospel colleagues in winning the African Indigenous Gospel Album.

The award show was fed fat with glamour and buzzing with the big names. With hosting coming from television and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo in the amiable company of guffaw-machine Tumi Morake, one of South Africa’s finest comedy export. The award also showed honorable gratuity to its indigenous legends,old-timers likes of Don Laka Rebecca Malope, Babsy Mlangeni (notable grandparents of South African music) were rewarded with the Lifetime Achievement awards.
In the international Opera, raving South African genius Pretty Yende won the International Recognition Award in honor of her indomitable exploits globally in opera.
The night would be one that will be comfortably housed in the memory of many for long for the explosive performances. The likes of Kurt Darren killed the night alongside his accomplice and hip-hop royalty Khuli Chana, Yanga and Emtee nailing the night with Stogie T. More nerves were excitedly agitated when Kwesta came on with TLT.

It was a completely magical night as the Afro Pop cohorts of Kelly Khumalo, Jaziel Brothers, Robbie Malinga and Musa peppered the night in a savory manner with a uniquely scarce African flavour.

The hosts of heaven must have come down from above in their dancing shoes to join the party when the spirited gospel performance of Jerusalema E Ncha, Lebo Sekgobela , and Dr Tumi, Neyi Zimu doused the secular night with a spiritual saturation.

Below is a compiled list of winners:

· Best Newcomer of the Year – Amanda Black – Amazulu

· Best Duo-Group of the Year – Black Motion – Ya Badimo

· Best Female Artist of the Year – Amanda Black – Amazulu

· Best Male Artist of the Year – Kwesta – Dakar II

· Best Album of the Year – Kwesta – Dakar II

· Record of the Year – Nasty C – Hell Naw

· Best Maskandi Album – Khuzani – Inyoni yomthakathi

· Classical Instrumental Album – Charl du Pleassis Trio – Baroqueswing Vol.II

· Best Afro Pop Album – Vusi Nova – Vusi Nova

· African Indigenous Gospel Album – Living In Christ Legends – Living In Christ Legends

· Best Rock Album – Albert Frost – The Wakeup

· Best Pop Album – GoodLuck – The Nature Within

· Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album – Joshua na die Reen – Die Wereld Binne My

· Best Rap Album – Kwesta – Darak II

· Best Kwaito Album – Dr Malinga – Goodwill

· Best Dance Album – Black Motion – Ya Badimo

· Best Traditional Faith Music Album – Sprit of Praise – Spirit of Praise Vol.6

· Samro Highest Airplay of the Year – Ngud – Kwesta

· SAMPRA Highest Airplay of the Year – Ngud – Kwesta

Curtains were drawn for the night in scintillating performances with a distinctive collaboration by dance moguls Naakmusiq, DBN Finest (DJ Tira & Sox Feat. Professor). Also came Babes Wodumo (featuring Mampintsha, Cassper and Dancers) and finally the full-stop dotted with the reverberating performance of OkMalumKoolKat. Nice ceremony and celebration of South African Music!