FULL LIST: AKA leads nomination pack at Samas with seven nods

Late rapper AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes, leads the nomination pack at the 29th annual SA Music Awards (Samas) with a total of seven nods for his posthumous album Mass Country.

Gospel dynamo Ntokozo Mbambo scores the honour of being the only female artist to be nominated for the hotly contested Album of the Year; competing with offerings from AKA, KO, Sjava and Kabza De Small.

The nominations for the most prestigious music awards were announced this morning at The Soweto Theatre in Jabulani, Soweto. In a surprise move, the awards will for the first time in years move from its usual home in Sun City and be staged for two nights at the Durban ICC on November 17 and 18. It was also announced that KwaZulu-Natal will be the home of the Samas for the next three years.

Supa Mega scored nominations for Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Engineered Album, Best Collaboration (with two songs), Best Produced Music Video and Best Hip Hop Album. 

"The 3am phone calls [from AKA when he was alive] to listen to Mass Country seems to be paying off," AKA's parents Lynn and Tony Forbes told Sowetan in a joined statement.

“Mass Country was much bigger than Kiernan. He left his last life story in music for the world to enjoy and having his talent recognised like this is because of the Megacy [AKA's fan base] and everyone that has supported his career and continues to enjoy his music. Thank you to the Samas team for this recognition."

Fellow rapper KO follows with six nominations, while Sjava, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa close by.

Newcomer Sincerely Anne is shaking things up with three nominations for Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Best Engineered Album for her offering To Whom it May Concern. 

The eligibility period for this year’s nominations run between February 1 2022 and April 14 2023.

“We are proud to present the class of Sama29 who over a 14-month period put out some of the best tunes, collaborations and music videos in the country,” said Risa CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi.

“We commend their artistry, resilience and tenacity that have led to them rising to the top and positioning themselves to be in line for the highest music accolade SA can bestow on an artist. We wish them well as we embark on the road to Sama29 in KwaZulu-Natal.”

Check out a full nomination list below:

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 – Buyani Mcunu

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 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 & Madumane – Ba Straata
• Mohigan Sun – Morda featuring Oscar Mbo and Murumba Pitch
• AKA featuring Kiddominant – Company

Rest of Africa award

• Sad Romance – Ckay
• Timeless – Davido
• I'm Alive – Sha Sha
• Worry – Lyre
• Dynastie – Ferre Gola
• Sounds of Peace – Moreira Chonguiça

Best Gqom

• 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

• 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 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 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 R&B Album

• 4LUV (Deluxe) – Blxckie
• But Could the Moments in Between - Manana
• Germander II – FLVME
• Bad Weather – Nanette
• Passion Fruit – KABOMO

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
• Katryn – Stefan Jansen

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

Best Hip Hop Album

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