February kickstarts the award season in America and first up for the music lovers are the 2019 Grammy Awards. Arguably the most prestigious gong in music, the award ceremony celebrates great writers and artists from different genres that had a buzz the previous year. The Grammys are always fraught with much controversy, prior to the event and even during the award spectacle. Did someone say Kanye?

ALSO READ: Erica Badu Hosted the Soul Train Awards And She Killed It!

This year marks the 61st Grammy Awards showdown and music buffs are none the wiser. Here’s a list of the 2019 Grammy nominees for the most contentious categories. Think there was an artist who was more deserving of a nod that was snubbed?

Grammy Awards Categories

1. Record Of The Year

• Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I LIKE IT
• Brandi Carlile – THE JOKE
• Childish Gambino – THIS IS AMERICA
• Drake – GOD’S PLAN
• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – SHALLOW
• Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ALL THE STARS
• Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage – ROCKSTAR
• Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey – THE MIDDLE

2. Album Of The Year

• Cardi B – INVASION OF PRIVACY
• Brandi Carlile – BY THE WAY, I FORGIVE YOU
• Drake – SCORPION
• H.E.R. – H.E.R.
• Post Malone – BEERBONGS & BENTLEYS
• Janelle Monáe – DIRTY COMPUTER
• Kacey Musgraves – GOLDEN HOUR
• Various Artists – BLACK PANTHER: THE ALBUM, MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY

3. Song Of The Year

• Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ALL THE STARS
• Ella Mai – BOO’D UP
• Drake – GOD’S PLAN
• Shawn Mendes – IN MY BLOOD
• Brandi Carlile – THE JOKE
• Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey – THE MIDDLE
• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – SHALLOW
• Childish Gambino – THIS IS AMERICA

4. Best New Artist

• Chloe X Halle
• Luke Combs
• Greta Van Fleet
• H.E.R.
• Dua Lipa
• Margo Price
• Bebe Rexha
• Jorja Smith

5. Best Rap Album

• Cardi B – INVASION OF PRIVACY
• Mac Miller – SWIMMING
• Nipsey Hussle – VICTORY LAP
• Pusha T – DAYTONA
• Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD

6. Best Rap Song
A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

• Drake – GOD’S PLAN
• Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake – KING’S DEAD
• Eminem Featuring Joyner Lucas – LUCKY YOU
• Travis Scott, Drake, (Big Hawk) & Swae Lee – SICKO MODE
• Jay Rock – WIN

7. Best Rap/Sung Performance

• Christina Aguilera Featuring Goldlink -LIKE I DO
• 6lack Featuring J. Cole – PRETTY LITTLE FEARS
• Childish Gambino – THIS IS AMERICA
• Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ALL THE STARS
• Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage – ROCKSTAR

The award show is slated to take place this Monday, February 11, 2019, at 3:00 AM GMT+2. Will you be watching? Leave a comment with some of your most memorable Grammy moment of all time below and let’s start the conversation.

The South African Music Awards have announced a few changes to some category names to include more artists who’s contributions might have been easily blackballed. As calls for entries for next year’s gong shindig continue gaining momentum, a more diverse pool of artist may now approach the table:

Best Rap Album has changed to Best Hip Hop Album. The renaming allows for Hip Hop DJs to enter their albums in addition to Rap residing in this category. We can already think of a few DJs who will soon be giving rappers a run for their money in this hotly contested category.

Best African Adult has changed to Best African Adult Contemporary Album. The category does not carry language exclusion.

Best Africa Artist has changed to Best African Artist.  This has also been made a special category so that South African artists can enter their works and compete for the bragging rights of being named the best artist in the African continent.

The Best Kwaito Album category name has not been changed, but its definition has expanded to include Gqom, New Age Kwaito, Amapiano and other types of Kwaito subcategory music available in the country.

Shane Eagle, Cassper Nyovest, Stogie T and AKA are the most nominated Hip Hop artists at the 6th Annual SA Hip Hop Awards. The gong shindig has unveiled their full list of nominees, and the the rappers who represent different facets of South African Hip Hop, scored the most nominations.

The Best Album category also features OkMalumkoolkat’s Mlazi Milano, who had one of our favourite albums from 2016. Read the full REVIEW. There’s also AKA and Anatii, who’s first collaborative album Be Careful What You Wish For spawned some of the biggest hits this year. These include 10 Fingers and Don’t Forget To Pray. 

SEE: FULL LIST OF WINNERS AT THE 2016 SA HIP HOP AWARDS

They’ve each recieved nominations for Best Song, where they will be vying for the award alongside Frank Casino, Riky Rick, Da L.E.S, Maraza and Junior De Rocker featuring Golden Black.

The 2017 South African Hip Hop also announced that this year’s event will be broadcast on SABC 1, for the culture. Comedienne Nina Hastie will be hosting.

NOMINATIONS 

SONG OF THE YEAR

1.The Whole Thang Remix Frank Casino feat. Riky Rick

2. Tito Mboweni – Cassper Nyovest

3. Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe – Kwesta feat. Thabsie

4. Lifestyle – Da LES feat. Gemini Major

5. Gqi – Okmalumkoolkat feat. Amadando

6. By Any Means – Stogie T feat. Yanga and Emtee

7. Don’t Forget To Pray – AKA and Anatii

8. 10 Fingers – AKA and Anatii

9. Been Thinking – Junior De Rocka feat. Golden Black and Maraza

10. The World Is Yours – AKA

BEST ALBUM 

1. Thuto – Cassper Nyovest

2. Stogie T – Stogie T

3. Yellow – Shane Eagle

4. BCWYWF – AKA and Anatii

5. Mlazi Milano – Okmalumkoolkat

MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR 

1. Tellascope – Bigstar

2. Morning Star – Zoocci Coke Dope

3. The Cape & Good Dope – Ganja Beats & Youngsta

4. Inja Yam Vol.1 – DJ Sliqe

5. Dreams Money Can Buy – J Molley

BEST MALE

1. Thuto – Cassper Nyovest

2. Stogie T – Stogie T

3. Yellow – Shane Eagle

4. Mlazi Milano – Okmalumkoolkat

5. Diamond In Africa – Da LES

BEST FEMALE

1. I Am – Nelz

2. Beautiful Black Girl  -Lee STK

3. Malatjie – Patty Monroe

4. The New Era Sessions – Rouge

5. Barkston Drive – MegMafia

DJ OF THE YEAR 

1. DJ Speedsta

2. Major League DJz

3. Junior De Rocka

4. DJ Sliqe

5. DJ PH

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

1. Ali Keys

2. Gemini Major

3. Ruff

4. Co Kayn

5. Zoocci Coke Dope

BEST COLLABO

1. 10 Fingers – AKA and Anatii

2. Don’t Forget To Pray – AKA and Anatii

3. Destiny – Cassper Nyovest ft. Goapele

4. Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe – Kwesta ft. Thabsie

5. Thixo – L Tido ft. AKA

6. Gqi – Okmalumkoolkat feat. Amadando

7. Been Thinking Remix – Junior De Rocka ft. Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick and Kwesta

8. Lifestyle – Da LES x Gemini Major

9. I Don’t Know – DJ Speedsta ft. J Mooley, Fr

10. The Whole Thang Remix – Frank Casino ft. Riky Rick

LYRICIST OF THE YEAR

1. Shane Eagle

2. Stogie T

3. Blaklez

4. Ginger Breadman

5. Youngsta

BEST FRESHMAN/NEWCOMER

1. Rouge

2. Shane Eagle

3. Bigstar

4. Zoocci Coke Dope

5. J Molley

HUSTLER OF THE YEAR

1. Cassper Nyovest

2. AKA

3. Proverb

4. Kwesta

5. Major League DJz

BEST VIDEO

1. The World Is Yours – AKA

2. 10 Fingers – AKA and Anatii

3. Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe – Kwesta feat. Thabsie

4. Let It Flow – Shane Eagle

5. Hallelujah – DuBoiz feat. AKA

6. Caiphus Song – AKA

7. No – Feelings KO

8. Wes Kaap – Youngsta

9. Destiny – Cassper Nyovest feat. Goapele

10. Tito Mboweni – Cassper Nyovest