SAMA25 will bestow the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards to the late hip hop star HHP, kwaito legends TKZee and the acclaimed 90s group Mango Groove.

HHP who passed away last year will be remembered for the critical role he played in making Motswako a force to be reckoned with. His career is punctuated with a series of firsts, including being one of the first artists to make rapping over a kwaito beat popular as well as being the first hip hop artist to have multiple successful sync deals.

Jabba will also be remembered as the host of SAMAXXI and for the mentor role he played to many artists. He is undeniably one of the greatest forces in South African music and a shape shifter.

The trailblazing Mango Groove was started in 1984 with their unique brand of music fusing marabi and kwela. Their hits “Special Star”, “Another Country” and “Moments Away” to name a few became anthems that sealed their position as the emblematic rainbow nation for being multi ethnic at a time of apartheid.

RELATED: REFLECTING ON JABBA’S RISE TO THE TOP 

The talented front woman Claire Johnston backed by an equally gifted band that included the late trumpet great Banza Kgasoane became national treasures and faces of the national reconciliation and social cohesion project.

TKZee were the poster boys of cool in the 1990s as they pioneered a sound so unique in the process rewriting South Africa’s music history books by becoming the biggest selling kwaito group.

The three piece boy band of Kabelo Mabalane, Zwai Bala and Tokollo Tshabalala gave local audiences classics such as Palalafala and Shibobo. In 1999 TKZee experienced their biggest night at the SAMAs when they scooped five awards including Best Duo/Group and Best Kwaito Album, a record they held on to for years.

RELATED: EVERY TOP ACT NOMINATED AT THIS AT THE 25th ANNUAL SAMAS 

Congratulating the achievers Nhlanhla Sibisi, CEO of RiSA said: ‘We are proud that at this milestone,  25th anniversary of the SAMA we will be honouring these giants of music who played such a big role in South African music.

Mango Groove is an institution that tells our history as a people and the spirit of tenacity and rising above the odds when it was not so fashionable for blacks and whites to work together. TKZee heralded the early days of freedom with a sound so fresh and invigorating that they became legends in a short space of time.

HHP entrenched and adapted the culture of hip hop to a South African audience as he shunned twanging and instead made Setswana fashionable. It’s also extra special that his first posthumous award comes from the industry he gave so much of himself to. We applaud our SAMA25 achievers and we recognise their sterling achievements. Bravo.’

RELATED: SAMA25 RECORD OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS 

North West MEC for Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs, Mme Ontlametse Mochware, also lauded the three acts on their achievements.

“The Lifetime Achievement Award is probably the finest award an artist can earn, whether they are living or not,” said MEC Mochware.

“This is a reflection of the influence and impact HHP, Mango Groove and Tkzee have had on the musical landscape in South Africa and beyond. They truly deserve the honour, and we are proud of them for the example they set for the youth and the inspiration they have been to us all.

”As the North West, we are particularly happy that our own HHP is one of the legends recognised in this year’s prestigious awards. This will further enhance his stature as a role-model to our youth. We are looking forward to a memorable Sama night.”

The SAMA25 takes place on May 31 and June 1 in Sun City, North West province. It will be broadcast live on June 1 on SABC1 at 8pm.

Black Coffee stamped his authority on the local music scene when he walked away with an impressive five nods at tonight’s SAMA25 nominee announcement.

The internationally acclaimed DJ’s album Music is King secured him spots in Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Dance Album. He also scored a double nomination in the Collaboration of the Year award, first for Drive featuring David Guetta and Delilah Montagu and second for Wish You Were Here featuring Asanda Lusaseni-Mvana.

For their 25^th year, the SAMAs ‘returned home’ to their cradle at the Alberton Civic Theatre, east of Johannesburg where they were first held in 1994.

The night heavy with sentiment and nostalgia was hosted by the iconic Dosto Noge of Duku Duku fame and child star Hulisani Ravele and featuring some spectacular performances from SAMA Award winning musicians. The industry also came out in droves to place bets on who would be nominated and what a nail-biter it turned out to be.

Hot on the heels of Black Coffee was Sjava’s Umqhele that earned him four nominations in Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Afro Pop Album and Best Engineer.

Also standing at four nods is Sho Madjozi in Female Artist of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Best Kwaito/ Gqom/ Amapiano Album for Limpopo Champions League and Music Video of the Year for Huku.

It was also a good night for Zonke who bagged four nods in Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Best R&B/Soul Album and Best Produced Album for L.O.V.E. Sun-El Musician also hit a slam dunk with four nominations in Newcomer of the Year, Best Dance Album for Africa To The World and a double whammy in the Collaboration of the Year first for Sonini featuring Simmy and Ntaba Ezikude featuring Simmy.

Nasty C scored three nominations in Best Hip Hop Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineer for Strings and Bling while Vusi Nova also sits pretty with nods in Album of the Year, Best engineer and Best Afro Pop Album for Manyan-nyan.

The late Oliver Mtukudzi is up for the Rest of Africa Artist award where he is nominated with Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania, Kommanda Obbs from Lesotho, Mr Eazi from Nigeria and Nixon Zimbabwe.

It will be an epic battle as the Best Hip Hop Album award is vied for by AKA (Touch My Blood), Emtee (DIY2), Jabba X (#FGTBB), Kid X (Thank Da King) and Nasty C (Strings and Bling).

The top honours in the Best Jazz Album category  is contested by Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane (Closer to Home), Thandi Ntuli (Exiled), Bokani Dyer Trio (Neo Native), Tune Recreation Committee (Afrika Grooves with the Tune Recreation Committee and Mandisi Dyantyi (Somandla).

In the Best Maskandi Album Thokozani Langa (Iyabuza Induna) takes on Ofeleba (Hi &Low), Sgwebo Sentambo (Yekani Umona), Mbuzeni (Ungishiyelani) and Ichwane Lebhaca (Imali Yesoso).

SAMA25 sees the return of the Best Reggae Album category. Nominees vying for the trophy are Bongo Riot (Next Levels), Botanist (Game Changer), Ras Vuyo (Diversion) The Mediators (Explosion) and Black Dillinger (Mavara is King).

Two reality TV show winners Tholwana (2.0.1.5) and Paxton (This is Me) stake their claim for glory in the Best Pop Album as they go up against Majozi (Majozi), Tresor (Nostalgia) and Jarrad Ricketts (Break the Rules) while in the Beste Pop Album Snotkop (SOUS) is pitted up against 4 Werke (4 by 4), The Rockets (Sonskyn), Brendan Peyper (Dis Nie Sonde Nie) and Jan Bloukaas (Lewe).

The Best Traditional Faith Music Album is a stiff competition between Lebo Sekgobela (Umusa), Kholeka (Your Word – Alibuyi Lilambatha Izwi Lakho), Spirit of Praise (Spirit of Praise Vol.7), Sipho Ngwenya (Intimate Worship Season 3) and Paul K (Time of God Manifest).

In the Best Contemporary Faith Music Album Ntokozo Mbambo (Moments in Time) will slug it out with Neyi Zimu (Another Level of Worship), Khaya Mthethwa (All About Jesus), Tshwane Gospel Choir (The Next Revival) and We Will Worship (Seasons Volume 1)

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.