By Tamlyn Canham
The South African Popular Music Awards (SAPMAs) will be honouring Lebo Mathosa with a Lifetime Achievers Award.
Jabu Khanyile, Stompie Mavi and Nana Coyote will also receive special honours at the ceremony.
The SAMPAs will be hosting its inaugural awards show in July.
Officials shared details about the awards at a briefing in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The festivities will kick-off with ‘A Night of Legends Gala Dinner’ on the 24th. The late musicians will be honoured alongside other music icons at the gala.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Mahotella Queen, Vusi Leeuw and Morris Roda will also be recognised for their contributions to the music industry.
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Celebrating black excellence
SAPMAs communications head Mathawe Matsapola said the awards will unapologetically celebrate black excellence.
“For decades and centuries, our ancestors have used music as a tool to communicate, to express their feelings, to celebrate each other. And it is still the case even today.
“When we cry, there is a song for it. We sing when we happy, we sing when we are in love. Music has been our language forever,” she said.
Matsapola added that the SAPMAs will celebrate 10 years of music.
“The South African Popular Music Awards this year, the first one, is aimed at celebrating a decade of great and popular music. This will be music that has been released between 2010 and 2020.”
You’re invited!
To our official media launch live stream tomorrow, Wednesday 24 February.
Join us live at 15h00 using the link below: https://t.co/eYIrToDXfG
We look forward to having you!
South African Popular Music Awards.
#SapmaMediaLaunch #SAPMA #Popular #Music #Decade— The South African Popular Music Awards (@TheSAPMAs) February 23, 2021
Vote for your favourite artists
The main awards ceremony will take place at the Sun Arena in Pretoria on July 31. Members of the public will be able to nominate their favourite artists in several categories.
Some of the genres being celebrated are gospel, afro, hip hop, maskandi, kwaito, mapiano and qgom.
Some of the awards up for grabs include ‘Best SAPMA Artist of the Decade’, ‘Best SAPMA Gospel Artist of the Decade’ and ‘Best SAPMA Hip Hop Artist of the Decade’.
Visit www.sapopularmusicawards.co.za to nominate your favourite artists.
Members of the public will also be able to vote who gets to win the following categories:
- Best SAPMA Popular Afro Song of the Decade
- Best SAPMA Popular Gospel Song of the Decade
- Best SAPMA Popular Maskandi/Mbaqanga Song of the Decade
- Best SAPMA Hip Hop Artist of the Decade
- Best SAPMA Popular Dance Song
Entries are officially open!
We celebrating a decade of popular music that has shaped us as a nation.
YOU, the public can participate in nominating your favourite artist/ song released between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020.
All submissions on: https://t.co/akiwJREEqX pic.twitter.com/5d0QXEkTxS— The South African Popular Music Awards (@TheSAPMAs) February 25, 2021
Take a trip down memory lane with one of our favourite Boom Shaka songs.
Main image credit/YouTube


