The SAMA24 nominations were announced on Thursday night (19/04/2018). Mafikizolo scored three nods in Best Afro Pop Album, Best Engineered Album and Best Produced Album for 20, their milestone release. They are tied with Mi Casa, which also got three nominations in Best Dance Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineered Album for Familia. Simphiwe Dana also scooped Best Live Audiovisual, Best Jazz Album and Best African Artist for her Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience.

Sadly we see don’t see SA Hip Hop heavyweights; Cassper Nyovest and AKA on the list.Cassper Nyovest did not submit his music after he made it clear that he’s good without the “Sama drama.” Clearly, Cassper is enough about the SAMAs, remember he still did not submit back in 2016 and 2017. AKA’s entry was rejected by RiSA after his label, Universal to submitted late.

On SowetanLive: Risa CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi said: “The board felt that we would be setting a wrong precedent if we allowed him to contest in the category. The mistake was made by his record label because when they submitted his entries for other categories they forgot to do so for that category,” he said.

Distruction Boyz got a nod for Best Collaboration for Omunyefeaturing Benny Maverick and Dlala Mshunqisi and Best Engineered album for Gqom Is The Future. Kwesta walked away with two nominations for Best Collaboration and Music Video of the Year both for Spirit featuring Wale.

Prince Kaybee got a nod for Best Produced Album and Best Dance Album for I Am Music, Shekhinah for Best Produced Album and Best Pop Album for Rose Gold.

*Nominees in the top five categories of Male Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Album of the Year will be announced early next month.

The awards ceremony will once again head to The Sun City Resort on 27 May 2018 and will broadcast live on SABC1.

The first nominees for the 2018 South African Music Awards are:

Best Hip Hop Album
Stay Shining – Riky Rick
The New Era Sessions – Rouge
Yellow – Shane Eagle
Manando – Emtee
F2D Presents: Hall of Fame – Fresh 2 Def Productions

Best Rock Album
Snakes and Ladders – Lost & Found
If You Don’t You Never Will – Prime Circle
Those Meddling Kids (TMK) – Shortstraw
Blitzkriek – Willim Welsyn
Selfmedikasie – Fokofpolisiekar

Best African Adult Contemporary Album
Time II Time – Joe Nina
Ilanga – Siseko Pame
Based on a True Story – Serame Sediti
Siphokazi – Siphokazi
Tribute Birdie Mboweni The Deluxe Edition Album – Tribute Birdie Mboweni

Best Pop Album
Restless – Craig Lucas
Barely Breathing – Connell Cruise
The Beautiful Madness – TRESOR
Monark – Monark
Rose Gold – Shekhinah

Beste Pop Album
Uitbasuin – Ray Dylan
Sing Vir Liefde – Karlien van Jaarsveld
Hy Loop Oop – Brendan Peyper
Laat Die Dansvloer Brand – Kurt Darren
Iemand Om Lief Te He – Lianie May

Best Alternative Music Album
You Princess is in Another Castle – Loui Lvndn
Afrika 4 Beginners – Jack Parow
Hierdie is die Lewe – Francois van Coke
The Morning Show – Josh Kempen
Mangaliso – Bongeziwe Mabandla

Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album 
Busisiwe – Cici
The Greatest Hits – The Nameless Band
Songs About You – Thabsie
Relationships – Afrotraction
Never Lost – Thami

Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Live In Johannesburg – Women In Praise
Sinekhaya – Sipho Makhabane
Egameni LikaJesu – Dumi Mkokstad
Worship In Spirit & in Truth with Omega Khunou – Omega Khunou
Andile KaMajola Chapter 8 Sekwanele – Andile KaMajola

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Wonders of Mercy – Bongani Nchang
Victorious In His Presence with Benjamin Dube – Benjamin Dube
The Alabaster – Swazi
Solid Rock – Sicelo Moya
Heaven’s Ways – Nqubeko Mbatha

Best African Indigenous Gospel Album 
Yala Nkosi – Believers in Christ
Samson Aphi Amandla Akho – Vuma Zion
Bonke Abamethembayo – Futhi Shongwe
Soloko Intliziyo Yam – Amadodana Ase Wesile
Ntjhafatso – Barorisi Ba Morena

Best Traditional Music Album
Pitsi – Dinonyane Cultural Group
Uthando – Bomshell
Isiqalo – The Beginning – Complete
Jessica Mbangeni Sings IGoli Live @Lyric Theatre Johannesburg – Jessica Mbangeni
Indodana – University of Pretoria Camerata
The nominees for Record of the Year public voting category will be announced on SABC1’s Live AMP on Friday (20 April) at 19h30.

Best Maskandi Album
Miss South Africa – Uqhosha Ngokwenzakwakhe
Emkhathini – Shwi noMtekhala
Isixaxa Samaxoki – Khuzani
6 to 6 – Abafana Baka Mgqumeni
Wavuma – Mbuzeni

Best Jazz Album
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience – Simphiwe Dana
Live at the Bird’s Eye – The Blue Notes Tribute Orkestra
Yellow The Novel – Zoë Modiga
Voices of our Vision – Tune Recreation Committee
Ikhambi – Nduduzo Makhathini

Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album
Insomnia – CH2
Chilled – James Grace
Matimba Ya Vuyimbeleri – University of Limpopo Choristers & the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra
Window to the Ashram – Kinsmen
Baroqueswing Vol. III – Charl du Plessis Trio

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Indie Soul – Josie Field
Now Listen Properly – Swing City
Symphonic Soweto – Wouter Kellerman
Life’s Journey – Charlie Finch
Miscellany – Janie Bay

Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
Queen van die Toorbos – Saarkie
OKAY! – Die Heuwels Fantasties
Skepe – Jo Black
Korreltjie Kantel – Luna Paige, Nick Turner, Jamie Jupiter
Jy en Ek en Ek en Jy – Chris Chameleon

Best Afro Pop Album
Inqola – Blaq Diamond
Mayibuye – Ntando
20 – Mafikizolo
Mgodi – Zahara
Robbie Malinga – Robbie Malinga

Best Collaboration
Omunye – Distruction Boyz ft Benny Maverick & Dladla Mshunqisi
Spirit – Kwesta ft Wale
Inde – Heavy K ft Busi & Nokwazi
Akanamali – Sun_EL Musician ft Samthing Soweto
Ngempela – Sjava ft Howard & DJ Maphorisa

Best African Artist Album 
This is Me – NINIOLA
Sounds from the Other Side – Wizkid
Yellow The Novel – Zoë Modiga
M&M – Moreira Chonguica and Manu Dibango
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience – Simphiwe Dana

Best Live Audio Visual Recording / DVD
Krone 4 Live – Krone
Victorious In His Presence with Benjamin Dube – Benjamin Dube
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience
Experience – Simphiwe Dana
The Parlotones Orchestrated – The Parlotones
Red Mic Experience – Donald

Best Kwaito Album
Bona That Rural Dream – Mashabela Galane
So fa Silahlane – Team Mosha
Do Mo Squats – Chomee
Highly Flavoured – Busiswa
Ska Ba Hemisa – Trendsetters

Best Dance Album
Pure Black Album – DJ Merlon
Ganyani’s House Grooves 10 – DJ Ganyani
King Zamar – Lady Zamar
I Am Music – Prince Kaybee
Familia – Mi Casa

Music Video of the Year
Let It Flow – Shane Eagle
Naaa Meaan – Nadia Nakai
Spirit – Kwesta ft Wale
Don’t do it – Nasty C
Arumtumtum – Rouge

Best Produced Album
Rose Gold – Shekhinah
Familia – Mi Casa
20 – Mafikizolo
Late Night People – Goldfish
I Am Music – Prince Kaybee

Best Engineered Album
A Noise in the Void – Kahn
Familia – Mi Casa
20 – Mafikizolo
Ikhambi – Nduduzo Makhathini
Gqom Is The Future – Distruction Boyz

Remix of the Year
Faith Alive – King Bayaa
I Got You – Mobi Dixon
Free – Household Funk
Buy It Out – Riky Rick feat. Youngsta CPT, KLY, Da Les, Frank Casino, J Molley & Stilo Magolide
Lake By The Ocean – Mobi Dixon