The first-ever South African Amapiano Awards (SAAPA) is set to debut this year and already, the ceremony has created quite the buzz on social media.
Who is behind SA Amapiano Awards?
On Tuesday, the newly launched awards ceremony was on the tip of Twitter fingers as users questioned the event’s authenticity. Even the man who could be credited for the genre’s international appeal, DJ Maphorisa, who, by the way, is also nominated, probed the authenticity of the SAAPAs.
who created SA amapiano awards?
— Madumane (@DjMaphorisa) July 20, 2021
In a press release sent to the media on Monday, it’s stated that the awards show was launched by an unknown group of organisers who felt the need to represent an overlooked genre on its very own platform.
“It came as a shock to many when categories in the prominent award ceremonies in the country were not dominated by Amapiano artists; despite the yanos leading in terms of fanbases and numbers on social media as well as on DSPs – which is why the governing body of the inaugural awards decided to come up with a ceremony that would specifically celebrate the genre,” the statement read.
At this time, it is still not known who the governing body behind this awards show is.
SAAPA: Nominees, categories, how to vote
Still, this mystery has not discouraged people from participating in conversations about the elusive Yano awards show. On Tuesday, an image surface on social media containing a list of artists said to be nominated for this year’s ceremony.
The list includes the likes of Kamo Mphela, Focalistic, De Mthuda, Cassper Nyovest, Scorpion Kings (Kabza De Small and Maphorisa) and many others.
A short trip to the ceremony’s official website yielded fruitful results as we stumbled on the full nominations list that its properly grouped in categories.
According to the elusive organisers, fans can submit unlimited votes for their favourite acts by SMSing the respective nominees’ unique code (which, we guess, is the yellow text next to each nominee) to a number designated to that specific category.
So, in simpler terms, there is a different SMS number for each category. Also, each vote will cost R2.00.
Uncertainty around this award ceremony has left fans, and even nominated artists, scratching their heads. Here are some of the reactions we picked from the trend on social media:
Are the organisers of these Amapiano Music Awards @Official_SAAPA, nameless and faceless? Show yourselves and let the nominees and the public know who you are, else this could be an elaborate scam. The rules are cagey and they mention a Governing Body and one judge. Who are they? pic.twitter.com/C9wNkDbnbj
— #AmaPianoIsALifestyle (@AmaPianoSA) July 20, 2021
That list of South African Amapiano Music Awards is pure trash please. Wtf
— Keabetswe (@Just_Keabie) July 20, 2021
Just went through that list of Amapiano Awards. Aii they must just rather say they want to award favourites and not music.
— Follow @TheZone_Bloem (@lebstarR_11) July 20, 2021
