Beatenberg and KO beat Cassper for SAMA glory

At a star-studded live awards ceremony at the Sun City Superbowl, north of Johannesburg, and broadcast live on SABC1, Beatenberg swept the key categories Album of the Year, Duo or Group of the Year and Best Pop Album. Before that, during the non-broadcast component of the show when the industry awards were presented, ‘Pluto (Remember You)’, Beatenberg’s smash hit with DJ Clock, was named Best Selling Ringback Tone and Best Selling Full-track Download, and also received the SAMPRA Award for Highest Airplay of the Year.

The band, usually quiet social networks, took to Twitter today to celebrate. “Thank you for the incredible support”, the tweeted, promising to up their game on twitter and sending shout-outs to DJ Clock, all nominees and the SAMA organisers. The band later added a special tribute to Clock: “A lot of people missed out our pre-broadcast speech for @DjClock, dude we are such big fans and working together has changed our lives!”

As the awards reached their climax, presenters Danny K and Kabelo revealed that the winner of the Kia Record of the Year Award was ‘Caracara’ by KO ft. Kid X. The track had secured the most SMS votes from the South African public, signalling true music democracy in action as the awards turned 21 in the same year that democratic South Africa comes of age.

The XXI annual South African Music Awards impressed with a spectacular live show hosted by HHP and featuring slick performances by several nominees and winners. Among the highlights were an on-stage collaboration between AKA, Duncan and Mdu Masilela, another cross-genre splice featuring Simphiwe Dana and Kurt Darren, and a rock-meets-rap mash-up featuring Prime Circle and Cassper Nyovest.

Nyovest, who had headed into the XXI annual South African Music Awards with five nominations, had to make do with only the Newcomer of the Year award. Rival and fellow hip-hop artist AKA walked away with the coveted Male Artist of the Year award. But in the Best Rap Album category, in which both were nominated, the award went to K.O., who also scooped the trophy for Best Collaboration (for ‘Caracara’, featuring Kid X). Bucie was named Female Artist of the Year, Black Motion won Best Dance Album and Professor took home the trophy for Best Kwaito Album.

The full list of the SAMA XXI winners is as follows:

• Album of the Year: Beatenberg - The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg 
• Duo or Group of the Year: Beatenberg - The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg 
• Female Artist of the Year: Bucie - Princess of House (Easy to Love) 
• Male Artist of the Year: AKA - Levels 
• Newcomer of the Year: Cassper Nyovest - Tsholofelo
• Best Rock Album: aKING – Morning After 
• Best Pop Album: Beatenberg – Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
• Afrikaans Pop Album: Riana Nel – Die Regte Tyd 
• Best Adult Contemporary: Joe Niemand – Back Again 
• Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album: Dewald Wasserfal – Ek en Jy
• Best Traditional Music Album: Botlhale Boikanyo – Spoken Word & Music 
• Best Maskandi Album: Thokozani Langa - Igema Lami 
• Best Jazz Album: McCoy Mrubata - Brasskap Sessions Vol. 2 
• Best RnB Soul Reggae Album: Afrotraction - For The Lovers 
• Best Rap Album: K.O. - Skhanda Republic 
• Best Kwaito Album: Professor - University of Kalawa Jazmee Since 1994
• Best Dance Album: Black Motion - Fortune Teller 
• Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album: Wouter Kellerman - Winds of Samsara
• Best Traditional Faith Album: Sfiso Ncwane - Bayede Baba 
• Best Contemporary Faith Music Album: Loyiso – Power Love Sound 
• Best African Adult Album: Maleh - You Make My Heart Go
• Best Alternative Album: Bittereinder – Skerm 
• Best Live DVD: Robin Kohl for First Decade by Lira 
• Music Video of the Year: Ryan Kruger for Prime Circle - 'Let The Night In'
• Best Producer of the Year: Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej for for Winds Of Samsara by Wouter Kellerman
• Best Engineer of the Year: Brian O'Shea, Crighton Goodwill & Maruispopplanet for Johnny Apple by Johnny Apple
• Best Collaboration: K.O. ft. Kid X - 'Caracara' 
• Remix of the Year: DJ Sbu, Robbie Malinga - 'Indlela Yam' by DJ Sbu & Mojalefa Thebe
• Kia Record of the Year: 'Caracara' - K.O. ft KiD X

Special Awards:

• International Achievement Award: Wouter Kellerman
• Lifetime Achievement Awards: M'du Masilela, Mandla Mofokeng (aka Spikiri) & Zim Ngqawana

Best-selling Mobile Music Downloads:

• Best Selling Album: Riana Nel - Die Regte Tyd
• Best Selling DVD: Vol. 18 One Purpose - Joyous SA
• Best Selling Mobile Music Download: Beatenberg and DJ Clock
• Best Selling Ring-Back Tone: 'Pluto' - DJ Clock ft Beatenberg
• Best Selling Full-Track Download: 'Pluto' - DJ Clock ft Beatenberg

SAMPRA Award for Highest Airplay of the Year: 'Pluto' - DJ Clock ft Beatenberg