Local rappers K.O and Cassper Nyovest emerged as the top contenders in this year’s South African Music Awards nominations that were announced on Thursday.
The pair are neck-and-neck with five nods each in the Best Rap Album, Best Collaboration, Best Album and Best Male Artist categories.
While Nyovest is selected in the Best Newcomer for his debut album Tsholofelo, K.O has two mentions in the Best Collaboration.
This is not the first time the pair have squared off at an awards ceremony. They went head-to-head at the Channel O Music Video Awards late last year and then at the Metro FM Awards a few weeks ago.
In both ceremonies, Nyovest emerged victorious, while K.O is surprisingly yet to win an award for his hit album Skhanda Republic.
Another rapper, AKA, who has been in a grudge run with these two, got three nominations for his album Levels. He is in the Best Collaboration, Best Rap Album and the Best Male categories.
New kids on the block Beatenberg have raised the bar with five nominations for their debut album The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg.
The trio – who broke into stardom with the DJ Clock hit Pluto, on which they featured – are now selected in the Best Pop Album, Best Collaboration, Best Album, Best Duo/Group and Best Newcomer.
Another worthy mention is Afro-pop veteran Ringo Madlingozi, who enjoyed three nominations for his long-awaited album Vulani.
Another veteran in the music business, also with three nods, is McCoy Mrubata, who will be vying for Sama statues in the Best Jazz Album, Best Engineer and Best Duo/Group.
The late Lulu Dikana managed to get three nominations posthumously in the Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album, Best Producer and Best Female Artist for her last album, I Came To Love.
Vehicle company Kia will present the Kia Record of the Year category, where 10 contenders we due to be announced today on SABC1’s music show Live Amp at 9pm.
Fans will then get to vote for their favourite artist who gave them their favourite hit song of 2014.
The awards will be held at Sun City on April 19 and will be broadcast live on SABC1 at 8.30pm.