SAMA Nominees 2009

[TATEguru v.2K9]

Its pretty clear that the SAMAs (like most other awards) are a popularity (percieved or otherwise) contest. Musical integrity has little (if anything) to do with it.

Ben Sharpa has got international shows booked from April until August (so far). We're doing international licensing deals in France, Germany and the US (and working on Japan). Pioneer Unit just signed up with an international booking agency so I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more bookings from now on. I wouldn't be surprised if Sharpa ends 2009 as the highest paid SA hip hop artist (in terms of shows, licensing and sales). He's also receiving critical acclaim from heavyweight international music publications and getting airplay around the world. It cannot be right that these achievements go unnoticed in SA simply because Sharpa hasn't made a catchy radio track with someone singing on the hook.

All due respect D but all that says is that Sharpa has a better 'backoffice' than other SA artists.
Props to you and the whole P Unit machine for getting Sharpa out there but he remains not popular in SA so he will never be nominated in the SA Popularity contest.
It is a valid question to ask what criteria they use to gauge that popularity.
I suspect the SAMAs may be judged by "panel". I think I once heard T-Bo Touch once say he was on the SAMA panel...

[Dpleezy]

Its pretty clear that the SAMAs (like most other awards) are a popularity (percieved or otherwise) contest. Musical integrity has little (if anything) to do with it.

Ben Sharpa has got international shows booked from April until August (so far). We're doing international licensing deals in France, Germany and the US (and working on Japan). Pioneer Unit just signed up with an international booking agency so I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more bookings from now on. I wouldn't be surprised if Sharpa ends 2009 as the highest paid SA hip hop artist (in terms of shows, licensing and sales). He's also receiving critical acclaim from heavyweight international music publications and getting airplay around the world. It cannot be right that these achievements go unnoticed in SA simply because Sharpa hasn't made a catchy radio track with someone singing on the hook.

All due respect D but all that says is that Sharpa has a better 'backoffice' than other SA artists.
Props to you and the whole P Unit machine for getting Sharpa out there but he remains not popular in SA so he will never be nominated in the SA Popularity contest.
It is a valid question to ask what criteria they use to gauge that popularity.
I suspect the SAMAs may be judged by "panel". I think I once heard T-Bo Touch once say he was on the SAMA panel...

Quote from the SAMA website:

"The South African Music Awards exist to recognise accomplishment in the South African recording industry by celebrating those groups and individuals who have excelled in the past year."

If the SAMAs were just about popularity they could save the time and ha**le of a judging process and just look at sales or airplay or revenue from shows. I believe Sharpa has accomplished more than all the other artists on that list of nominees. He may have excelled more overseas than he has in South Africa but surely this should be considered as more of an accomplishment, not less of one?

You don't get to perform at huge international festivals, or get great reviews in credible music publications simply by having a good back office. Obviously hustle plays a major role in any artist's career, but you underestimate Sharpa's talent if that's all you think his success is about.

Not hating on the other nominees, but if it's down to popularity, what are the criteria? How much have any of them sold? We haven't seen any of those artists in Cape Town. The first I heard of Nemza's album was its 2.5 star review in Hype mag.

[Draztik]

I have to agree with you D... Sharpa would have a larger radio presense from a world wide persepctive then any artists listed and that should be recognized, i know for sure my Artist /Group - Imbube had/has better presense from radio and TV then Nemza. It almost seems they have an agenda for skwatta kamp members.

[dat dude who happens to rap!]

Every year the awards come and everyone starts bitching!

Honestly heres my two cents!

Sharpa has an appeal for a hand full of people! lets admit it! I bought the album I like it! but I wount wanna hear it in a club.

As for Rob quit bitching dude! all you do lately is bitch about this and bitch about that! Dude if you not happy then put some action into your words!

As for LES being nominateed! I heard him on a lot of radio stations seen his video all over the place! I feel he deserves it! He found the gap and now everyone is hating on him! I dont like his stuff but I respect a man with a plan!

Zubz said it best "I dont need a sama in order for streets to honour me! Listeners Digest!


f*** the awards and lets just do music!

[rob_one]

As for Rob quit bitching dude! all you do lately is bitch about this and bitch about that! Dude if you not happy then put some action into your words!

Dude, putting my bitching into words is what I do: www.robboffard.com (pay particular attention to the Sounds section and note the 'Music' bit)

Oh, and make sure to listen to TransAfrica Radio tomorrow at 15h00 and 22h00 - you're on it.

[Myth]

It almost seems they have an agenda for skwatta kamp members.

so true

[Dpleezy]

Every year the awards come and everyone starts bitching!

Honestly heres my two cents!

Sharpa has an appeal for a hand full of people! lets admit it! I bought the album I like it! but I wount wanna hear it in a club.

As for Rob quit bitching dude! all you do lately is bitch about this and bitch about that! Dude if you not happy then put some action into your words!

As for LES being nominateed! I heard him on a lot of radio stations seen his video all over the place! I feel he deserves it! He found the gap and now everyone is hating on him! I dont like his stuff but I respect a man with a plan!

Zubz said it best "I dont need a sama in order for streets to honour me! Listeners Digest!

f*** the awards and lets just do music!

See,,, this is where you need to apply some logic and stop believing what you see on tv.

If Sharpa only appeals to a 'handful' of people why is he getting booked at ma**ive festivals and clubs around the world? Here he is performing to an estimated 3,000 people at Dour in Belgium, for example:


Ask anyone who was at Back 2 the City who killed it.

I wouldn't be suprised if Sharpa has performed to more people in the last year than anyone else on that list of nominees. I am willing to bet Sharpa has sold more than Da LES too (although we'll never be able to prove that).

This isn't supposed to be an attack on other artists. Zulu Boy won a couple Metro Awards (which are based on public voting I believe) - and I respect that. I wish them all well with their hustles, I just want to try to understand what the criteria for SAMA nominations are.

The whole point of having Judges is to look past media hype (which is extremely easy to engineer, especially if you are based in J-Sect), and critically analyse the music itself. Obviously perceived popularity and buzz should be one of the criteria, but it shouldn't be the only criteria.

Is the list of nomination judges and criteria publicly available anywhere? It should be.

[MrC The Rap God Almighty]

Just outta interest D, how much has Sharpa sold ? Or is that confidential company info ?

[Dpleezy]

Just outta interest D, how much has Sharpa sold ? Or is that confidential company info ?

I'd have to lie like everyone does so there's no point me even saying

Euro sales and international licensing deals have been good though. We haven't been able to do anything digital yet because the full album only drops in Europe in the next couple of months.

[dat dude who happens to rap!]

@ Rob! robboffard.com? Will check it out!

@ D.........All im saying is If sharpa was out there as much as les was then maybe we would have a platform to complain on but these Europe events and stuff is like an exchange program and people I have spoken to say the pay is the same as here, 3000 is alot of people to rock! But the 3k people that came didnt  come for sharpa alone. Its good to see he has identified his market in Europe I respect that but SAMA's are South African music awards! and Depend on the Impact you have made on the South African Market!

www.nickexplicit.com------------Check it out------------

[Dpleezy]

@ Rob! robboffard.com? Will check it out!

@ D.........All im saying is If sharpa was out there as much as les was then maybe we would have a platform to complain on but these Europe events and stuff is like an exchange program and people I have spoken to say the pay is the same as here, 3000 is alot of people to rock! But the 3k people that came didnt  come for sharpa alone. Its good to see he has identified his market in Europe I respect that but SAMA's are South African music awards! and Depend on the Impact you have made on the South African Market!

www.nickexplicit.com------------Check it out------------

I don't know where the people you have been speaking to have performed but the pay is generally much higher in Europe than here, especially when you include flights, accommodation, drivers, artist riders etc.

Obviously at Festivals Sharpa hasn't been the only act, but he headlined that stage on Dour. People could have chosen to move to another stage (there were at least 4 others I think) but they were feeling him so they stayed.

Sharpa's market is not just Europe. We're working on Asia and the US too. It's just a matter of time. The whole world recognises the talent,,, apart from the SAMA judges it seems.

Sharpa is part of the SA recording industry. He is South African. He lives here. The fact that he is successful overseas shouldn't make any difference. Sharpa doesn't make radio-friendly music so he doesn't get played on SA radio.

As I keep saying, if the only criteria is radio spins there is no need to have judges, we can just check radio play list data and give the award to whoever tops the list.

[dat dude who happens to rap!]

@ Rob! robboffard.com? Will check it out!

@ D.........All im saying is If sharpa was out there as much as les was then maybe we would have a platform to complain on but these Europe events and stuff is like an exchange program and people I have spoken to say the pay is the same as here, 3000 is alot of people to rock! But the 3k people that came didnt  come for sharpa alone. Its good to see he has identified his market in Europe I respect that but SAMA's are South African music awards! and Depend on the Impact you have made on the South African Market!

www.nickexplicit.com------------Check it out------------

I don't know where the people you have been speaking to have performed but the pay is generally much higher in Europe than here, especially when you include flights, accommodation, drivers, artist riders etc.

Obviously at Festivals Sharpa hasn't been the only act, but he headlined that stage on Dour. People could have chosen to move to another stage (there were at least 4 others I think) but they were feeling him so they stayed.

Sharpa's market is not just Europe. We're working on Asia and the US too. It's just a matter of time. The whole world recognises the talent,,, apart from the SAMA judges it seems.

Sharpa is part of the SA recording industry. He is South African. He lives here. The fact that he is successful overseas shouldn't make any difference. Sharpa doesn't make radio-friendly music so he doesn't get played on SA radio.

As I keep saying, if the only criteria is radio spins there is no need to have judges, we can just check radio play list data and give the award to whoever tops the list.

Once again it go's down to personal preferance and we can sit and argue about this the whole day! Im sure there is a judging guideline as to how the winner is picked or whatever so lets leave it at that!

Funny this I have noticed is your the first dude to praise when your artist graces a cover but your also the first to spray stray bullets when you dont get nominateed! just a thought! 

[General Ratzinger van Stilzkin]

Funny this I have noticed is your the first dude to praise when your artist graces a cover but your also the first to spray stray bullets when you dont get nominateed! just a thought! 

2 different things... not relevent to this topic

[The CHEF]

@ Rob! robboffard.com? Will check it out!

@ D.........All im saying is If sharpa was out there as much as les was then maybe we would have a platform to complain on but these Europe events and stuff is like an exchange program and people I have spoken to say the pay is the same as here, 3000 is alot of people to rock! But the 3k people that came didnt  come for sharpa alone. Its good to see he has identified his market in Europe I respect that but SAMA's are South African music awards! and Depend on the Impact you have made on the South African Market!

www.nickexplicit.com------------Check it out------------

I don't know where the people you have been speaking to have performed but the pay is generally much higher in Europe than here, especially when you include flights, accommodation, drivers, artist riders etc.

Obviously at Festivals Sharpa hasn't been the only act, but he headlined that stage on Dour. People could have chosen to move to another stage (there were at least 4 others I think) but they were feeling him so they stayed.

Sharpa's market is not just Europe. We're working on Asia and the US too. It's just a matter of time. The whole world recognises the talent,,, apart from the SAMA judges it seems.

Sharpa is part of the SA recording industry. He is South African. He lives here. The fact that he is successful overseas shouldn't make any difference. Sharpa doesn't make radio-friendly music so he doesn't get played on SA radio.

As I keep saying, if the only criteria is radio spins there is no need to have judges, we can just check radio play list data and give the award to whoever tops the list.

Once again it go's down to personal preferance and we can sit and argue about this the whole day! Im sure there is a judging guideline as to how the winner is picked or whatever so lets leave it at that!

Funny this I have noticed is your the first dude to praise when your artist graces a cover but your also the first to spray stray bullets when you dont get nominateed! just a thought!  

Co-sign!!

[Trinidad-Hux]

Be honest with yourself D, Sharpa's pre-album hype was big but things became quiet after he released. Where are his music videos,  radio singles? No use complaining when your artist didn't make as much impact as the nominees. What could you possibly be complaining about? Everytime Kaptain's name comes up, you bring up the word 'Europe'. It's almost as if you're not interested in marketing him in SA. I reckon you're partly to blame for Sharpa not being as big in SA. Dude is talented and if you can just market him better (in this country) then maybe he might make a bigger impact in SA. You've clearly got the resources, do a better job at marketing Sharpa in SA.