SAMAs 2019 announce Lifetime Achievement Award recipients

The 25th edition of the SAMAs will be held in Sun City in the North West province on 31 May and 1 June.

RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi congratulated the recipients. “We are proud that at this milestone, the 25th anniversary of the SAMAs, we will be honouring these giants of music who played such a big role in South African music,” he said.

“Mango Groove is an institution that tells our history as a people and the spirit of tenacity and rising above the odds when it was not so fashionable for blacks and whites to work together.

“TKZee heralded the early days of freedom with a sound so fresh and invigorating that they became legends in a short space of time. HHP entrenched and adapted the culture of hip hop to a South African audience as he shunned twanging and instead made Setswana fashionable.

“It’s also extra special that his first posthumous award comes from the industry he gave so much of himself to. We applaud our SAMA25 achievers and we recognise their sterling achievements.”

North West culture, arts and traditional affairs MEC Ontlametse Mochware also lauded the three acts for their achievements.

"The Lifetime Achievement Award is probably the finest award an artist can earn, whether they are living or not," Mochware said. "This is a reflection on the influence and impact HHP, Mango Groove and TKZee have had on the musical landscape in South Africa and beyond. They truly deserve the honour, and we are proud of them and the example they set for the youth and the inspiration they have been to all of us.

''As the North West, we are particularly happy that our own HHP is one of the legends recognised in this year's prestigious awards. This will further enhance his stature as a role model to our youth. We are looking forward to a memorable SAMAs night.''

HHP, who passed away last year, is credited for pioneering the motswako hip hop subgenre.