Charl Blignaut : Music awards
It was pretty evident, on entering the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg on Saturday night, that the 1998 FNB South African Music Awards (Samas) were not going to be the Grammys. The red carpet was peeling up from the steps, liberating several strips of thick white masking tape keeping it in place – and the least said of the CDs hanging from the roof and the two large air-filled phallic sockets riding into the air between the escalators the better.
What this styleless scenario didn’t let on, though, was that the fourth annual Samas were going to be, in places, a breakthrough that would finally provide significant mainstream recognition of the new school in South African music.
It was perhaps kwaito star Arthur that summed it all up right at the end when his Oyi Oyi won most popular tune of the year. Two years ago Arthur had been invited to perform at the Samas but was not nominated. The tantrum that ensued – “don’t invite me back; that’s it, I quit” – was trademark Arthur, but it did highlight a reality that has plagued the event. Already a year behind (last weekend’s awards were for 1997 releases) the Samas also unwind at their own steady pace, generally spotting trends two to three years too late; and then normally in strangely displaced categories.
Of course, now that Arthur had finally been accepted by the fraternity, he himself is becoming a touch repetitive and the crowd took to him as favourably as they did to Brenda or Just Jinger – with a polite spattering of applause and one or two isolated whoops.
Crowd favourites were evident all night long and they found themselves on the receiving end of near-hysterical cheers and several statues. Solid, African, “adult contemporary” types who have done their time and consistently turned out the goods – Vusi Mahlasela’s Silang Mabele, Ringo’s Sondelani, Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s Bombani and Rebecca Malope’s Angingedwa – were the big winners. They are all artists who strive for quality and who have sold well – particularly Rebecca, the only local musician to have turned out two multi- platinum albums in one year.
As the eager industry club crowded into the auditorium together with their perpetually- ringing cellphones, it was evident that something was up. Hell, even one of the saddest scripts in award ceremony history couldn’t keep a good thing down. Nor, for that matter, could the sight of guest presenter Jeremy Mansfield dropping his trousers.
For the first time in the history of the Samas, the establishment embraced the future sounds of Johannesburg and Cape Town. Techmaster M’Du finally got the credit he deserves, as did hip-hoppers Prophets of da City. And the addition of a category for R&B was way overdue. When Soul’d Out took the stage to accept their award, decked in the dishiest of pastel leather overcoats, it was evident that they – and their generation – had something to say; that their tunes were going beyond nasal whines and the same old beats. “There’s a terrible myth in this country that young artists should be expected to do a certain type of music that sells. We say follow your heart,” came their acceptance speech. It was a notion underscored by the next performance: Boom Shaka re-emerging on a stage that they shared with Skeem.
Mixing through the dance styles was some genuine soul and the refrain of Nkosi Sikelele; both bands looking as fine as they sounded and making it clear that sooner or later the dance formula’s got to give and splinter into original territory.
Even the annual outcry over confused selections and incongruous categories didn’t seem as much of an issue at this year’s awards. Except in the dance music category for pop. That Nick “Yo-yo-yo” G and the Refugee should be rewarded for Da Dip may seem truly absurd, but when you compare the white youth scene with the black it does make sense.
Frankly, emerging white bands in South Africa are struggling to keep up, despite the hype around rock outfits like Just Jinger. Words fail a comparison between their live performance (that same old tired Canadian rock sound) and the Boom Shaka appearance. Just Jinger were beaten to the best newcomer award by jazzman Jimmy Dludlu and then proceeded to lose out to The Usual, Sugardrive and Tananas in their other three categories.
Stuff the awards, say their fans, Just Jinger went platinum with All Comes Round. Sure they did, but then so did Patricia Lewis, Leon Schuster and Die Heel Beste Rugby Album in Suid Afrika … Ooit – and no one’s throwing statues at them.