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Mzansi celebrates K.O, Pabi Cooper and not so much Uncle Waffles’ BET Awards nominations
The likes of Black Coffee and Nadia Nakai showered KO and Pabi Cooper with love and snubbed eSwatini's Uncle Waffles.
K.O, Pabi Cooper and Uncle Waffles are nominated at this year’s BET Awards. Picture/ K.O/ Pabi Cooper/ Uncle Waffles/ Instagram/Twitter
“For me the best thing about winning an award is when the people cheer for your win. When you can see that the people are really happy that you are winning something, that’s the most reward[ing] thing in the world,” said US rapper Busta Rhymes accepting a BET Hip Hop Award in 2021.
But Uncle Waffles hasn’t been given this feeling by some South Africans, as a hoard of local celebrities eagerly congratulated two artists from Mzansi for their BET Awards nominations; there was a strange paucity of congratulations from popular South Africans regarding Uncle Waffles’ nomination.
Uncle Waffles, whose real name is Lungelihle Zwane, is born and bred in eSwatini but has established herself as an artist in South Africa.
Mzansi not showing love
The other nominees in the category include Naija’s Ayra Starr, France’s Aya Nakamura, Central Cee of the UK, Brazil’s L7nnon and Taikola also from France.
ALSO READ: Uncle Waffles’ star keeps rising as Beyoncé includes Waffles’ ‘Tanzania’ to her set
Only embracing their own
Pabi Cooper is nominated in the Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act category. Unlike the category that K.O and Uncle Waffles are nominated in, people can vote for Pabi Cooper in the viewer’s choice category.
Pabi Cooper was showered with love from some of the industry’s notable names such as Focalistc and Nadia Nakai after sharing the good news on her Instagram.
Sharing the news with his followers, K.O, whose real name is Ntokozo Mdluli, told his fans there’s no voting in this category but asked for prayers from fans.
The likes of Black Coffee, Somizi Mhlongo, fellow rapper L’tido congratulated the rapper on his nomination.
This year’s awards will celebrate 50 years of hip hop. Drake leads the nominations list with seven nods to his name. “This year’s nominees reflect abundant creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film, and sports,” said the channel on its website.
“The BET Awards 2023 nominations were selected by the BET Voting Academy, comprised of an esteemed group of entertainment professionals and influencers in music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.”
ALSO READ: TKO for K.O at Metro FM awards
Been taking over the world
K.O was the most nominated act at this year’s Metro FM Awards, hosted in his hometown Mbombela last month. But he unfortunately walked away empty-handed. During that weekend K.O was in the UK for a number of shows and appearances in Manchester and Dublin.
Pabi Cooper, whose real name is Paballo Mothapo, has also been globe trotting taking the amapiano sound to the world. Recently, she performed in Miami in the US. She won the Best Newcomer at the Amapiano Awards two years ago and if that’s anything to go by, she could bag this BET award if her fans put in enough votes.
Uncle Waffles’ stock has been palpably rising. Just last month Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance World Tour in the capital of Sweden, Stockholm, and included Uncle Waffles’ hit Tanzania to her set.
In late March, Uncle Waffles released her seven-track album titled Asylum, which was certified gold. She made history this year by being the first amapiano DJ to perform on one of the main stages at the renowned Coachella music festival in the US.
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