Maszanga In The Run For Best Hip Hop artist of The Year???

Last night at the NAMAs' Nomination show the judges shocked the Namibian industry when they announced the nominees for the Best Hip Hop category as follows:

BEST RAP / HIP-HOP
Dice	Sticks & Stones
Ru (CuteGeek)	Sanity
Maszanga	Onojesa Mbure
Rush	We Chilling
061 Music	Click Song
Stitch	Keep It Alive

This article is about the cultural movement and the genre that is Hip hop in Namibia. We have Hip Hop artists that have worked very hard to build Hip Hop music in Namibia, and for us the award shows are a defining moment in music. It is a way to show the public what Hip Hop has been up to for the year 2012, and we've had great Hip Hop album releases from typical Hip Hop artists within our boarders. What does this say about Hip Hop in Namibia when a kwaito group like Maszanga is representing the Hip Hop category at the NAMA Award show? J-Black released his album "My Time" in 2012 (although he didn't enter the awards for his own reasons) and KaniBal released his album "R.E.B.E.L" in 2012, these are names we should be seeing representing Hip Hop at the Awards because they are Hip Hop artists. How do you find an artist(s) who is nominated in Best Shambo, Best RnB, Best Traditional, Best Soukous/Kwasa, and Best Regae in the Hip Hop category when you're indecisive of what genre you're doing? Doing a Hip Hop song does not make you deserving of the title Hip Hop ARTIST of the year when you are not even a Hip Hop artist.

For those who do not know who Maszanga is, it is a group comprised of a vocalist Afro/pop singer, an Oviritje mumbling artist and a Kwaitoish guy (up to you to figure what genre they are), we have much respect for their musical abilities and the incredible work they have put in their music, in their respective genres. BUT what would it say about Hip Hop if Maszanga was to be named Hip Hop artist of the Year 2013??? Don't we have deserving Hip Hop ARTISTS who would've taken that nomination spot? Most importantly, how did Maszanga have it in them to disrespect the Hip Hop industry by entering for nomination in the category? What are the judges telling Hip Hop artists by nominating these Kwaito boys in this category? This is that "f*ck you Hip Hop niggas" moment, where The Industry is saying they do not appreciate the good work Hip Hop artists have put in to build Hip Hop in Namibia. 

If a non-Namibian rapper is looking to collaborate with a Namibian rapper and they Googled "hip hop artist of the year" & Maszanga popped out, what would that say about Namibian Hip Hop? We are letting these people kill the Hip Hop industry that people like KaniBal, Jericho, Catty Catt, Chikololo and the likes have built from scratch, and we all do remember how difficult it was for a Hip Hop artist to be heard before the We Go Hard(s) and Girl Like Mine(s). Now everybody is trying to eat off Hip Hop's plate. We have had artists like Qonja, Gazza, The Dogg etc. divert to Hip Hop in a song or two, and that's cool, but it is not a good look for Hip Hop if we let them try to put these artists who are not Hip Hop artists in the Front as the face of Hip Hop.

It says on The NAMAs' website that "The Namibian Annual Music Awards exist to recognize accomplishment in the Namibian recording industry by celebrating those groups and individuals who have excelled in the past year.", what has Maszanga accomplished as "Hip Hop artists" this past year? And the website says "Entries are forwarded to the judges who adjudicate according to defined guidelines, applying the assessment criteria for each category, their expert knowledge of artists, music, the market and in general to determine the Nominees in the various categories.", were these "judges" not aware of the fact that Maszanga are not "Hip Hop artists"??? 

"All the categories in the awards, with the exception of Non-voting category, are adjudicated by a panel of judges. Generally speaking, there is a different panel for each category, but depending on the particular expertise of a judge", who were these Hip Hop experts of judges who overlooked this boy band that entered in a genre they do not belong as artists in general, seeing as its quoted that these (supposedly Hip Hop expert) judges adjudicate according to their expert knowledge of (Hip Hop) artists, (Hip Hop) music and the (Hip Hop) market??? The rules for entering Award nominations states that "Entrants may only submit an entry in one category in the Album Genre Categories unless a category rule states otherwise;", again how do you find an artist(s) who is nominated in Best Shambo, Best RnB, Best Traditional, Best Soukous/Kwasa, and Best Regae also in the Hip Hop category? Oh I know, Hip Hop is a non-album category, right? *sarcastically*

Said to be on the Judges' Panel was Arafath (the owner & producer of 777 Studios where Maszanga is signed), could this be a biased ruling in favour of the Trio? Seeing as RUSH (a nominee in Best Hip Hop) also happens to be an employee at MTC (the main sponsors of the event), how does this work? How is an employee of the MAIN sponsors even eligible for nomination? Guess the saying "its not about what you know but who you know" is true. Also said to be on the panel of judges is Cheese KBVDP (the MD at radio Fresh FM), who has great acquaintance in Namibian Hip Hop and should have known better.

A few Hip Hop artists were asked how they felt about this insult to Hip Hop music and this is what they had to say:

"I think that its not acceptable....i know the n*ggers and they know im not hating but they shouldn't be in there dudes and close friends like d-jay entered but they didn't nominate the lyrical genius.....anyway congratulations to everyone and i wish them all the best still think i deserve the best new comer nominee" said rapper Stitch, also nominated for Best Hip Hop 2013.

"That's f*cked up for Hip Hop cos it's showing that any clown from any genre can do a Hip Hop song and get nominated. HIP HOP is a culture, not just any category and it's clear whoever was on that Judging Panel don't know sh*t about music and where Hip Hop is in Namibia right now. Only stupid people will agree with Maszanga's nomination, I don't care what MTC's criteria was. Hip Hop is bigger than The NAMA Awards as a whole...even Maszanga know they don't fit in there! Maszanga aint part of us, everybody knows that." said rapper MC RAY.

Rapper J-Black updated his status saying "guys, please dont ask me why im not in the awards... they are corrupt, in the 1st place this is the only award show u have to ENTER for.. 2ndly, just coz u have a hiphop or rnb song on ur album, duz dat qualify u to win such an award? LOL.. I DIDNT ENTER. AND I NEVA WILL. BIG UPS TO BIG BEN, STITCH, MUSHE, SALLY, AND ALL THOSE DESERVING."

"You don't go to sleep a Kwaito artist and wake up a Hip Hop n*gga. Maszanga hasn't been Hip Hop all year, or all their career and all of a sudden they are in Best Hip Hop? C'mon son! I dunno what genre they REALLY are, but I do know what genre they are NOT, and that's Hip Hop. We do music for different reasons, this is not an event made for fun to see who can try out what. Who is even gonna take the NAMAs seriously when there is always funny sh*t happening every year?" said rapper Bella Harris. 

"maszanga must withdraw themselves, because no matter how we want to blame the organisers Maszanga must have entered and qualified.. they should respect hiphop and withdraw, d-jay qualified with champion, why is he not in? all i gotta say.." said rapper J-Black when contacted for comment.

"I say its bullshit.... Bt i guess its not their fault, they just tried their luck.. Im not happy with the judges, they f*cked up by choosing their people. Everybody thats nominated is from the same circle. The hiphop catagory had over 30 entries including me but they chose bullsh*t....But its all good, im not gonna bitch about it. My focus isn't in Namibia.. For now, I say VOTE FOR STITCH!" said rapper D-jay. 

"Mazanga is not hip hop, but we are focusing on the wrong things. let the people come out and vote for their hip hop cats, an artist that doesn't belong in a certain category should not be seen as a threat.", said rapper Ru

When Maszanga was reached for comment, this is what they had to say:
"it is with no regrets that we are nominated for the best hip hop category, if a song meets the requirments, the key atributes from the composition to the melody, despite being an artist of such nature, y in the world of music should it be a predicament. To all the hip hop artist, on behalf of Maszanga, we apologize for the inconvenience, but right now its beyond our control. thank you"