Friday, 13 December 2024, another edition of the Zim Hip Hop Awards was hosted at Royal Gate Gardens in Harare. A celebration of the biggest genre in the country, and some of the biggest names in Zimbabwean music. Themed "Beyond The Beat," the award show's 14th edition had a particular weight to it.
It could've been the level of anticipation, the new direction of the ceremony under House Of Arts, or the fact that the only major platforms celebrating the arts this year were the NAMAs, the Zim Hip Hop Awards and Wicknell. Whatever it was, it felt like this year they were going to get it right. So did they?
In the grand scheme of things yes, but they're a few sticking points that make me feel like saying no. Award shows are a game of balance, and in always giving everyone their moment on the night, the Zim Hip Hop Awards play this game well. However, I sometimes feel we shouldn't be just giving out awards for the sake of it and those that are truly head and shoulders above the rest should get their flowers.
This year Voltz JT won the Song Of The Year, Best Album and People's Choice Award, but somehow lost Best Male to Holy Ten? It surely raises a question mark, because how can that be?
The Best Producer award went to Phanas but the album he produced When We're Not Being Lazy wasn't even nominated. Which starts raising question because JaxDaBeatBully had production credits on 3 albums (N.O.P Makoni, Risky Life 2, God My Therapist 2) that were nominated for Best Album and "Jerusalema" which was nominated for the Song Of The Year.
Shone won Best Alternative, and although he certainly had an amazing 2024, the standout moments came outside the submission period. His EP, which was certainly a very good body of work, dropped in November (which was outside the period of consideration for this year), at a time he was touring with Coldplay. This somehow makes it feel like the award was just checking a box because the artist reached heights that are unknown for a local hip hop act (Shone touring with Coldplay is the stuff of legends). It is especially glaring when you remember that Kayflow had one of the standout alternative projects this year, and he not only won Best Live Act, but also had nominations for Song Of The Year and Video Of The Year.
Boy Nino was named Hip Hop Personality Of The Year, and from the nominees listed I completely understand it. He put in the work. However if I had it my way, that award would've gone to Controlla. When the year began it was Donne Jovi screaming out "CONTROOOLLLLAAAAA!" like Kendrick calling for DJ Mustard. Controlla Made Me Do It was one of the defining platforms of Zimbabwean hip hop this year, and even Indigo Saint's opening performance on the platform had a nomination.
Best Journalist went to Plot Mhako, and while he's certainly a major figure in the journalism, that felt like the wrong box this year. In conversations surrounding hip hop this year they were a few journalists more prolific than him, however Plot Mhako's 2024 transcended journalism. If there's an award I would've given him, it probably would've been Best Promoter. He brought back the Next Level program, which saw Asaph heading to the United States to immerse himself in the art there. He regularly hosted Jibilika Cyphers, he brought together the Amplifaya Creative Business Conference and he hosted the Craft Festival.
Now I could go on, but these arguments are simply a part of what makes award shows what they are. We could argue about the right award for who, or who was left out but at the end of the day a nomination itself, in whatever category, is recognition of the work being done. A great award show has nominees who are all deserving to win, and that makes for contentious arguments when a winner is announced.
The most important thing above all is the actual award show itself being conducted right, and while it was midnight and they were still announcing Best Newcomer, House Of Arts definitely got the ceremony right. It was great to see the annual Cyphers expanded to Kadoma and Mutare, especially because hip hop belongs to everyone (not just Harare). There's definitely progress in conduct and setup, which above all is what we want for the platform.
Here is the full list of winners for the 2024 Zim Hip Hop Awards:
Best Male
• Bagga
• Bling4
• Holy Ten (Winner)
• Voltz JT
• RayKaz
• Slyme Foxx
Best Female
• Banshee
• Brucella
• Young Gemini (Winner)
• Shian
• Millz Million
• Hanna
Best Collaboration
• 216Whisky - Gore Remix (Winner)
• OCD - Hurungwere
• I Am Chapter – Chipawa Pawa
• ScripMula ft Holy Ten - Vakomana
• Young Gemini – Location
• R.Peels – Pinda ft Tanto Wavie
Best Hip Hop Group
• Kbrizzy & Phanas
• Mula Nation
• OCD
• Dough Major & Dingo Duke (Winner)
• Uchiha Empire Clan
Best Producer
• Phanas (Winner)
• Jax Da Beat Bully
• Calvin Made It
• Nagbeatz
• The Curator
• Boy Tricky
Best Newcomer
• Runna Rulez (Winner)
• Mr Nyamz
• 216Whisky
• T3rry Tempo
• Paintafresco
Best Brand Supporting Hip Hop
• Trust The Process ZW
• Sukhavad Apparel
• Moto Republik (Winner)
• The Voice Of Zim Hip Hop
• Shebeen Fest
Best Album
• Holy Ten - Risky Life 2
• Zazise - Storytellers Of The Culture II
• Young Gemini – LA LIGA
• RayKaz – Main Oan Pack
• R.Peels – God Is My Therapist 2
• Voltz JT - N.O.P Makoni (Winner)
Best Promoter
• Shoko Festival
• Noble Stylz - Bars On Bars (Winner)
• Shebeen Fest
• Zimboy
• The Voice Of Zim Hip Hop
Best Diaspora
• Mlue Jay
• Mr Nyamz
• I Am Chapter
• Dimitri and the Scarecrow
• Shingi Mavhima
• Rhyme Assassin (Winner)
• Don Dadda
1Best Dance Act - announcement on the pages)
Best Radio DJ
• Mox
• PD The Ghost and Lady K (Winner)
• Promethious
• Dee moses
• Tichdefine
Best Club and Event DJ
• DJ RSK
• Mark Vusani
• DJ Tashman
• DJ Scar (Winner)
Best Gospel Act
• Swazzy
• Leon Mwana Wa Joze
• C-Verb
• Chief Capone
• Red I Am
• Reap3r (Winner)
• Churchboi Gee
Best Underground
• Uchiha Clan
• Abel X
• Donne Jovi (Winner)
• Mvpani
• Curtis Derover
• Leodale
• Gambit Illmind
Best Alternative
• 216Whisky
• Shone (Winner)
• Bagga
• Mr Moreni
• Kayflow
• Dough Major & Dingo Duke
Planet Dodger Online Media
• Promote Zim Hip Hop
• Riddims and Raps (Winner)
• earGround
• Greedy South
• The ZimSphere
• Zim Hip Hop Circles
Best Journalist
• Tawanda Chari
• Takudzwa Chiwanza
• Plot Mhako (Winner)
• Takudzwa Manando
• Mkhokheli Zibengwa
• Dennis Shoko
Song Of The Year
• Voltz JT – Mkoma Brian (Winner)
• Bling 4 - Four Zero
• Young Gemini – Bag
• Kayflow - Gede ft Takura
• Bagga - Jerusalema
• Holy Ten - Banga
Video Of The Year/Video Director
• ScripMula ft Holy Ten – Vakomana
• MulaNation - Machinda
• Boy Nino - Sungano
• Kayflow ft Takura - Gede
• Mr Byamz - Saga
• Bagga – Jerusalema (Winner)
Best Live Act
• Donne Jovi
• Kayflow (Winner)
• Dough Major & Dingo Duke
• Young Gemini
Best Hip Hop Hustle
• Voltz JT
• Holy Ten
• Dough Major & Dingo Duke
• Mr Nyamz (Winner)
• Young Gemini
Best Hip Hop Verse - Sweet 16
• Indigo Saint – Controlla Made Me Do It
• Donne Jovi – VOTY2
• Krizzy - A King's Poem
• RayKaz – ZaziZay (Winner)
• Kayfkow – Jongwe
• Hooksmith - Moto Pt.2
Hip Hop Personality Of The Year
• Voltz JT
• Holy Ten
• Boy Nino (Winner)
• R.Peels
• Donne Jovi
• Infinty WemaBars
Peoples Choice Award
• Slyme Foxx
• Young Gemini
• Bagga
• Holy Ten
• Bling4
• Voltz JT (Winner)
• RayKaz
Lifetime Achievement Award
• Take Fizzo
Positive Social Impact Award
• Jason Gwanzura
• Voltz JT
• Banshee
• Mike Cibeh (Winner)
• Chief Capone
Spoken Word
• Sista X
• Banshee (Winner)
• The Master Charmer
• The Ammartian
• Street Poet Zim
Honourary Awards
• Reason Sibanda
• Liquor Supplies
• Dream Town
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