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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent

HIP-HOP sensation, TiGonzi who wrapped up last year in style by walking away with three gongs at the Zimbabwe Hip Hop Music Awards is continuing to excel as he is topping the Star FM Music Awards list with six nominations.

He is closely followed by fellow musician, Ishan who he collaborated with on the hit song, Kure. Ishan has five nominations. 

TiGonzi is nominated in the Best African Pop song, Best hip hop song, Song of the Year, Best newcomer, Best Collaboration and Best Male artiste category.

The Matabeleland region is represented by Novuyo Seagirl who has two nominations in the Best House song category and Best Female Artiste for her hit single Bambelela. Asaph is nominated in the Album of the Year category for the album The Peeps Rapper and will battle it out against Freeman, Joyful Praise and King 98. 

Zimpapers Radio Broadcasting division general manager, Comfort Mbofana said the awards will be held at a bigger venue, the Marna Resort in Glen Lorne, Harare as they have grown tremendously.

He said preparations for the ceremony were going on well.

“Our aim is to recognise the artistes who have done well in the period under adjudication and we need a fitting venue to do so which is why we’ve settled on Manna Resort,” Mbofana said in a statement. 

However, as expected, some have already begun threatening boycotting the awards as their preferred artistes are not nominated. Mbofana, commenting on this, said the absence of prominent names on the nominees list was due to the fact that they did not submit their work for nominations. Top among those not nominated is Winky D.

“We approached all artistes including Winky D (through his management) who we deemed eligible for this year’s awards process and asked them to submit their entries. We even facilitated resources at the station to assist in the submission process.

“We had a good number of artistes enter the awards and we had some, who for reasons best known to themselves, did not enter,” explained Mbofana.

He added that there were no entries for the Best Sungura song hence the exclusion of the category this year.

Below is the full list of Star FM Music Awards nominees:

Best African Pop Song

Ishan Featuring TiGonzi — Kure, Tamy Moyo — Kwandinobva, Tamy Moyo – Zviroto, Fusion 5 Mangwiro — African Woman.

Best Zimdancehall Song

Nutty O — Vroom, Bazooka – Bodo, Seh Calaz featuring Mambo Dhuterere — Reurura.

Best Hip-Hop Song

TiGonzi — Mabazooka, Takura — Noise, Junior Brown —Loud, PD The Ghost Featuring Gze — 5 Pm

Best RnB Song

Hilzy, Gary Mapanzure — TV Room, Brian Nhira — Love love, Nyasha David featuring Prosper — Die In Your Arms, Brian K — Mai Vevana

Best House Song

Novuyo Sea Girl — Bambelela, Lloyd Soul — Lavida loca, DJ Stavo Featuring Gemma — Bad News, Sam Music — Vuka

Best Song by Zimbabwean in the Diaspora

Brian Nhira — Love love, Norman Masamba — Chihera, Vimbai Zimuto — Kurunga, Nox Guni — I’m In Love

Best Gospel Song

Janet Manyowa — Ndimi, Joyful Praise — Ngoro Yeminana, Jonah Chivasa — Ndozvinoita Nyasha, Seh Calaz featuring Mambo Dhuterere — Reurura

Best Newcomer Award

Ishan featuring TiGonzi — Kure, Mambo Dhuterere — Mweya, Fusion Five Mangwiro — African Woman, Joyful Praise — Ngoro Yeminana

Best Female Artist

Tamy Moyo, Janet Manyowa, Ammara Brown, Novuyo Sea Girl

Best Male Artiste

Ishan, Freeman, Mambo Dhuterere, TiGonzi

Best Duo/Group

Fusion 5 Mangwiro – African Woman, Fusion 5 Mangwiro – Katarina, Ngoma Ingoma – Malobolo, Joyful Praise – Ngoro Yeminana

Best Collaboration

Ishan featuring TGonzi — Kure, Freeman featuring Alick Macheso — Ngaibake, Seh Calaz featuring Mambo Dhuterere — Reurura, Hilzy featuring Gary Mapanzure — TV Room

Best Producer

Simplex, DJ Tamuka, Rodney Beats, Chiweda

Song of the Year

Ishan featuring TiGonzi — Kure, Freeman featuring Alick Macheso — Ngaibake, Nutty O — Vroom, Takura — Noise

Album of the Year

Freeman — Gango, Joyful Praise — Season 2, King 98 — Francesca, Asaph — The Peeps Rapper. – @mthabisi_mthire.