Bonginkosi Ntiwane06/25/2018
Sjava became the first South African musician to win the BET Viewer’s Choice Award last night at the international awards ceremony hosted at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles California, US.
In 2016 South African DJ and producer Black Coffee won the Best International Act, which last night was won by Nigeria’s Davido. A number of South African artists have been nominated in the Viewer’s Choice Award category in the past, but failed to get enough fan votes.
The difference between the two categories is that Sjava’s award was voted for by fans using a designated hashtag for each artist on BET.com, Tiwitter and Instagram. With his #IPICSJAVA18 hashtag, the artist from KZN trumped, among others, UK singing sensation Iamddb, France’s Prince Waly and Sik-K from South Korea.
Felicitations have been pouring in for Sjava from fans all over. Maps Maponyane tweeted “Siyak’bongela Sjava.” While Cassper Nyovest who lost to Davido, tweeted “Congratulations to King Sjava for the win. SA Hip Hop doing big shit.”
Unlike Best International Act category which was handed out to Davido during the main event, Sjava was presented with his gong in a ceremony held just before the main one.
Draped in isiZulu attire; Sjava wore Umqele on his head, Amambatha covering his shoulders and ibheshu, icansi in hand and to top it off he walked in bare foot. The look was authentic and flamboyant enough for him to be on the main stage with the rest of the acts. He did the country and the rest of Africa proud in taking the award and in the manner in which he did.
