REGGAE and dancehall musician Pepsin is grateful to the South African Music Awards (Samas) for recognising reggae musicians.
Pepsin, whose real name is Tebogo Montse from Kimberley, Northern Cape, said the Samas have opened doors for many reggae musicians.
The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) added the Best Reggae Album category as a standalone category in 2018 and the musician said this showed that Mzansi was opening up to the genre.
"Having Best Reggae Album as a standalone category at the SAMAs means growth for us as reggae artists. It also means that the music industry in South Africa is opening up to reggae music as one of the genres that contribute positively to the country's economy.
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"For artists like me, it means that they have more opportunities to be heard, like other genres, and that they have the opportunity to collaborate with other artists who now see this genre as viable on a mainstream level,” he said.
He is also nominated in the Best Reggae Album category for his contribution to the album Maximum Stylez Presents: Red Carpet Live, Vol 1 for this year's awards. His song titled Reconciliation is part of the compilation.
"I feel blessed, I feel excited and I am on top of the world. I am happy that the Samas are recognising my work. This is a clear sign that I have done well and will continue to do so,” Pepsin said.
His record label, Maximum Stylez Records & Publishing, won three awards, including Best Reggae Album.
"We received two more nominations for my signee Blakka Yut, who was nominated for Best Newcomer and Best Reggae Album for his project Unleashed. We are happy with how well the label did," he said.
