South African national cricket team got you feeling depressed?
Here’s a reason to feel proudly South African again.
Local rapper Sho Madjozi has won the Best New International Act prize at the annual BET Awards, held the Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles, on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Limpopo-born star was up against strong opposition in Jok’Air, Nesly, Headie One, Octavian and Teni.
You guys voted for me and we did it!!!!! THANK YOU 😭😭😭🙏🏽 Best new international act!! ⭐️ #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/9rZAFGKJ17
— #LimpopoChampionsLeague (@ShoMadjozi) June 24, 2019
The Huku singer made history by becoming the first South African female singer to bag the prestigious award.
And the third SA artist to bag a BET award after Sjava won the Viewers’ Choice: Best International Act Award last year, while Black Coffee was the first to win a BET with the Best International Act: Africa award in 2016.
UNLUCKY: AKA was up for Best International Act. Photo: Monica Almeida/Reuters.
In an emotional acceptance speech, a brightly-dressed Sho said: “My story is a testament that you can be from any village, in any forgotten part of the world and you can still be a superstar. For the girls that come from where I’m from which is Limpopo, I just want to say, you don’t have to change who you are, you can still be big.”
SHOUTOUT TO THE BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT WINNER @burnaboy #BETAWARDS pic.twitter.com/7Qi4BcC2n1
— BET (@BET) June 24, 2019
You go, girl!
The prestigious event kicked off with a performance by Cardi B, who took home two awards for her debut album, Invasion of Privacy.
Sadly, another South African hopeful AKA, who was nominated for the Best International Act award, lost out to Nigeria’s Burna Boy.
The BET Awards recognise winners across 20 categories in a “celebration of black culture”.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za