BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – There have been a number of international artists that have come out to defend and celebrate Uncle Waffles following outrage for Repping Swati Over SA For BET Awards.
Following the announcement of the BET Nominations for Best International Act, there was tremendous rejoicing, with SA musicians receiving a nod. The likes of K.O, Pabi Cooper and Uncle Waffles made it for one of the ultimate prizes in the global music industry.
However, with all that in place, the main talking point was not about the artists getting nominated for the BET Awards. Rather the revelation that Uncle Waffles is representing Eswatini instead of South Africa caused a massive outrage amongst South Africans.
Taking to Twitter, Rouge came to fellow artist’s defence arguing that the anger towards Uncle Waffles is weird. The Bongo Zaka hitmaker said that people should celebrate Waffle instead of attacking her.
Rouge indicated that Uncle Waffles’ nomination for the awards has nothing to do with her demographic or her fanbase.
“You all know you can only be considered for these awards according to the country you are originally from. Please can you research how these awards work before you bash this queen. It has nothing to do with the demographics of her fan base. Celebrate her and stop being silly.” Tweeted Rouge.
The past week since the announcement was made both Eswatini and Uncle Waffles were on top trending lists, and at some point there was a stand off between South Africans and emaSwati with each taking jabs at each about where uncle Waffles is from.
Worth noting is that Uncle Waffles has always been vocal about her nationality despite that her career took a hit trajectory in South Africa.
“I feel weird having to say this but I’m actually Swati,” she said in an international interview.
Meanwhile The BET Awards are one of the most prestigious awards in the entertainment industry, celebrating Black excellence across music, television, film and sports.
This year, among the nominees for the Best International Act category, there is a name that stands out: Uncle Waffles.
Uncle Waffles, whose real name is Lungelihle Zwane, is a DJ from Eswatini, she is widely regarded as the ‘Princess of Amapiano’ a genre of house music that originated in South Africa and has taken over the continent and beyond.
Uncle Waffles started her career performing at clubs and events. She soon caught the attention of some of the biggest names in Amapiano, such as Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa and Major League DJz, who invited her to collaborate with them on various songs.
Her breakthrough came in 2022, when she released her debut album ‘Red Dragon’, which featured hits such as ‘Tanzania’.
Since then, Uncle Waffles has been on a meteoric rise, touring across Africa and Europe, and gaining millions of fans.
She has also been praised for her unique style, charisma and dance moves, which have become viral sensations on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Uncle Waffles is the first LiSwati to ever be nominated for a BET Award, making history for her country and herself. She will be competing against other international stars such as K.O (South Africa), Burna Boy (Nigeria), Stormzy (UK), Aya Nakamura (France) and Ayra Starr (Nigeria).
The BET Awards 2023 will take place on Sunday, June 25, at 8pm ET/5pm PT, or 2am CAT.
The event will be broadcast live on BET (DStv 129) and will feature performances from some of the hottest artists in the industry.
Uncle Waffles has expressed her gratitude and excitement for her nomination on her social media accounts, saying:
“This is crazy, thank you so much,”. She has also asked her fans to support her with their prayers and blessings. Will Uncle Waffles bring home the trophy? We will have to wait and see. But one thing is certain: she has already made her mark as one of the most influential and talented artists of our time. Regardless of the outcome, it is clear that the people of Eswatini and South Africa are proud of her, and it is no wonder why.
