SA Music Is Bigger Than Awards: Prince Kaybee’s Point Hits a Nerve

By Viranova Awards Desk23 May 2026Music

“Those things don’t mean anything. GET TO WORK!”

That was Prince Kaybee’s response during the Metro FM Awards debate around Zee Nxumalo’s seven nominations and zero wins. It was blunt, uncomfortable and exactly why it travelled.

He was not just being difficult. He was pointing at something bigger: the danger of external validation becoming the centre of an artist’s identity.

Kaybee later framed the issue around “External Dependency”, the idea that artists become too reliant on systems outside their control. Award shows. Committees. Industry rooms. People who may respect the work, misunderstand it, reward it late, or ignore it completely.

That message landed because many artists know it is true.

Awards can be beautiful. They can open doors. They can honour legacy. But they are not the source of the music’s power. The music is the source of the award show’s relevance.

Without artists creating songs that move people, these ceremonies are just expensive lighting and empty seats.

We are entering an era where street anthems, streaming traction, live demand and cultural conversation may carry more weight than a trophy on a shelf. Prince Kaybee’s warning is simple:

Do not outsource your confidence to rooms you do not control.

Drop the music. Build the audience. Let the work apply pressure.

Corrections open · Editorial standards · AI policy