Official Rule Book

1. About ZHHA

The Zim Hip Hop Awards (ZHHA) is Zimbabwe's premier platform dedicated to recognising, celebrating and advancing excellence within the hip hop industry. Since its inception, ZHHA has acknowledged the achievements of artists, producers, DJs, media practitioners, promoters, dancers and other stakeholders who contribute to the growth of Zimbabwean hip hop culture.

2–4. Vision, mission & core values

5. Eligibility

• The nominee must be Zimbabwean or primarily contribute to Zimbabwe's hip hop industry.
• Works must be officially released during the announced eligibility period.
• Entries must comply with all Zimbabwean copyright laws.
• Music must be commercially available through recognised platforms or officially distributed.
• Collaborations are eligible where at least one principal contributor meets the eligibility requirements.

6. Submission process

Criteria: All recordings (singles and albums) and music videos submitted must have been commercially released in Zimbabwe between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026 (“the entry period”).

• Entries may be submitted by artists, managers, labels, distributors, producers or other authorised representatives.
• All submissions must be complete before the published deadline.
• ZHHA reserves the right to request supporting documentation where necessary.

7. Screening committee

The Screening Committee shall verify eligibility, confirm category placement, remove duplicate submissions and ensure compliance with the rule book. The Screening Committee does not determine winners.

8. Judging system

All judging is independent and confidential, scored against the following matrix.

9. Judging ethics

• Maintain confidentiality.
• Declare conflicts of interest.
• Score independently.
• Avoid favouritism.
• Uphold the integrity of the awards.

Any judge with a conflict of interest must recuse themselves from the relevant category.

10. Public voting

Only designated fan-voted categories are decided through public voting. ZHHA reserves the right to appoint an independent auditor to verify voting results.

11. Awards categories

Competitive categories are published annually. ZHHA reserves the right to introduce, merge, suspend or retire categories based on industry developments. Honorary awards may include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Pioneer Award, Cultural Impact Award, Humanitarian Award, Hall of Fame Induction, I Am Hip Hop Award and MVP Award.

12. Code of conduct

• Demonstrate professionalism.
• Respect fellow nominees.
• Avoid hate speech and discrimination.
• Refrain from vote manipulation or fraudulent conduct.
• Respect the decisions and processes of ZHHA.

13. Grounds for disqualification

• False information is submitted.
• Copyright ownership cannot be verified.
• Vote manipulation is detected.
• Bribery or intimidation occurs.
• The entrant breaches this rule book.
• The work falls outside the eligibility period.

14. Appeals

Appeals must be submitted in writing within seven (7) days of the official announcement. Only procedural matters may be appealed — judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

15. Media & promotional rights

By submitting an entry, participants grant ZHHA the non-exclusive right to use names, images, promotional materials and excerpts of submitted works for publicity and marketing purposes. Copyright ownership remains with the creator unless otherwise agreed.

16–18. Governance, amendments & final authority

The Zim Hip Hop Awards are administered by the ZHHA Executive Committee, supported by the Screening Committee, Independent Judging Panel and other appointed advisory bodies. ZHHA reserves the right to amend these rules where necessary; amendments are communicated through official ZHHA channels before taking effect. The interpretation and administration of this rule book rest with the Executive Committee, and all participants agree to abide by these rules upon submitting an entry.

Celebrating excellence. Preserving culture. Inspiring the future.