MTV VMAs scraps Afrobeats category

The MTV Video Music Awards have discontinued the “Best Afrobeats” category at the 2026 MTV VMAs.

DAILY POST reports that the organisers unveiled the nominees for the 2027 MTV VMAs on Tuesday but the “Best Afrobeats” category was left out.

The “Best Afrobeats” category was introduced in 2023 with Rema and Selena Gomez’s ‘Calm Down’ winning, and South African singer Tyla winning back to back in 2024 and 2025 with ‘Water’ and ‘Push 2 Start’, respectively.

Tyla’s consecutive wins sparked uproar on both occasions, with music fans and critics, especially Nigerians, accusing the organisers of “misrepresentation” for awarding a so-called Afrobeats award to a non-Afrobeats artist.

While the organisers are yet to clarify the reason for the discontinuation of the Best Afrobeats category, observers insist that it is not unrelated to the “misrepresentation” allegations. 

Meanwhile, Nigerian singers Burna Boy and Tems bagged nominations at the 2026 MTV VMAs.

Tems was nominated in the Best R&B category for his collaboration with Dave on ‘Raindance.’

Burna Boy received two nominations in the Best Collaboration and Best Latin categories for his collaborative World Cup song with Shakira, ‘Dai Dai.’

South African singer Tyla failed to make the list as the Best Afrobeats category, which her viral song, ‘Chanel’ was poised to get nomination in and possibly win, was cancelled. 

The 2026 MTV VMAs is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, USA.