Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
The MTV Video Music Awards just made a decision that’s sending shockwaves through the global music community. When the network dropped its 2026 nominees list, one glaring omission caught everyone’s attention: the Best Afrobeats category has been completely removed. After only three years of existence, the award that was supposed to celebrate Africa’s sonic takeover has quietly disappeared from the lineup, leaving artists and fans questioning what this means for the continent’s place on the world stage.
The Best Afrobeats category made its debut in 2023 during the height of the genre’s global explosion. That inaugural trophy went to Rema and Selena Gomez for their chart-dominating collaboration “Calm Down,” a track that proved Afrobeats could compete at the highest commercial levels. South African sensation Tyla then dominated the next two years, winning in 2024 for her viral breakthrough “Water” and defending her crown in 2025 with “PUSH 2 START.” Together, these two artists represent the entire history of the award—a history that ended before it could truly begin.
MTV hasn’t issued any official explanation for dropping the category, but it’s part of a massive overhaul that saw nine awards cut from the ceremony, including longtime staples like Best Pop, Best Rock, Best Group, and even Album of the Year. Still, the timing raises important questions about how the industry views African music. Tyla herself has consistently pushed back against the blanket “Afrobeats” label, emphasizing that her sound draws from Amapiano, Pop, and R&B—distinct genres that deserve recognition on their own terms. The removal reignites the debate: do genre-specific categories provide necessary visibility, or do they actually box African artists into a corner, preventing them from competing in mainstream spaces?
The silver lining? African stars are still making waves in the main categories. Burna Boy landed two nominations for his FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai” with Shakira, competing in Best Collaboration and Best Latin. Tems is up for Best R&B thanks to her feature on Dave‘s “Raindance.” These nods prove that African artists can thrive without a separate category—but whether this shift represents progress or erasure remains the million-dollar question. The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on September 27 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
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