2026 MTV VMAs Scraps Best Afrobeats Category After Tyla’s Consecutive Wins
- MTV VMAs quietly scrapped the Best Afrobeats category ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony
- This comes after Tyla had won the category two years in a row, making her the only artist to claim the title
- The decision has sparked a major conversation online about Afrobeats' place in mainstream American music awards
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Source: Getty Images
In a surprising move, the MTV Video Music Awards have eliminated the Best Afrobeats category ahead of the 2026 ceremony, sparking widespread discussion about the genre's recognition in mainstream American music.
The removal of the category was confirmed when the 2026 VMA nominations were released without any mention of Afrobeats as a standalone genre.
The VMAs introduced the Best Afrobeats category in 2023 as part of a broader push to recognise the genre's explosive global growth. That same year, Nigerian star Rema and Selena Gomez became its inaugural winners for their hit song, Calm Down Remix.
Despite the removal of the category, Africa is still represented at the VMAs, with Nigerian singer Burna Boy nominated alongside Colombian star Shakira in the Best Collaboration category for their song, Dai Dai, which was one of the official songs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Fellow Nigerian star Tems shines in the Best R&B category alongside British rapper Dave for their song, Raindance.
Source: Getty Images
Despite her prior dominance in the Best Afrobeats category, Tyla did not appear among the nominees.
The Water hitmaker walked away with the trophy at the 2024 and 2025 ceremonies, becoming the only artist ever to win the award back-to-back. Her consecutive victories cemented her status as one of Afrobeats' biggest crossover stars, with her debut self-titled album earning widespread critical acclaim and a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2025.
MTV has neither addressed the removal of the category nor confirmed whether the Afrobeats category will return in future ceremonies.
Other prominent categories removed from the lineup include Best Pop Artist, Album of the Year and Best Rock, among others.
The MTV VMAs will take place in Los Angeles on 27 September and will air live on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+.
Social media discusses Best Afrobeats removal
The scrapping of the category has ignited debate on social media.
maihername suggested:
"They need to rename the category: Best African Music. Just like the Grammys."
ark_rodhin said:
"No shade cause besides Tyla, I don't even know the other popular African songs in the last few years.'
the_yellowbeing wrote:
"Very good, 'cause Africa can’t be limited to Afrobeats when they do several genres of music."
Sanelisiwe_asi added:
"Good, now they must rename it."
Busiswa slams Sfiso Ndlovu’s rant about Tyla
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared Busiswa's reaction to Sfiso Ndlovu's rant about Tyla.
The podcaster went on a seemingly drunken rant, criticising the artists who joined the singer on stage.
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Source: Briefly News
