MTV removes Best Afrobeats from the 2026 VMAs nominations, surprising fans as Afrobeats continues gaining major global recognition worldwide today. The category first appeared in 2023, when Rema and Selena Gomez won the award for their hit single Calm Down.
In 2024, South African star Tyla claimed the prize for Water, strengthening Afrobeats’ growing presence within MTV’s prestigious ceremony globally. Tyla returned in 2025 and won again with PUSH 2 START, becoming the category’s first two-time winner in history overall.
However, the Best Afrobeats category does not appear among the 2026 MTV VMA nominations released this week by organizers officially. The omission arrives while African artists continue achieving international success, raising questions about MTV’s changing approach toward genre representation today.
For many Afrobeats supporters, the decision feels unexpected after MTV created the category specifically to recognize the genre’s global expansion. Afrobeats has continued crossing borders through artists including Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, and Tyla worldwide today.
The genre’s international influence has expanded through collaborations, streaming success, festivals, major performances, and growing audiences across different continents worldwide. Consequently, the absence of Best Afrobeats from this year’s nominations could spark renewed debate about African representation within global awards.
The Best Afrobeats category previously offered artists a dedicated platform, giving international audiences another opportunity to discover Africa’s evolving sound. MTV has not publicly explained the omission, leaving fans and industry observers waiting for clarity about the category’s future ahead.
The 2026 VMA nominations have omitted several previous categories, while Best Afrobeats was present in the 2025 nominations and Tyla won that year.
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