The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are set to pulse to an unmistakable African rhythm as Afrobeats steps into its spotlight—literally—with a dedicated Best Afrobeats Video category for the first time.
This year’s nominees read like a superstar roll call of the genre’s finest:
Asake pulls double duty with “Active” alongside Travis Scott and “Get It Right” with Tems.
Burna Boy scores two high-profile nods—“TaTaTa” (featuring Travis Scott) in Best Afrobeats, and the socially charged “Higher” in Video for Good.
Tyla, fresh from last year’s VMA glory, secures nominations for “PUSH 2 START” in Best Afrobeats and Best Choreography, continuing her reign as a dance trendsetter.
Also in the running:
Rema for “Baby (Is It a Crime)”.
Wizkid featuring Brent Faiyaz with “Piece of My Heart”.
Ghana’s MOLIY, with Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, for the remix “Shake It to the Max (FlY)”.
Outside the new category, Ayra Starr shines in the MTV PUSH Performance of the Year race with her soulful “Last Heartbreak Song”.
Why This Matters
Afrobeats has gone from Lagos clubs to topping global charts, fueling TikTok challenges, and driving collaborations with music’s biggest names. Its takeover of the VMAs isn’t just about awards—it’s about recognition of a cultural movement that’s rewriting pop’s soundscape.
From Burna Boy’s anthemic fire to Tyla’s dance-floor magic, these artists are more than nominees—they’re architects of the future of global music.
