Burna Boy, Tems Nominated for 2026 MTV VMAs
Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems have received nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). Burna Boy is nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Latin for his song "Dai Dai" with Shakira, while Tems is nominated for Best R&B for "Raindance" with Dave. The article also notes the absence of the Best Afrobeats category this year.
Why it matters
This highlights the continued global recognition of Nigerian and African artists in mainstream music awards, while also pointing out a potential shift in award categories that could impact genre representation and visibility.
Nigerian music stars, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy and Temilade Openiyi, also known as Tems, have earned nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). The nominations were announced on Tuesday ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27. Burna Boy received both nominations for his collaboration with Colombian singer Shakira on the 2026 FIFA World Cup official song, “Dai Dai.” The Grammy-winning artist is nominated for Best Collaboration, competing against Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for “Chains & Whips”; French Montana and Max B for “Ever Since U Left Me”; Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter for “Bring Your Love”; PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson for “Stateside”; and Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye for “Hard Part.” “Dai Dai” also earned Burna Boy a nomination in the Best Latin category, where it competes against tracks by Anitta with Shakira,…
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