Ahead of this year’s VMAs schedule to hold on Thursday, September 12, the organisers of the awards, MTV Base, a leading youth and pop culture entertainment brand, in collaboration with premium lager beer brand, Budweiser, hosted the nominees to an electrifying night of Afrobeats excellence to celebrate the stars.
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Held at the US Consulate in Lagos, the event brought together music lovers and industry elites who perfectly embodied the theme: ‘Afrobeats Royalty’ to celebrate the global impact of Afrobeats, a fusion of sounds flowing majorly out of Nigeria.
The evening began with a mesmerising live performance from Coloz Band, setting the stage. Thereafter, the US Consular, William Stevens, officially opened the event with a heartfelt remark, highlighting its role in strengthening the cultural bond between Nigeria and the United States.
The performances were the highlight of the evening. Known for his hit song Dealer, Ayo Maff, set the bar high for the rest of the exciting performances, just as Dotty the Deity charmed the audience with his rendition of Forever Sweet Valentine, while Zadok wowed everyone with a medley of major hits from each Afrobeats category nominee for this year’s VMAs.
Event host and MTV Base Culture Squad member, Ilo, took a moment to celebrate the stars nominated in the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category, reflecting on the genre’s remarkable journey that led to a dedicated category in its honour at the VMAs.
This year’s nominees include Ayra Starr (Last Heartbreak Song ft. Giveon), Burna Boy (City Boys), Davido & Lojay (Sensational with Chris Brown), Tems (Love Me JeJe), Tyla (Water), and Pheelz (Ruin with Usher).
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The night’s energy reached new heights with a surprise performance from Pheelz – one of the nominees – who serenaded the crowd with his hit song Finesse, featuring BNXN (formerly known as Buju). DJ TTB kept the party going with a seamless mix of Afrobeats, ensuring the dance floor stayed packed. Eltee Skhillz closed out the performances for the night, and it was nothing short of amazing.
Following last year’s epic 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop tribute – and his first ‘VMAs’ performance in over 25 years – the 1997 Video Vanguard recipient is returning to the storied MTV stage with a can’t-miss performance of new music from his upcoming album, The Force.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift leads the nomination list with 10 nominations. He is followed closely by Post Malone with nine nods, while Ariana Grande, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter has six nods each; Megan Thee Stallion and SZA (five each), LISA, Olivia Rodrigo and Teddy Swims (four each).
African stars Burna Boy, Tems, Tyla, Davido Ayra Starr, Lojay, Pheelz have earned nominations in the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category, with Tyla securing three nods in the ‘Best Afrobeats’, ‘Best New Artiste’ and ‘Best R&B’ categories.
The organisers have expanded the all-star performance list, adding American rapper and actor, James Todd Smith known professionally as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James); Brazillian-Portuguese global sensation, Anitta, Karol G and Shawn Mendes to the all-star roster of global superstars slated to perform at awards ceremony which will air live from the UBS Arena, New York, United States on Thursday, September 12 at 01:00am WAT on MTV, DStv Channel 130.
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