The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) made a shocking mistake by giving South African singer Tyla the “Best Afrobeats” award for her Amapiano song “Water.”
This category should have featured artists whose music is genuinely Afrobeats, such as Burna Boy, Tems, Davido, Ayra Starr, Lojay, and Pheelz.
Tyla’s win was unfair, especially over standout Afrobeats tracks like Chris Brown, Davido & Lojay’s “Sensational.” (Which also had the better music video, brilliant choreography and vibrant African themes, in my opinion).
Tyla’s acceptance speech hinted at her guilt as she acknowledged African music’s diversity.
From the video, it’s clear she wanted to clarify the mislabeling of genres by the organisers. She knew she didn’t belong in the Best Afrobeats category and was not worthy of the award.
Furthermore, the Amapiano song “Water” was also nominated in the Best R&B category alongside R&B legends like Alicia Keys and Usher, highlighting the VMAs’ confusing categorization.
ALSO READ: Grammy’s “Africa Love” Exposed: One Win, Seven Losses Tell the Real Story
This raises questions about Tyla’s random nominations, including her recent VMA and past Grammy wins.
Is the music industry biased towards artists who fit Western aesthetic standards like Tyla?
Not to take away from her talent, her widespread nominations suggest she appeals to Western sensibilities, rather than a genuine appreciation for African music.
So now she has an Afrobeats award for a non-Afrobeats song.
Meanwhile, the VMAs have not addressed their mistake. An oversight that undermines the authenticity of the award show and Afrobeats genre.
They owe Afrobeats artists and fans an apology for their ignorance and misrepresentation.
But they’d rather let the controversy fizzle out than openly show a disconnect from African music.
Nonetheless, they must take steps to understand and respect African music’s diversity and prevent similar mistakes in the future.
