The first Best Afrobeats award was given to Nigerian music singer Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, on Tuesday at the MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey, in the United States of America.
Rema won for the song “Calm Down,” which he wrote with international superstar Selena Gomez.
Along with Burna Boy’s “It’s Plenty,” Davido and Musa Key’s “Unavailable,” Ayra Starr’s “Rush,” Libianca’s “People,” Wizkid and Ayra Starr’s “2 Sugar,” and Fireboy DML’s “Bandana,” Rema’s “Calm Down” was nominated.
The finest Afrobeats category for the 2023 edition was unveiled by the show’s producers.
Along with those nominated for the category, here is the complete list of winners.
YEAR’S BEST ARTIST
Taylor Swift of Republic Records won.
Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records present Beyoncé.
Kemosabe Records/RCA Records’ Doja Cat
Interscope Records’ KAROL G
From Republic Records: Nicki Minaj
Shakira – US Latin Sony Music
YEAR’S BEST VIDEO
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift from Republic Records is the winner.
“Attention” by Doja Cat is available on Kemosabe Records and RCA Records.
“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, Columbia Records
“Super Freaky Girl” by Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
“Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, Geffen Records
“Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras – Capitol Records
RCA Records and Top Dawg Entertainment present SZA’s “Kill Bill”
BEST NEW ARTIST
Winner: Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records
GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Winner: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Winner: April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam
March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
Winner: Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records
GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records
BEST COLLABORATION
Winner: KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
BEST POP
Winner: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records
P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records
BEST HIP-HOP
Winner: Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records
BEST ROCK
Winner: Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records
Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records
Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records
BEST R&B
Winner: SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Winner: Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records
blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord
BEST EDITING
Winner: Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes
BEST AFROBEATS
Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake –” Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Winner: Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records