MTV Base’s recent announcement of South African singer Tyla as the Best Afrobeats Artist of 2024 at the MTV Video Music Awards has ignited a heated discussion on Nigerian social media.
Tyla’s song “Water” edged out top Nigerian artists like Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Tems, Wizkid, and Davido to claim the coveted title, sparking widespread conversation.
In a surprising moment during her acceptance speech, Tyla took to the stage and corrected the show organizers, clarifying that she identifies with the Amapiano genre—a distinctly South African sound—and not Afrobeats. She graciously acknowledged the Nigerian artists she surpassed for the award, giving a shoutout to Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Tems, Lojay, and Pheelz.
This is not the first time Tyla has triumphed over Nigerian artists. Earlier in the year, she won the Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys. Her recent win has sparked conversations about genre classification and the representation of African music on the global stage. While some fans celebrated her success, others questioned the criteria used to determine the Best Afrobeats Artist, highlighting the importance of accurately representing Africa’s diverse musical landscape.
The votes are IN, and @Tyllaaaaaaa is the #VMAs winner for Best Afrobeats pic.twitter.com/xa2URrErlq
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 12, 2024
As the debate continues, many are eager to see how the discussion around African music evolves in the coming months.
