Nota and Sfiso clash over Tyla following VMA Afrobeats category cut

by Rhaees Hanslo

The decision by the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) to drop the Best Afrobeats category from its 2026 lineup has set social media ablaze.

While the quiet removal of the award left international music fans questioning Western recognition of African genres, it sparked an immediate, heated clash between outspoken music executive Nota Baloyi and media commentator Sfiso.

Also see: SAMA32 backlash: Was Tyla’s stage call-out inspiring or performative?

The online exchange quickly evolved into a wider debate about genre labelling, artist representation, and Tyla’s global trajectory following her back-to-back dominance of the category in 2024 and 2025.

MTV quietly scraps best Afrobeats

First introduced in 2023 to highlight African music’s global expansion, the Best Afrobeats award was won initially by Rema and Selena Gomez for Calm Down. However, South African popstar Tyla dominated the subsequent two years, taking home trophies for her hits Water (2024) and Push 2 Start (2025).

Picture: Getty Images/Noam Galai

When the 2026 VMA nomination slate dropped without a dedicated Afrobeats slot, online discourse erupted. Many critics, particularly within Nigerian music circles, had long argued that placing Tyla’s Popiano/Amapiano sound into an Afrobeats container was a misrepresentation of African genres.

Ironically, Tyla herself used her 2024 acceptance speech to emphasise that while she represents Africa, her sound is rooted in South African Amapiano, not Afrobeats.

Nota vs Sfiso

The category’s removal sparked a fierce back-and-forth between Nota Baloyi and Sfiso over what the move means for Tyla’s standing in the American market:

Also see: Nota Baloyi apologises to Black Coffee after defamation court case

Nota’s take

Nota argued that the removal of the category exposes how Western award shows treat African genres as temporary trends. He suggested that without a dedicated African category acting as a gateway, South African artists risk losing visibility on major American broadcast stages.

Sfiso’s pushback

Sfiso countered by defending Tyla’s position, maintaining that she has outgrown boxed-in regional labels altogether. He pointed out that her team’s strategy has always been to position her alongside mainstream global pop and R&B acts rather than restricting her to continental categories.

Beyond regional boundaries

While critics debated whether the category cut leaves African talent without a dedicated lane, fan bases across X rallied behind Tyla.

Supporters pointed out that Tyla’s cross-genre appeal allows her to compete in general categories, such as Best R&B, Best Choreography, and Best Music Video, alongside global heavyweights. Rather than viewing the category removal as a setback, many see it as an opportunity for African artists to stop being compartmentalised and instead compete directly in general genre categories on global stages.

Also see: Tyla’s Bold VMAs Outfit Splits Opinion Between the US and South Africa

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