It’s Rema’s moment, and we are living in it. His hit song Calm Down remix with Selena Gomez picks up another win this year and this time at MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) award for the inaugural ‘Best Aftobeats’ category.
MTV’s VMAS returned to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, tonight (September 12), honouring some of the biggest names in the Top 40 arena.
The Jonzin World label star beat other Afrobeats contemporaries like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML and Asake to clinch the inaugural award.
During his acceptance speech, Rema used the opportunity to appreciate pioneers and trailblazers like the late Fela Kuti, Don Jazzy and D’Prince (his label heads), Tuface Idibia, D’Banj, Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy for paving the way for artist like himself.
He also urged his contemporary Afrobeats new act to keep up the flame just like his role models have done in the past to open more doors for incoming acts. The award-winning song recently joined the billion stream club on Spotify, becoming the first African song to achieve such a feat.
Rema became the second African act to win a VMA award after Wizkid in 2021.
Taylor Swift led the pack in nominations and wins this year, with eight nods in all surrounding 2022’s “Anti-Hero.” She won seven of her eight prominent awards, losing Best Editing to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire.”
However, the Midnight’s single won Video of the Year over SZA’s “Kill Bill,” one of six total nominations for the SOS mastermind.
