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Kendrick Lamar Leads 2017 MTV VMA Nominations with 8 Nods

blame it on Meka July 25, 2017

Photo: Andres Tardio

Ah yes, the MTV Video Music Awards. The unseasoned chicken equivalent to its cousin, the BET Awards.

The late-summer celebration will take place Sunday, August 27th at the Forum in Inglewood, CA, and MTV has announced it list of nominees for the show. Led by Kendrick Lamar with eight nods, the usual suspects — DJ Khaled, Future, The Weeknd, Rihanna, et. al — also received nominations, as well as SZA, Young M.A, Khalid and even Gucci Mane.

MTV — a well-known proponent for equality — is also doing away with the gendered categories, now placing both male and female artists within the same categories doing away with the “Best Female Video” and “Best Male Video” categories for a more inclusive “Artist of the Year.” The VMAs are also adding a new category, “Best Fight Against the System,” meant to “celebrate videos that inspire viewers to stand up and fight injustice.”

(Keep in mind, that in 2016 they nominated Danielle Bregoli, infamously known as the “Cash Me Ousside” girl for an award. So, one step forward and two steps back, I suppose.)

The list of nominees can be seen below. Fans can vote for their favorites at the VMA website.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled – “Wild Thoughts” f. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller
The Weeknd – “Reminder”

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde

BEST NEW ARTIST
Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus (Records)

BEST COLLABORATION
Charlie Puth – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” f. Selena Gomez
DJ Khaled – “Wild Thoughts” f. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller
D.R.A.M. – “Broccoli” f. Lil Yachty
The Chainsmokers – “Closer” f. Halsey
Calvin Harris – “Feels” f. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean
Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”

BEST POP
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times”
Fifth Harmony – “Down” f. Gucci Mane
Katy Perry – “Chained To The Rhythm” f. Skip Marley
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu”

BEST HIP HOP
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
Chance The Rapper – “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M. – “Broccoli” f. Lil Yachty
Migos – “Bad & Boujee” f. Lil Uzi Vert
DJ Khaled – “I’m The One” f. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne

BEST DANCE
Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay”
Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris – “My Way”
Major Lazer – “Cold Water” f. Justin Bieber and MØ
Afrojack – “Gone” f. Ty Dolla $ign

BEST ROCK
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams”
Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace”
Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul”
Green Day – “Bang Bang”
Foo Fighters – “Run”

BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM
Logic – “Black Spider-Man” f. Damian Lemar Hudson
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean – “Light”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
Taboo – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” f. Shailene Woodley
John Legend – “Surefire”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (Scott Cunningham)
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow – “Nobody Speak” f. Run The Jewels (David Proctor)
Halsey – “Now or Never” (Kristof Brandl)

BEST DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (Dave Meyers & the little homies)
Katy Perry – “Chained To The Rhythm” f. Skip Marley (Mathew Cullen)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Aaron A)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (Glenn Michael)

BEST ART DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (Spencer Graves)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Alex Delgado)
Katy Perry – “Bon Appetit” f. Migos (Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled – “Wild Thoughts” f. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller (Damian Fyffe)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE – “iSpy” f. Lil Yachty (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry – “Chained To The Rhythm” f. Skip Marley (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Kanye West – “Fade” (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins)
Ariana Grande – “Side To Side” f. Nicki Minaj (Brian & Scott Nicholson)
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (Dave Meyers)
Sia – “The Greatest” (Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony – “Down” f. Gucci Mane (Sean Bankhead)

BEST EDITING
Future – “Mask Off” (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini)
Lorde – “Green Light” (Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers – “Closer” f. Halsey (Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (Red Barbaza)