News

Cardi B, JAY-Z & Beyoncé Lead 2018 MTV VMA Nominees

blame it on Meka July 16, 2018

Photo: Raven Barona

After spending a few years in Los Angeles, MTV’s VMAs will return to The Big Apple next month.

Airing August 20th across all of its platforms, the 2018 MTV VMAs will take place at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall. Leading all nominees is Cardi B, who racked up ten nominations including Video Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Artist Of The Year. Meanwhile, JAY-Z and Beyoncé grabbed eight total nods.

Other multiple nominees include mianstays Childish Gambino (with 7), Drake (with 7) and Bruno Mars (with 6). MTV is also continuing its new tradition gender neutral categories, with both men and women being nominated across all the genres (rather than being separated into gender-specific categories).

Check out the list nominees below.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello – Syco Music/Epic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Drake – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Post Malone – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Dua Lipa – “New Rules” – Warner Bros. Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar” – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®)
Bazzi – iamcosmic/Atlantic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
Lil Pump – Warner Bros. Records
Lil Uzi Vert – Atlantic Records

BEST COLLABORATION
Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be” – Warner Bros. Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Chloe x Halle
Sigrid
Lil Xan
Hayley Kiyoko
Jessie Reyez
Tee Grizzley
Bishop Briggs
Grace VanderWaal
Why Don’t We
PRETTYMUCH
SZA
Kacy Hill
Khalid
Kyle
Noah Cyrus

BEST POP
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry” – Island Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
P!nk – “What About Us” – RCA Records
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records

BEST HIP HOP
Cardi B ft. 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi” – KSR/Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records
Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It” – Quality Control/Capitol Records
Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li” – Young Money/Cash Money Records

BEST LATIN
Daddy Yankee – “Dura” – El Cartel Records/UMLE
J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente” – UMLE/Republic Records
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa” – UMLE/Republic/Island/Universal Music Latino
Maluma – “Felices los 4” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin
Shakira ft. Maluma – “Chantaje” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin

BEST DANCE
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss” – Columbia Records
The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me” – Disruptor Records/Columbia Records
David Guetta & Sia – “Flames” – Atlantic Records
Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence” – RCA Records/Ultra Records
Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)” – Interscope Records

BEST ROCK
Fall Out Boy – “Champion” – Island Records
Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood” – RCA Records
Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “One More Light” – Warner Bros. Records
Panic! At The Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” – Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Walk On Water” – Interscope Records

VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated” – Columbia Records
Drake – ‘God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Janelle Monáe – “PYNK” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper” – Island Records
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains” – Def Jam Recordings – Cinematography by Pau Castejón
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Cinematography by Benoit Debie
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Cinematography by Larkin Seiple
Eminem ft. Ed Sheeran – “River” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Frank Mobilio & Patrick Meller
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Cinematography by Jonathan Sela

BEST DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Directed by Ricky Saix
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Directed by Hiro Murai
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records – Directed by Karena Evans
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records – Directed by Jason Koenig
Justin Timberlake ft. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something” – RCA Records – Directed by Arturo Perez Jr.
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Directed by Jay Martin

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Art Direction by Jan Houlevigue
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Art Direction by Jason Kisvarday
J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records – Art Direction by Miles Mullin
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Pepper Nguyen
SZA – “The Weekend” – TDE/RCA Records – Art Direction by SZA and Solange
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Art Direction by Brett Hess

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Vidal and Loris Paillier for Buf
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by KPP
Eminem ft. Beyoncé – “Walk On Water” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects Supervisor Rich Lee for Drive Studios
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars” – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier for BUF Paris
Maroon 5 – “Wait” – 222/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by TIMBER
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Phil Tayag & Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge and Sara Bivens
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jaquel Knight
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Choreography by Sherrie Silver
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF” – Warner Bros. Records – Choreography by Marion Motin
Justin Timberlake – “Filthy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Marty Kudelka, AJ Harpold, Tracy Phillips, and Ivan Koumaev

BEST EDITING
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records – Editing by Jacquelyn London
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Taylor Ward and Sam Ostrove
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Editing by Ernie Gilbert
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Editing by Deji Laray
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records – Editing by Taylor Ward
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes for Cosmo