2026 MTV VMA Hip-Hop Nominations Put Don Toliver, Drake, and Tyler, the Creator in Focus

The 2026 MTV VMA Hip-Hop Nominations put several of rap’s most visible artists into a fan-voted race announced on August 18, 2026. Don Toliver earned his first nomination in the category, while Drake, Cardi B and Kehlani, and Tyler, the Creator are among the contenders carrying recent releases into the awards conversation.

Drake is nominated for “Janice STFU,” Cardi B and Kehlani share a nomination for “Safe,” and Tyler, the Creator is represented by “Sugar on My Tongue.” The category gives voters a compact snapshot of how mainstream rap video culture is moving across solo records, collaborations, performance concepts, and regional influence. It also keeps Hip-Hop central to a ceremony whose overall nomination count is led this year by Madonna and Taylor Swift.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the United States. Fan voting is open in 13 categories through September 25, 2026, which leaves more than a month for campaigns, artist appearances, and new music to reshape the momentum around the ballot.

For Hip-Hop listeners, the most useful part of the list is the contrast between established names and newer award recognition. Toliver’s first-time placement sits beside artists with long histories of awards attention, while the Cardi B and Kehlani collaboration shows how genre lines can overlap without removing the record from a direct rap category.

PowerPage Hip-Hop News coverage will track verified performance announcements, category updates, and voting deadlines as MTV releases them. Until then, the confirmed nominee field and September broadcast date are the developments to watch, not unverified host or performer speculation.