Tyla is again addressing the 2024 MTV VMAs trophy controversy she shared with Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X. She notes that she was “confused” when people called her “entitled,” adding, “Those awards are very heavy.”
RELATED: Tyla Speaks Out After Her Team Shuts Down Question During Breakfast Club Interview
In September 2024, during MTV’s annual VMAs ceremony, South African singer Tyla won the award for “Best Afrobeats” for her breakout and global hit “Water.” Singer Halle Bailey and rapper Lil Nas X presented her with the MTV VMAs trophy. Upon calling out the winner of the category, Tyla made her way to the stage from her seat in the audience. Once on the stage with Lil Nas X and Halle Bailey, the former extended his left hand out to give Tyla the iconic MTV VMAs Moonman trophy.
While holding her Moonman trophy in her left hand, Tyla used her right hand to support the weight. Halle Bailey then extended her right hand out to give Tyla the envelope naming her the winner of the award. However, Tyla refused to take it from her despite Bailey continuing to try and hand off the envelope. Tyla raised her right hand in a “shooing gesture” as Bailey accepted reality and walked to the side of the stage with Lil Nas X.
Tyla Accused Of Being ‘Entitled’ And ‘Pretentious’ Over MTV VMAs Trophy Drama
As Tyla began to give her acceptance speech, she faced the MTV VMAs audience and immediately addressed the awkward trophy interaction. She said, “You guys know me and holding awards. I’m not strong enough.” She then offered back the trophy to Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X, pleading, “Please, please.” Bailey stood her ground and remained put, but let off a little laugh. Coming to her rescue, Lil Nas held out his left hand and took the trophy back from Tyla, who said, “Yes, thank you! I’m sorry!”
While Tyla may not have meant any harm with her “shooing gesture,” social media spiraled and called her “entitled.” Tyla — who already came under fire months prior for identifying as a South African “coloured” woman” — was dragged for coming off as “pretentious” and treating Black Americans as “The Help” or “peasants.”
Amid the criticism, Tyla and Halle Bailey came together to address the social media backlash. Tyla took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Y’all make everything weird… I was not asking my girl Halle… We just girls 💅🏽. STFU I WON A VMAAAA.” Bailey replied to her tweet and said, “exactly ♥️♥️ love u babes congrats 🎉.” Tyla replied back to Halle Bailey and said, “❤️ thank youuuu.”
Tyla Shuts Down Claims Of Being ‘Entitled’ After MTV VMAs Trophy Controversy With Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X
Five months later, Tyla is again addressing the 2024 MTV VMAs trophy drama with Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X. In a new interview with British VOGUE, Tyla says:
“When people were telling me I’m entitled, I was very confused because I was just asking Lil Nas, who is a friend, to help me hold it while I was giving the speech. Guys, those awards are very heavy! And at that moment, I had an important message. I really didn’t want to be focused on struggling to hold this award.”
Tyla’s “important message” — which was about her win being “bittersweet” due to the show’s organizers lumping all African artists under Afrobeats — also came under fire. The South African superstar was accused of slighting the musical genre, which has Nigerian roots. However, Tyla rejects the misinterpretations of her speech. She says:
“Afrobeats is the reason we are even getting recognized. It’s a genre that broke down many doors. I was just feeling a certain way about it because it is the only African category and it takes away from both Afrobeats and Amapiano.”
#Socialites, be sure to check out the post below, then leave us your thoughts in a comment after!
