SZA, the talented artist whose “SOS” album achieved great success last year, was recently snubbed by the MTV VMAs committee for the Artist of the Year nomination. The decision not to acknowledge her 10-week No. 1 album left Top Dawg Entertainment, her management team, feeling disrespected and ultimately resulted in her being pulled from the show.
Key Takeaway
SZA’s manager, Punch, criticized the MTV VMAs for not recognizing her chart-topping album and excluding her from the Artist of the Year nomination. This led to the decision to cancel her performance, highlighting the lack of respect she received from the committee.
The Disrespectful Snub
Terrence ‘Punch’ Henderson, SZA’s manager, expressed his disappointment to THR (The Hollywood Reporter) on Friday. He repeatedly sought clarification as to why SZA’s album, which dominated the charts for an impressive amount of time, did not earn her a nomination alongside acclaimed artists such as Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Shakira, Karol G, and Taylor Swift.
SZA did receive nominations for other awards and was scheduled to perform at the VMAs. However, Punch questioned the significance of going ahead with the performance if SZA’s talent and achievements were not being respected to the highest level.
No Grudges Held
Punch was quick to clarify that any animosity surrounding the situation was solely his own and not reflective of SZA’s character. He emphasized that SZA is not the type to hold grudges, suggesting that the decision to withdraw her from the VMAs was made in her best interest.
MTV’s High Impressions, But Insufficient for SZA
MTV boasted about achieving its highest-ever VMA impressions on social media, indicating that they successfully captured the attention of the viewing audience. However, despite this achievement, it was not enough to convince SZA to perform at the event.
As of now, MTV has not provided any further explanation regarding SZA’s exclusion.
