Yo Gangsta Nominated at 2026 MTV VMAs for "La Villa"

Yo Gangsta, Ryan Castro, and Kapo Are Up for Best Latin at the 2026 MTV VMAs

Yo Gangsta is nominated for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards single "La Villa," a dancehall and afrobeats track featuring Ryan Castro and Kapo, in the Best Latin category. The ceremony takes place Sunday, September 27, in Los Angeles, with the show airing on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.

The nomination is notable for where it places Yo Gangsta on the credit line. Born in Cartagena and based in Medellín since 2013, he has spent most of his career producing and writing for other artists. On "La Villa" he is officially credited as artist, songwriter, and producer alongside Ryan Castro and Kapo, making this his first major awards run in the artist role rather than behind the scenes.

According to the press release, "La Villa" reached No. 1 on Billboard Latin Airplay, his first chart-topper on that ranking as a credited artist, and spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Colombia Hot 100. The release does not specify when the song was originally released or which label distributed it.

What "La Villa" Has Won and Where It Has Been Nominated in 2026

Before the VMAs nod, "La Villa" had already collected recognition in 2026. In May, it won Best Afrobeats Song at Premios Nuestra Tierra 2026, and its music video won Best Nuestra Tierra Video at the same show. Yo Gangsta also received a separate Premios Nuestra Tierra nomination for Producer of the Year at that ceremony. The track is additionally nominated at Premios Juventud 2026 in the Latin Afrobeats of the Year category.

Ryan Castro is a Medellín-based artist who broke through in the early 2020s mixing reggaeton with street rap and has worked extensively in the Colombian urban scene. Kapo is a Colombian artist known for afrobeats-influenced Latin pop, making the three collaborators a natural fit for a track the release describes as blending dancehall and afrobeats.

Yo Gangsta's Background as a Producer and What Comes Next

Yo Gangsta's production credits include "Bella" by Wolfine, which the press release says has surpassed 2.1 billion streams, along with "11 PM," "Oh Na Na," "Uwaie," and "Sanka." He has collaborated as a producer and songwriter with Maluma, Kapo, Ryan Castro, and Fariana. According to the release, Billboard named him among ten standout producers in 2024, he received a Producer of the Year nomination at Premios Nuestra Tierra 2025, and his production work appears on Fariana's album Underwater, which was nominated for Best Urban Music Album at the 2025 Latin GRAMMY Awards. The release states his catalog includes more than 22 certifications across Diamond, Gold, and Platinum records.

He is currently preparing TIERRA, described in the release as his first project as a solo artist. The release says it will blend afrobeats, dancehall, afrohouse, dembow, and elements of urban folklore. No release date has been announced.

"La Villa" is available on major streaming platforms. For the latest on the 2026 MTV VMAs, the ceremony airs September 27 on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.

What Independent Artists Can Take From This Campaign

Yo Gangsta's path here is worth studying if you make music from behind the board. He spent years building credibility as a producer and songwriter, stacked credits with artists who already had audiences, and is now converting that trust into a front-facing artist career with a project of his own on the way. The "La Villa" campaign did not launch him as an unknown. It introduced a known name in a new context, which is a different and often more effective entry point than a cold debut. If you are a producer thinking about stepping forward as an artist, the order of operations matters.

If you are an independent artist working in afrobeats, dancehall, or Latin urban sounds, [check the events board at /events](/events) for shows and showcases in LA where those sounds are getting real attention right now. And if you have a release or project coming, [submit it at /submit](/submit) so we can cover it.