Cardi B’s ‘Safe’ Wins Best Hip-Hop Award at the 2026 MTV VMAs

September 28, 2026

Cardi B‘s “Safe” featuring Kehlani wins the Best Hip-Hop Award at the 2026 MTV VMAs.

On Sunday (Sept. 27), the annual award show went down live from Los Angeles. Snoop Dogg was this year’s host and Big Bardi nabbed hip-hop’s biggest award. Her ARRAD-directed visual beat out Don Toliver’s “E85,” Drake’s “Janice STFU,” Megan Thee Stallion’s “Lover Girl,” Travis Scott “Dumbo” and Tyler, The Creator “Sugar on My Tongue.”

This is Cardi’s fifth overall VMA win. She previously took home the Best Hip-Hop award in 2019 for “Money.”

“Safe” appears on Cardi’s 2025 album, Am I the Drama?. The album was accompanied by a 35-show tour, which grossed over $70 million. The sophomore LP won the Best Hip-Hop Album award at the 2026 American Music Awards and has been certified three times platinum.

Cardi B recently revealed she is gearing up for her next album, which she says will come out next year.

“I am doing a new album, and after my birthday in November, I am shipping myself away just to record,” she told The Breakfast Club hosts Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious, DJ Envy and Loren LoRosa earlier this month. “[I’ve done] like two songs already. It’s not gonna be a long way to go. Absolutely [next year]. I’m not even playing around.”

“I just got this confidence,” she added. “I got a new attitude. I’m ready.”

Check out Cardi B’s MTV VMA award-winning “Safe” video featuring Kehlani below.