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MTV VMAs noms include Hayley Kiyoko, Cardi B

The ceremony airs on Aug. 20

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Hayley Kiyoko (Photo via Instagram)

The MTV VMAs announced its 2018 nominations which include big recognition for Cardi B and the Carters.

Cardi B received the most nominations (10) including for Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The Carters (Beyonce and Jay-Z) followed close behind with eight nominations for their video  “Apeshit.” Childish Gambino and Drake earned seven nominations each, Bruno Mars received six and Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello came in at five nominations.

Lesbian pop singer Hayley Kiyoko also received a VMA nomination for Best New Artist. She will face off against Bazzi, Cardi B, Chloe x Halle, Lil Pump and Lil Uzi Vert.

The VMAs air from Radio City Music Hall on Monday, Aug. 20 at 9 p.m.

See the nominees below.

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left To Cry”
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana”
The Carters – “APESH*T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Drake – “God’s Plan”

Artist of the Year

Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Drake
Post Malone

Song of the Year

Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Dua Lipa – “New Rules”
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar”

Best New Artist

Bazzi
Cardi B
Chloe x Halle
Hayley Kiyoko
Lil Pump
Lil Uzi Vert

Best Collaboration

Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant To Be”
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”
The Carters – “APESH*T”
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero”
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255”
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon”

Push Artist of the Year

July 2018 – Chloe x Halle
June 2018 – Sigrid
May 2018 – Lil Xan
April 2018 – Hayley Kiyoko
March 2018 – Jessie Reyez
February 2018 – Tee Grizzley
January 2018 – Bishop Briggs
December 2017 – Grace VanderWaal
November 2017 – Why Don’t We
October 2017 – PRETTYMUCH
September 2017 – SZA
August 2017 – Kacy Hill
July 2017 – Khalid
June 2017 – Kyle
May 2017 – Noah Cyrus

Best Pop

Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left To Cry”
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana”
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry”
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
P!nk – “What About Us”
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood”

Best Hip-Hop

Cardi B ft. 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi”
The Carters – “APESH*T”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
J. Cole – “ATM”
Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It”
Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li”

Best Latin

Daddy Yankee – “Dura”
J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente”
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero”
Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa”
Maluma – “Felices los 4”
Shakira ft. Maluma – “Chantaje”

Best Dance

Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together”
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss”
The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me”
David Guetta & Sia – “Flames”
Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence”
Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)”

Best Rock

Fall Out Boy – “Champion”
Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood”
Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes”
Linkin Park – “One More Light”
Panic! At The Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”
Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Walk On Water”

Video with a Message

Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Janelle Monáe – “PYNK”
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper”
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255”

Best Cinematography

Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains” – Cinematography by Pau Castejón
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left To Cry” – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
The Carters – “APESH*T” – Cinematography by Benoit Debie
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – Cinematography by Larkin Seiple
Eminem ft. Ed Sheeran – “River” – Cinematography by Frank Mobilio & Patrick Meller
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Cinematography by Jonathan Sela

Best Direction

The Carters – “APESH*T” – Directed by Ricky Saix
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – Directed by Hiro Murai
Drake – “God’s Plan” – Directed by Karena Evans
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Directed by Jason Koenig
Justin Timberlake ft. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something” – Directed by Arturo Perez Jr.
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Directed by Jay Martin

Best Art Direction

The Carters – “APESH*T” – Art Direction by Jan Houlevigue
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – Art Direction by Jason Kisvarday
J. Cole – “ATM” – Art Direction by Miles Mullin
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Art Direction by Pepper Nguyen
SZA – “The Weekend” – Art Direction by SZA and Solange
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Art Direction by Brett Hess

Best Visual Effects

Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left To Cry” – Visual Effects by Vidal and Loris Paillier for Buf
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Visual Effects by KPP
Eminem ft. Beyoncé – “Walk On Water” – Visual Effects Supervisor Rich Lee for Drive Studios
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars” – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier for BUF Paris
Maroon 5 – “Wait” – Visual Effects by TIMBER
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios

Best Choreography

Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Choreography by Phil Tayag & Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Choreography by Calvit Hodge and Sara Bivens
The Carters – “APESH*T” – Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jaquel Knight
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – Choreography by Sherrie Silver
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF” – Choreography by Marion Motin
Justin Timberlake – “Filthy” – Choreography by Marty Kudelka, AJ Harpold, Tracy Phillips and Ivan Koumaev

Best Editing

Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”– Editing by Jacquelyn London
The Carters – “APESH*T” – Taylor Ward and Sam Ostrove
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – Editing by Ernie Gilbert
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Editing by Deji Laray
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – Editing by Taylor Ward
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Editing by Chancler Haynes for Cosmo

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Sports

Jason Collins dies at 47

First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer

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Jason Collins (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.

The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.

Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.

Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.

Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.

The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.  We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”  

“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”

“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”

“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”

The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.

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PHOTOS: ‘Studio 69’

Glitterati Productions hold party at Bunker

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'Studio 69' was held at Bunker on Friday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Arts & Entertainment

Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week

Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.

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The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.

Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.

“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”

Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip

Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.

Event Details:

📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026 

⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP

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