Cardi B and Kehlani added a Moon Person to “Safe” after their collaboration won Best Hip-Hop at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.
Cardi B and Kehlani took home Best Hip-Hop for “Safe” at the September 27 VMAs, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. People confirmed the win as part of the ceremony’s full results.
The collaboration beat out a stacked field that included Don Toliver’s “E85,” Drake’s “Janice STFU,” Megan Thee Stallion’s “LOVER GIRL,” Travis Scott’s “DUMBO” and Tyler, The Creator’s “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE.” The win put “Safe” at the top of one of the night’s most competitive rap categories.
“Safe” originally appeared on Cardi B’s 2025 album Am I the Drama? and opened at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has remained part of Cardi’s live set, and Kehlani joined her onstage in Los Angeles earlier this year to perform the collaboration during the Little Miss Drama Tour.
Kehlani was also represented elsewhere in the VMA field with “Folded,” which competed for Best R&B. Bruno Mars ultimately won that category with “I Just Might,” leaving the Best Hip-Hop victory for “Safe” as Kehlani’s major win of the night.
The 2026 ceremony was hosted by Snoop Dogg and aired across CBS, MTV and Paramount+. Other major winners included Taylor Swift for Video of the Year, Madonna for Artist of the Year and BTS for Song of the Year.
For Cardi B and Kehlani, the VMA gives “Safe” another major milestone more than a year after its release. The record’s longevity, live performances and now an MTV award have helped turn the collaboration into one of the most durable tracks from Cardi’s second-album era.
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