Lyrical mastermind Tkay Maidza has been nominated for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Viewer’s Choice Best New International Act award. After lighting up the Australian music industry up with her fiery rhymes, Tkay has now made a name for herself internationally, recently mixing it up with Martin Solveig on ‘Do It Right’.

The BET Awards were created to celebrate the achievements of minorities in the entertainment industry, a much needed awards show considering how whitewashed this year’s Grammys were. Tkay, who was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in Adelaide, announced on her Facebook page that she “grew up watching these omfg”, and we share her excitement.

Other artists to be nominated include English rap groups WSTRN and Section Boyz, French rapper MHD, Nigerian rapper Falz, and South African hip hop artist Emtee. Whether it’s her honest and electrifying spits, graphic neon music videos, or envious style, Tkay is taking over. U-Huh.

• Words: Eleanor Beardsell
• Photography: Aleksandar Jason