Childish Gambino, Cardi B, and the Carters Lead 2018 VMA Nominations

Is Childish Gambino about to dominate the MTV Video Music Awards?

Monday, MTV unveiled the nominees for the 2018 edition of the long-running (and routinely less maddening than the Grammys) awards show. All told, Gambino didn't bag the most nominations—that distinction goes to Cardi B—but he's contending in several major categories with a video that's hard to imagine beating.

The Hiro Murai-directed video for the surprise-dropped "This Is America" is up for Video of the Year, Video With a Message, Best Cinematography, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Choreography, and Best Editing. In the Video of the Year category alone, Gambino is up against fellow viral 2018 moments from the Carters, Drake, Camila Cabello, and more.

See the full breakdown of nominees below. This year's Best New Artist category, which in my absolutely worthless opinion should go to Lil Uzi Vert, is sponsored by where I'm eating dinner tonight: the esteemed five-star restaurant Taco Bell.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
• The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
• Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Ariana Grande – Republic Records
• Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
• Camila Cabello – Syco Music/Epic Records
• Cardi B – Atlantic Records
• Drake – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
• Post Malone – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
• Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
• Dua Lipa – “New Rules” – Warner Bros. Records
• Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
• Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar” – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®)

• Bazzi – iamcosmic/Atlantic Records
• Cardi B – Atlantic Records
• Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
• Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
• Lil Pump – Warner Bros. Records
• Lil Uzi Vert – Atlantic Records

BEST COLLABORATION

• Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be” – Warner Bros. Records
• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
• The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
• Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
• Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
• N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records

BEST HIP-HOP

• Cardi B ft. 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi” – KSR/Atlantic Records
• The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
• Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
• J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records
• Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It” – Quality Control/Capitol Records
• Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li” – Young Money/Cash Money Records

BEST POP

• Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
• Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry” – Island Records
• Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
• P!nk – “What About Us” – RCA Records
• Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records

BEST LATIN

• Daddy Yankee – “Dura” – El Cartel Records/UMLE
• J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente” – UMLE/Republic Records
• Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
• Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa” – UMLE/Republic/Island/Universal Music Latino
• Maluma – “Felices los 4” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin
• Shakira ft. Maluma – “Chantaje” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin

BEST DANCE

• Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records
• Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss” – Columbia Records
• The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me” – Disruptor Records/Columbia Records
• David Guetta & Sia – “Flames” – Atlantic Records
• Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence” – RCA Records/Ultra Records
• Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)” – Interscope Records

BEST ROCK

• Fall Out Boy – “Champion” – Island Records
• Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood” – RCA Records
• Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
• Linkin Park – “One More Light” – Warner Bros. Records
• Panic! At The Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” – Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records
• Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Walk On Water” – Interscope Records

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• JULY 2018 – Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
• JUNE 2018 – Sigrid – Island Records
• MAY 2018 – Lil Xan – Columbia Records
• APRIL 2018 – Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
• MARCH 2018 – Jessie Reyez – Island Records
• FEBRUARY 2018 – Tee Grizzley – 300 Entertainment
• JANUARY 2018 – Bishop Briggs – Island Records
• DECEMBER 2017 – Grace VanderWaal – Syco Music/Columbia Records
• NOVEMBER 2017 – Why Don’t We – Atlantic Records
• OCTOBER 2017 – PRETTYMUCH – Syco Music/Columbia Records
• SEPTEMBER 2017 – SZA – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records
• AUGUST 2017 – Kacy Hill – Def Jam Recordings
• JULY 2017 – Khalid – RCA Records
• JUNE 2017 – Kyle – Atlantic Records
• MAY 2017 – Noah Cyrus – Republic Records

VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE

• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
• Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated” – Columbia Records
• Drake – ‘God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
• Janelle Monáe – “PYNK” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
• Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper” – Island Records
• Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains” –  Def Jam Recordings – Cinematography by Pau Castejón
• Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” –  Republic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
• The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Cinematography by Benoit Debie
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Cinematography by Larkin Seiple
• Eminem ft. Ed Sheeran – “River” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Frank Mobilio & Patrick Meller
• Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Cinematography by Jonathan Sela

BEST DIRECTION

• The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Directed by Ricky Saix
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Directed by Hiro Murai
• Drake – “God's Plan” –  YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records – Directed by Karena Evans
• Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” –  Atlantic Records – Directed by Jason Koenig
• Justin Timberlake ft. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something” –  RCA Records – Directed by Arturo Perez Jr.
• Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Directed by Jay Martin

BEST ART DIRECTION               

• The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Art Direction by Jan Houlevigue
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Art Direction by Jason Kisvarday
• J. Cole – “ATM” –  Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records – Art Direction by Miles Mullin
• Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” –  Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Pepper Nguyen
• SZA – “The Weekend” –  TDE/RCA Records – 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” –  Republic Records – Visual Effects by Vidal and Loris Paillier for Buf
• Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” –  Geffen Records – Visual Effects by KPP
• Eminem ft. Beyoncé – “Walk On Water” –  Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects Supervisor Rich Lee for Drive Studios
• Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars” –  TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier for BUF Paris
• Maroon 5 – “Wait” –  222/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by TIMBER
• Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” –  Atlantic Records – Choreography by Phil Tayag & Bruno Mars
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” –  Syco Music/Epic Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge and Sara Bivens
• The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jaquel Knight
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Choreography by Sherrie Silver
• Dua Lipa – “IDGAF” –  Warner Bros. Records – Choreography by Marion Motin
• Justin Timberlake – “Filthy” –  RCA Records – Choreography by Marty Kudelka, AJ Harpold, Tracy Phillips, and Ivan Koumaev

BEST EDITING

• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” –  Atlantic Records – Editing by Jacquelyn London
• The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Taylor Ward and Sam Ostrove
• Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Editing by Ernie Gilbert
• Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Editing by Deji Laray
• N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” –  i am OTHER/Columbia Records – Editing by Taylor Ward
• Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” –  Big Machine Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes for Cosmo

This year's festivities are going down at Radio City Music Hall Aug. 20, with Viacom Head of Music and Music Talent Bruce Gillmer promising a "whole new level" of VMAness. "The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity—and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible," he told Complex.

Hopefully, that's his way of very subtly hinting at a Childish Gambino x Fall Out Boy duet.