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Taylor Swift and Eminem both made history at the 2024 VMAs, which were held at UBS Arena in New York on Wednesday (Sept. 11). Swift won seven awards, which brings her career total of Moonpersons to an even 30. This enables her to sprint past Beyoncé as the top winner in the show’s history. Eminem […]
Taylor Swift has won the grand prize of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, taking home video of the year for her self-directed “Fortnight” music video on Wednesday (Sept. 11). And while she was giving her acceptance speech, she made sure to thank Travis Kelce as well as remind fans to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
After taking her newest Moon Person from host and presenter Megan Thee Stallion and directing duet partner Post Malone to join her on the stage, the 34-year-old pop star told the crowd that “directing this video and putting it together and writing it was the most wonderful experience.”
She also shouted out Dead Poets Society actors Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles, “who were amazing cameos” in the visual, as well as director of photography Rodrigo Prieto for going “out of his way to work with female directors.” “This video seems very sad when you watch it, but it was actually the most fun video to make,” Swift continued before detailing an adorable on-set memory from the shoot.
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“I would always just hear someone cheering, like, ‘Whoo!’ from across the studio — that one person was my boyfriend, Travis,” the 14-time Grammy winner recalled, earning piercing screams from fans in the crowd at New York’s UBS Arena. “Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic, so I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot.”
The “Karma” singer also made sure to give fans their well-earned shout-out for supporting her global Eras Tour and The Tortured Poets Department album rollout, which included the LP reigning at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a record 15 weeks. Then, propelled by the momentum of her headline-making Kamala Harris endorsement from the day prior, Swift left fans with an important reminder.
“If you’re over 18, please register to vote for something else very important that’s coming up,” she said with a pointed smile.
Earlier that night, Swift and Posty also won best collaboration for the “Fortnight” video, which dropped April 19 alongside TTPD. After Wednesday night, the musician — who was the most nominated person at the 2024 ceremony — is now the VMAs‘ most-awarded artist in history.
GloRilla may have been new to the VMAs, but the Memphis-bred MC made a splashy debut at MTV awards show Wednesday (Sept. 11) with a tough-as-nails medley that proved she’d earned her four nominations and primo performance spot near the end of the three-hour telecast. Dressed in a floor-length pinstriped black overcoat and matching baseball […]
Rap icon LL Cool J took the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards for the first time in nearly 30 years on Wednesday night (Sept. 11) to lead a tribute to the legendary Def Jam record label, which (like the VMAs themselves) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
LL was introduced by fellow hip-hop great Busta Rhymes, who called him a “true trailblazer… also my hero. He’s not only a hip-hop innovator, he’s not only a godfather, big homie and a mentor — he was the first artist to release an album on Def Jam, and a force to be reckoned with.” (Busta also gave a shoutout to LL’s new album The Force, and shouted out, “I’m proud to say I’m on that album too, baby!!“)
Joined by DJ Z-Trip, LL begun his performance with the first verse and chorus to his 2004 hit “Headsprung,” as throngs of fans sporting his iconic red Kangol hat — some of whom held up pictures of a goat, in reference to LL’s having popularized the “G.O.A.T.” phrase (in reference to the “greatest of all time”) with his 2000 album of that name — flanked the stage.
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Then, Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy briefly took over with a performance of their group’s 1988 classic “Bring the Noise,” before Z-Trip ran through a series of prime LL classics: “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Rock the Bells,” “Around the Way Girl” and “Goin’ Back to Cali.”
From there, the rapper segued into “Passion,” from his new The Force album — pausing to shoutout someone in the crowd, “That’s a nice green shirt” — and the advance single “Proclivities,” which also features Saweetie, and interpolates LL’s 1990 hit “Jingling Baby.” Finally, LL transitioned from “Proclivities” to his R-rated Mr. Smith smash “Doin’ It,” which he performed during his last appearance on the VMAs stage back in 1996.
LL Cool J is a two-time winner at the MTV Video Music Awards: “Mama Said Knock You Out” took best rap video in 1991, and in 1997, he became the first rapper to take home the Video Vanguard award.
Chappell Roan is taking her first-ever MTV Video Music Award hot to go. Following a stand-out performance of “Good Luck, Babe!” at the 2024 awards ceremony, the 26-year-old pop star won best new artist Wednesday night (Sept. 11), a moment she dedicated to all of the people in the LGBTQ+ community who continuously propel her to new heights.
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“Can you believe it? We’re at the VMAs!” Roan cheered after accepting her Moon Person from Tinashe, covering her face with disbelief as fans at New York’s UBS Arena applauded.
“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to queer and trans people who fuel pop,” she continued, reading from a small journal she took with her on stage. “To the gays, who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate … for all the queer kids in the midwest watching right now, I see you. I understand you, because I am one of you.”
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After thanking her label, Island Records, Roan — wearing a medieval knight-inspired chainmail hood to match her Joan of Arc theme of the night — left the crowd with one last message. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be, b—h,” she said with a smirk.
The 2024 VMAs were held at UBS Arena and hosted by Megan Thee Stallion. Eminem opened the show, Vanguard honoree Katy Perry performed a career-spanning medley of her hits, and everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Halsey, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes and Rauw Alejandro delivered performances.
In addition to best new artist — for which Roan beat out Tyla and Gracie Abrams — the Missouri native was also up for MTV push performance of the year for The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess‘ fan-favorite track “Red Wine Supernova.” Taylor Swift led the nominations with a total of 12, while her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone followed with 11.
Prior to accepting her Moon Person, Roan brought the heat on stage with a fiery performance of her breakout single “Good Luck, Babe!” Dressed in a suit of armor, the vocalist lit a castle on fire with a flaming crossbow without missing a single note of the track, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August.
Rauw Alejandro made a memorable debut at the 40th MTV VMAs on Wednesday (Sept. 11), dazzling with a performance rich in cultural homage and electric energy, channeling the vintage Broadway glitz and grit of West Side Story. Dressed in an outfit reminiscent of late ’60s New York with a hint of pachuco style, the Puerto […]
Taylor Swift isn’t the only famous cat lady throwing her support behind Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and VP candidate Tim Walz. In a missive posted to Instagram on Wednesday night (Sept. 11), Linda Ronstadt gave the two her endorsement, but not before writing a scathing screed directed at former president and Republican presidential nominee […]
Benson Boone has lit up the charts — and the fashion blogs — all year with his breakthrough hit, “Beautiful Things,” and his unique sartorial taste. Which is why it was no surprise that the mustachioed crooner from Washington whose penchant for sleeveless denim vests and gauzy shirts have inspired robust “What to Wear to […]
Rock and roll icon Lenny Kravitz performed a ripping three-song medley at the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday (Sept. 11). Introduced by British singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse — who called him a “rock God with a sound completely his own” — Kravitz started his set with his signature 1993 classic “Are You Gonna Go My […]
And for her next trick, the Great Impersonator — aka Halsey — somehow made the MTV Video Music Awards stage into a cozy driveway as the pop star belted out new single “Ego” from the inside of a suburban garage. The star began their performance by riding across the UBS Arena stage on a bicycle, […]