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From Olivia Rodrigo and Nicki Minaj to Doja Cat and STRAY KIDS, the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards certainly weren’t short on performances. Nonetheless, there was one artist who some very vocal fans were hoping to see on the stage, but she says she was denied the opportunity to perform.
Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain to inquiring fans why she did not perform at Tuesday night’s show, writing, “I see your advocation for me to have performed tonight and I’m so grateful to you!! Sincerely! My team was told it is ‘too early in my story’ for that opportunity so we will keep working!”
Monét is set to kick off her first headlining tour on Friday at Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. The tour is in support of Jaguar II, her debut studio album, which became her highest-charting Billboard 200 entry upon release (No. 60). Jaguar II serves as the sequel to the original Jaguar EP, which debuted and peaked at No. 174 on the Billboard 200 back in 2020 and spawned singles such as “Moment” and “A– Like That.” The Jaguar Tour will feature a rotating cast of opening acts, including Alex Vaughn, Ambré, Kendra Jae, Lavish, Leon Thomas, Tanerélle and Tone Stith.
“I’m grateful for YOU, for my tour starting this Friday and for the ability to see some of my favorite people perform tonight and receive the love they so deserve!!!” Monét concluded her message.
Monét’s absence follows what some fans on social media perceived as a disregard for the R&B genre at the 2023 VMAs. No solo R&B artists performed during the nearly four-hour ceremony, and the only R&B category — best R&B, won by SZA’s “Shirt” — was not accepted by the artist during the telecast. (The best R&B category returned in 2019 after a 12-year hiatus from the show.)
Billboard reached out to reps for the MTV Video Music Awards for comment on Monet’s post.
Monét’s “On My Mama,” the breakout single from Jaguar II, recently became her first unaccompanied Billboard Hot 100 entry (No. 98) and the song’s ’00s Black South-tribute music video and Sean Bankhead-helmed choreography went viral across social media. She also is a three-time Grammy nominee thanks to her work with Ariana Grande (“7 rings”) and Chloe x Halle (“Do It”).
Monét’s writing credits include Diddy-Dirty Money, Coco Jones, Fifth Harmony, Brandy and BLACKPINK. She released her debut EP, Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 1, in 2014.
Read Monét’s tweet here:
I see your advocation for me to have performed tonight and I’m so grateful to you!! Sincerely! My team was told it is “too early in my story” for that opportunity so we will keep working! I’m grateful for YOU, for my tour starting this Friday and for the ability to see some of my…— Victoria Monét (@VictoriaMonet) September 13, 2023
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The 2023 MTV VMAs took place last night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Wednesday (September 12) and the live show was the grand spectacle most hoped for. While not everything went smoothly as expected during a live event, Hip-Hop Wired takes a look at the biggest and Blackest moments of the 2023 MTV VMAs.
The VMAs, short for MTV Video Music Awards, is now in its 39th year. Given that this year the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop is being widely celebrated, many fixtures of the culture had their big moment during the awards ceremony.
Opening the show was Lil Wayne, who came out to a portion of Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” before launching into a two-song medley of “Uproar” with live drums behind him, and a new track “Kat Food,” both appearing to be crowdpleasers. On social media and via the MTV cameras, celebrities and attendees alike were off their feet.
While Weezy F. Baby had the crowd in the palm of his hand, the screams from the crowd for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion were so loud that they bled into the performance of Bardi’s new single, “Bongos,” and there were indeed bongo players to complete the stage look.
Doja Cat ran through a medley of “Attention,” “Paint The Town Red,” and her latest single, “Demons” and if the reaction from social media is any indication, it may have been the performance of the night.
Diddy, who won the Global Icon VMA last night, also performed a medley of familiar Bad Boy hits with assistance from Yung Miami, Keyshia Cole, and Diddy’s son, King Combs. Diddy’s energy was infectious and had the entire venue rocking.
Metro Boomin looked through his stacked Rolodex for his medley performance of “Superhero” and “Calling” with Future, Swae Lee, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, and NAV on the assist for a vibed-out affair.
Nicki Minaj, who stepped away from emceeing the event to deliver a quick two-song performance got the crowd going with a rendition of “Last Time I Saw You” and an unnamed track from her upcoming Pink Friday 2 project.
Last but certainly not least, Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary couldn’t be ignored and an epic 10-minute performance still barely scratched the surface but Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Nicki Minaj, Lil Watyyne LL COOL J, and Daryl “D.M.C.” Daniels all turned in a performance that was arguably the best of the night.
The 2023 MTV VMAs was a spectacular night for the culture and impressive as it was all live so mistakes couldn’t be avoided but the professionalism and passion were still a sight to see. Keep scrolling to see the aforementioned moments we wrote about above.
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Photo: MTV/Getty
Next week, Sabrina Carpenter and NLE Choppa are set to perform on the MTV VMAs’ pre-show. And if their goal is to perform on the main telecast in future years, they’re in good company: A booking on the pre-show has often served as a steppingstone to bigger bookings down the line.
Many future A-listers made their first VMAs performances on the pre-show. Nicki Minaj, last year’s recipient of the Video Vanguard Award (and this year’s “emcee,” when the show goes live Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.), performed on the pre-show in 2010. And she’s not the only Video Vanguard winner who started out on the pre-show: Rihanna, who performed on the pre-show in 2010, got the Video Vanguard honor in 2016. Foo Fighters, who received a Global Icon Award in 2021 – and may very well be Video Vanguard winners one day — performed on the pre-show in 1997.
In all, 16 acts who first performed on the VMAs’ pre-show later stepped up to performing on the main show. The list also includes such heavy hitters as Usher, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.
Dozens more stars who first performed on the pre-show have yet to step onto the MTV main stage, for whatever reason:. They include No Doubt (who performed on the pre-show in 1996), Barenaked Ladies (1998), Smash Mouth (1999), Papa Roach (2000), Avril Lavigne (2002), Sean Paul (2003), Jadakiss (2004), Fergie (2006), My Chemical Romance (2006), Charli XCX (2014), Cardi B (2017), Ava Max (2019), Megan Thee Stallion (2019), Tate McRae (2020), Machine Gun Kelly (2020), Polo G (2021) and Swedish House Mafia (2021).
So, why didn’t the VMA producers book some of these acts for the main show instead of the pre-show? The show is pretty packed every year. Also, sometimes, their most timely hits broke big after the VMAs’ line-up was set. The VMAs usually air in late August or early September, but the bookings are generally made and announced weeks before that.
In some cases, the hits were helped along in their chart climbs by the VMAs exposure. Barenaked Ladies’ “One Week,” which they performed on the pre-show in September 1998, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following month. Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” which she performed on the pre-show in August 2017, hit No. 1 in October 2017.
Performances on the pre-show may have helped a few artists land key Grammy nominations. Many Grammy voters watch the VMAs, just as thoughts are turning to that other, longer-established show. Avril Lavigne performed “Complicated” on the pre-show in 2002, and went on to receive a song of the year nomination for that song at the Grammys. The Black Eyed Peas performed “Where Is the Love?” on the pre-show in 2003 and went on to receive a record of the year nomination at the Grammys.
Here are the 16 acts who performed on the pre-show on their way to the main telecast. You’ll be amazed at some of the big stars who had wait their turn to get invited to the main event.
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Image Credit: Ke.Mazur/WireImage
Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to receive the Global Icon Award and perform at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, airing live from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Tuesday, September 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Diddy is third recipient of the Global Icon Award, following Foo Fighters (2021) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (2022). MTV got the idea for the award from MTV’s Europe Music Awards (EMAs).
This will mark Combs’ first performance on the show since 2005, when he did double duty as host and performer. Diddy led an orchestra into a performance featuring Snoop Dogg on stage and the late Notorious B.I.G. on video.
Combs opened the VMAs in 1997 with a memorable tribute to Biggie, who had been shot to death just six months previously. Combs performed Big’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” with Ma$e, and then performed “I’ll Be Missing You” with Faith Evans, 112 and Sting, who wrote “Every Breath You Take,” the song on which “I’ll Be Missing You” was based. Combs returned to the VMAs stage in 2002 to perform a medley of “Bad Boy for Life,” “Pass the Courvoisier (Part 2)” and “I Need a Girl (Parts 1 & 2).” He was joined in that segment by Usher, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell.
Diddy is nominated for four competitive VMA awards this year – best collaboration for both “Gotta Move On” (featuring Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami) and Metro Boomin’s “Creepin’ (Remix),” on which he is featured along with The Weeknd and 21 Savage. “Gotta Move On” is also nominated for best rap; “Creepin’ (Remix)” is also nominated for best R&B.
In 1997, Diddy won a Moonman for best R&B video for “I’ll Be Missing You.” The following year, he won the Viewer’s Choice award for “It’s All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)” (featuring The LOX, Lil’ Kim, The Notorious B.I.G. and Fuzzbubble).
Diddy’s VMAs performance comes just three days before he drops The Love Album: Off the Grid. The new album is Diddy’s first major album release since Last Train to Paris, a 2010 collab with Dirty Money.
In addition to hosting the 2005 VMAs from Miami, Diddy hosted the 2002 MTV Europe Music Awards 2002 from Barcelona, Spain.
Combs has had two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 (No Way Out in 1997 and Press Play in 2006). He has amassed five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” (featuring Ma$e), “I’ll Be Missing You (a collab with Faith Evans featuring 112), The Notorious B.I.G’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” (on which he was featured along with Ma$e), “Bump, Bump, Bump” (a collab with B2K) and “Shake Ya Tailfeather” (a collab with Murphy Lee).
Diddy isn’t the only rapper who will perform on this year’s VMAs. Lil Wayne is also on the bill. And there have been reports, not yet confirmed by MTV, that there will be (yet another) 50th anniversary salute to hip-hop.
The VMAs’ performer lineup also includes Doja Cat, whose sound incorporates hip-hop, as well as Anitta, Demi Lovato, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Måneskin, Shakira, Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER. Additional performers to be announced.
Shakira will receive MTV’s Video Vanguard Award and will perform live on the show for the first time since 2006. MTV has yet to announce the host of this year’s show. Last year’s show was co-hosted by LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow
Taylor Swift leads the 2023 VMA nominations with 11 nods, counting three she received on Friday (Sept. 1) in social categories. She is followed in the total nominations count by SZA (eight); BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo (six each); Kim Petras and Sam Smith (five each); and Beyoncé, Diddy, Drake, Ice Spice, Karol G, Metro Boomin, Shakira and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (five each).
General fan voting is now closed; voting remains open for social categories and best new artist.
Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic are executive producers of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Barb Bialkowski is co-executive producer. Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba serve as executives in charge of production. Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella is music talent executive.
Check out the Diddy Global Icon video preview below.
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Not many non-technical awards given out at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 — which included such now-defunct categories as best stage performance in a video and most experimental video — are still around in any form nearly three decades later. But the Video Vanguard, a lifetime achievement honor awarded to an artist […]
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