5 THINGS YOU MISSED AT THE VMAS
Is it just us, or were those the tamest VMAs ever?
At Sunday’s meandering MTV Video Music Awards, there were no onstage feuds. No wardrobe malfunctions. No indecorous performances or lofty proclamations. Instead, what we got was a whole lot of Rihanna, a few MIA pop stars ( Adele and Justin Bieber, what’s good?), and the simple reassurance that in these dark times, we are all united in our undying love for Beyoncé.
Yet with the exceptions of Bey and RiRi, performances from Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, The Chainsmokers and Future lacked the antics and spectacle that have been VMA trademarks. And with no one host tomove the night along— the closest we got were Keegan- Michael Key and Jordan Peele— the show lacked a discernible structure, unless you count the Rihanna medleys.
Still, there were moments that had us buzzing:
BEYONCÉ DOUSES THE VMAS IN LEMONADE
Somewhere between Bey smashing a camera with a baseball bat in Hold Up and draping herself in a fur coat for Don’t Hurt Yourself, you probably hoped that the rest of the show would just be a live rendition of Lemonade in its entirety. While we weren’t quite that lucky, the Queen still delivered an epic, instantly iconic performance that is the very epitome of why we tune into the VMAs year after year. Factor in her bold statement about Black Lives Matter on the red carpet as well as her record- setting eight wins ( including video of the year for Formation), and they might as well be renamed the BMAs.
G- EAZY GETS SHUT DOWN BY BRITNEY SPEARS
Seriously, guys, don’t try andmake the moves on ladies who are clearly running the show, especially when you’re both on live TV. Exhibit B: rapper G- Eazy awkwardly cozying up to Britney during their Make Me performance, only to get a very clear “nope” when he leaned in for a kiss.
CALVINHARRIS SHOWS NO LOVE FOR ‘ NILS SJOBERG’
With her overexposure of late, Taylor Swift wisely sat out this year’s VMAs. But the 1989 singer’s absence was widely pronounced when ex- boyfriend Calvin Harris accepted the award for best male video for This Is What You Came For, thanking everyone but Swift, who co- wrote the hit single under the pseudonym Nils Sjoberg. Still, with her considerable cut of the profits, we highly doubt she shed many teardrops on her guitar.
KANYEWEST GIVES A RAMBLING BUT MILD SPEECH
With all of the advanced hype of ’ Ye being given free reign to do whatever he wanted with his allotted time, we were admittedly disappointed that he used it to premiere a video for Fade, a bonus track off The Life of Pablo. After all, this is the guy who last year announced his plans to run for president on the VMAs stage and delivered one of the show’s memorable performances ever in 2010 with Runaway. And with Chance the Rapper, Rihanna and future album- mate Drake there, we were crossing our fingers for a Pablo team- up or a music debut. He still managed to name- drop Taylor Swift, Amber Rose and Ray J during his fourminute “rant,” which elicited mild gasps from those in attendance.
RIHANNA DENIES DRAKE’S ONSTAGE SMOOCH
And the winner for most cringe- worthy-moment goes to ... Drake. After four career- spanning medleys that showcased her early hits ( Don’t Stop the Music), party anthems ( Rude Boy), recent chart- toppers ( Needed Me) and powerhouse vocals ( Love on the Brain), RiRi was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the end of the show. The Moonman was presented to her by frequent collaborator and rumored boyfriend Drake, who all but confirmed their romance by professing his love for the woman he has adored “since I was 22 years old.” Sounds like the perfect, swoon- worthy opportunity to go in for a kiss, right?
Yeah, no.