As Summer winds down and school nears, there is no other way to end it with a bang than with the epic, wild, and immensely entertaining Video Music Awards (VMAs). The 2016 MTV VMAs were nothing less than spectacular. The show aired on Sunday (Aug. 28) at 9 P.M. This year’s VMAs contained surprises, major performances, and unforgettable moments throughout the entire show.
Live from Madison Square Garden, MTV’s grandest stage was opened by no other than the 2016 MTV Video Vanguard Award Recipient herself, Rihanna. Rihanna blazed the stage with a medley of her many hits! Dressed in all white she performed, “Please Don’t Stop the Music,” “Only Girl In the World,” “We Found Love,” and “Where Have You Been.” Dressed in all white and red Dior shades, Rih held nothing back as she delivered her trademark dance moves that we have seen countless times in her videos. Her energy was simply contagious. From the moment the music started, you simply wanted to get on stage and dance with her. To the audience and worldwide viewers’ surprise Rihanna performed not just one time, but 4 times (in total) throughout the night. Each performance completely differed from the next and was memorable in its own way.
After Rihanna’s warm welcome, the show was formally welcomed by the show’s hosts, comedians, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. The two appeared as commentators with wigs and headsets. Throughout the show, they made dry jokes and puns. Maybe their humor was over my head but they literally were not funny at all. It seemed like they were trying too hard and it showed heavily. They were overbearing and a bit annoying throughout the show.
Rihanna’s opening was just the beginning as the night contained so much greatness. Another memorable moment arose when young pop sensation, Ariana Grande hit the stage with the latest single from her Dangerous Woman album, “Side To Side.” The performance began with Grande dressed in all white and a pink visor riding a bike (much like in her video) with a troop of young women. As the song continued, we see men dressed in these wrestler styled uniforms as they cater to Grande’s every whim. Nicki also graced the stage as the feature on the track, dressed in an all pink leotard and pink shoes. The two dominated the stage and had the crowd jumping the entire time.
The great line-up continued with a hot performance by Future! Mr. Hendrix blessed the stage and performed none other than the summer anthem, “Fck Up Some Commas.” The performance contained smoke effects, sultry red lights, and of course some hype back-up dancers to keep the crowd lively and vivacious.
One of the night’s highlights came from no other than the Louis Vuitton Don, Kanye West. Kanye came through to deliver a new video but of course before he could introduce it he had to deliver some impactful words. “I am Kanye West, and that feels especially great to say this year. I came here to present my new video, but before I do that, I’mma talk. Now, later tonight, ‘Famous’ might lose to Beyoncé, but I can’t be mad. I’m always wishing for Beyoncé to win, so,” West stated. West discussed a variety of topics that ranged from Taylor Swift, to the violence in Chicago.
Kanye also addressed his “Famous” video and talked about its beauty and concept stating:
“But for people to understand just how blessed we are… It was an expression of our now, our fame right now, us on the inside of the TV. You know, just to put… the audacity to put Anna Wintour right next to Donald Trump. I mean, like, I put Ray J in it, bro. This is fame, bro! Like, I see you Amber. My wife is a G. Not a lot of peoples’ wives would let them say that right there. We came over in the same boat. Now we all in the same bed. Well, maybe different boats, but uh.”
He continued to passionately speak before he finally introduced his newest video “Fade” to the audience and entire world. Now this video was unlike anything I have watched before. The genius behind Kanye is just overwhelming at times. How could anyone conjure this up in their head? The video showcases Teyana Taylor as the star of the video. Teyana’s body alone is enough to wow you in this video! Her body was insanely toned; so toned to the point it made you wonder, “Did she really have a baby?” As the music begins, Taylor is seen in the video doing a wide variety of dances. The dances range from traditional hip-hop to dancehall / reggae ton. She dances all throughout the gym area and puts her all into every pop lock, lift, etc. The video then takes a turn as Taylor’s fiancé, Iman Shumpert appears with her in a shower, completely nude. The two begin to kiss one another and go for it as if no one is watching!
By the time we reach the end of the video, we see Teyana lying behind Iman with a lioness face. Her baby, Iman Tayla Shumpert Jr., also known as “Junie” also appears in the video, as the three are surrounded by what appear to be sheep. The video shows Teyana’s power as a dancer. She puts 100% into her delivery and helps to propel Kanye’s vision. It is definitely a video that you have to playback multiple times. As usual, Kanye never fails to wow us and deliver.
Rihanna’s next performance took us to the islands as she performed her hits like, “Rude Boy,” “What’s My Name,” and “Work!” The performance was honestly one of her best performance. Dressed in a du-rag, pink bra. and black pants. The performance was filled with charisma, island vibes, and pure fun! It contained much euphoria and excitement. She held nothing back. Her dance moves were high energy, her voice was powerful, and her presence was full force.
The performances continued as Nick Jonas performed his soul filled pop hit “Bacon” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The performance was one of the most innovative of the night. Jonas is constantly in motion throughout the performance. He starts in the kitchen (as Jonas cornily walks through the kitchen with a pllate of bacon), moves to a restaurant, and ultimately The performance also featured cameos from the likes New York Giants football player, Odell Beckham, social media’s newest phenomenon, Joanne the Scammer, Nick’s DNCE member, Joe Jonas and more. Jonas pushed through with incredible vocals. The performance was great and enjoyable. Ty Dolla $ign helped add the flavor to the overall performance and made it very entertaining.
One of the BEST moments of the night came from Queen Bey. Just as she did for the 2014 VMAs, Beyoncé performed her album. This time instead of her BEYONCE visual album the 34-year-old performed her newest visual album, LEMONADE.
The performance was truly iconic! She began dressed in an angelic white robe. She began the performance with “Pray You Catch Me.” The performance was truly an experience like no other. She kept the fire burning with the next song, “Hold Up.” She delivered so much and more! You could say that she brought the Formation World Tour to the VMAs in a way. She conducted several outfit changes and many visuals throughout the performance. She delivered the same transitions, attitude, and choreography seen at the concert but with even more spark. She added new dances, more dancers, and even brought her infamous bat, “Hot Sauce” for the first time. The dances were sharp, crisp, and clean. Everything was heavenly. Her vocals beautifully echoed the arena, and her stage presence was utterly mesmerizing The poems from the visual album played as she transitioned to the next song.
She followed with none other than with the ladies’ anthem, “Sorry” She did not end there as she took to the next level with her “Don’t Hurt Yourself” performance. In a black and white fur coat, Beyoncé passionately chanted, “Who the F**k do you think I am?… You aint married to no average b*tch boy!” She yelled and bellowed and delivered an amazing performance! Of course she had to end this epic experience with none other than “Formation.”
Surrounded by pack of women, Beyoncé gave one of her best performances ever. She literally left everything she had on the stage. Although it was Rihanna’s night, Beyoncé most definitely stole the show away with this performance. She simply gets better and better with time. Her dancers were top notch, her visuals and lighting was flawless, and her voice was even more beautiful than ever. Confidence, power, and excellence radiated off of her the entire time she was on stage. Her performance was truly next level.
Another monumental moment arose with the epic return of Britney Spears. The crowd went wild with excitement as reality TV sensation, Kim Kardashian-West introduced Ms. “It’s Britney B*tch” to the stage. Britney marked her huge return with the performance of her first single, “Make Me,” from her ninth studio album, Glory. G-Eazy assisted in the celebratory return. Dressed in a yellow revealing bodysuit, the Princess of Pop killed the stage with great choreography and amazing stage presence. The one negative that was seen through the performance was Britney’s lip synching. It was easily spotted throughout the entirety of the performance. Nonetheless she and G-Eazy still killed the stage. Along with her single, Brit and Eazy also performed the hip-hop star’s “Me, Myself, & I” hit. Brit sang BeBe Rexha’s part before transitioning back to “Make Me” Overall it was a pretty decent performance. Her energy was high, she kept up with the dance moves, and kept the crowd entertained.
The memorable moments continued as Rihanna returned to the stage for yet another performance. This time she performed a medley of “Needed Me,” “Pour It up, “and “B*tch Better Have My Money.” Vocally, this was Rihanna’s worst performance. She seemed a bit choked up as she performed “Needed Me.” She struggled to reach certain pitches and tones, and just seemed uncomfortable overall. She maintained her professionalism and still kept her energy high as she performed the other records. Besides the slight error in the first song, RiRi did a decent job and left the crowd wanting more.
As the show neared the end, the Chainsmokers also performed on the VMA stage with Halsey. They performed their hit “Closer.”
Introduced by the legendary Mary J. Blige, Rihanna followed and performed for the fourth and final time. With long slick black hair and an elegant dress, the Barbados Babe’s final melody consisted of “Stay,” “Diamonds,” and “Love on the Brain.” Here, Rihanna truly redeemed herself. Her voice was dynamic, powerful, and outstanding. She hit every pitch, key, tone, you name it. This was her best performance of the night. Simply standing with a mic, she bodied the entire performance. By the time she reached “Love on the Brain,” her mojo was back and she was feeling it. Her voice was amazing. Filled with charm and personality, she delivered one of her best performances ever. The music truly flowed through her and as the song progressed she sang better and better.
Once she finished the performance, she was then presented with the Vanguard Award by none other than Drizzy Drake himself. Before giving her the award, he gave a brief synopsis on how he came to have meet and know Ms. Fenty. He heavily praised her and her contributions to music, fashion, and her character stating:
“When it comes to music she relentlessly takes over the charts with every release. When it comes to performances, they swarm in masses just to be in her presence, obviously. And when it comes to fashion and style, she makes it seem so effortless, until you try and do it yourself, which is when it gets a little awkward. What’s most impressive isn’t the endlessness of stats, awards, and accomplishments. What’s most impressive is the person. Some artists need to play a character to achieve success; some need to downplay their own natural instincts to blend in. She succeeds by doing something no one in this industry does, which is being herself.”
The 28-year-old watched him with deep happiness and content, and even shared a slight smooch with the Canadian star before taking the mic to give her acceptance speech. She spoke about how what she does for a living is no longer just for her but for various people including: women, her home country, and more.
“This is the first Vanguard to land anywhere close to my country. And so you know, my success, it started as my dream. But now my success is not my own. It’s my family’s. It’s my fan’s. It’s the Caribbean’s as a whole. It’s women’s, it’s black women’s. So many people feel like their little piece is such a major part of this puzzle, and I have to thank you all for supporting me over and over. Thank you to every director who has taken a chance on me and a chance with my crazy ideas.”
While there is so much that takes place during these shows, we cannot forget that the most important part of every award show, the awards!
Here is the list of winners from the 2016 MTV VMAs (Courtesy of Billboard.com):
Video of the Year:
Adele – “Hello”
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Drake – “Hotline Bling”
Justin Bieber – “Sorry”
Kanye West – “Famous”
Best Female Video:
Adele – “Hello”
Beyoncé – “Hold Up” — WINNER
Sia – “Cheap Thrills”
Ariana Grande – “Into You”
Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work” (short version)
Best Male Video:
Drake – “Hotline Bling”
Bryson Tiller – “Don’t”
Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For” — WINNER
Kanye West – “Famous”
The Weeknd – “Can’t Feel My Face”
Best Collaboration:
Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom”
Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Work From Home” — WINNER
Ariana Grande ft. Lil Wayne – “Let Me Love You”
Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work” (short version)
Best Hip Hop Video:
Drake – “Hotline Bling” — WINNER
Desiigner – “Panda”
Bryson Tiller – “Don’t”
Chance The Rapper – “Angels”
2 Chainz – “Watch Out”
Best Pop Video:
Adele – “Hello”
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Justin Bieber – “Sorry”
Alessia Cara – “Wild Things”
Ariana Grande – “Into You”
Best Rock Video:
All Time Low – “Missing You”
Coldplay – “Adventure Of A Lifetime”
Fall Out Boy ft. Demi Lovato – “Irresistible”
twenty one pilots – “Heathens” — WINNER
Panic! At The Disco – “Victorious”
Best Electronic Video:
Calvin Harris & Disciples – “How Deep Is Your Love” — WINNER
99 Souls ft. Destiny’s Child & Brandy – “The Girl Is Mine”
Mike Posner – “I Took A Pill In Ibiza”
Afrojack – “SummerThing!”
The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”
Breakthrough Long Form Video:
Florence + The Machine – The Odyssey
Beyoncé – Lemonade — WINNER
Justin Bieber – PURPOSE: The Movement
Chris Brown – Royalty
Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Trilogy
Best New Artist:
Bryson Tiller
Desiigner
Zara Larsson
Lukas Graham
DNCE — WINNER
Song of Summer Presented by Verizon:
Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – “Closer”
Drake featuring Kyla & Wizkid – “One Dance”
Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap – “All In My Head (Flex)” — WINNER
Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop The Feeling”
Kent Jones – “Don’t Mind”
Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber MØ– “Cold Water”
Nick Jonas featuring Ty Dolla $ign – “Bacon”
Selena Gomez – “Kill ‘Em With Kindness”
Sia – “Cheap Thrills”
Best Art Direction:
Beyoncé – “Hold Up”
Fergie – “M.I.L.F. $”
Drake – “Hotline Bling”
David Bowie – “Blackstar” — WINNER
Adele – “Hello”
Best Choreography:
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Missy Elliott ft. Pharrell – “WTF (Where They From)”
Beyoncé – “Sorry”
FKA Twigs – “M3LL155X”
Florence + The Machine – “Delilah”
Best Direction:
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Coldplay – “Up&Up”
Adele – “Hello”
David Bowie – “Lazarus”
Tame Impala – “The Less I Know The Better”
Best Cinematography:
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Adele – “Hello”
David Bowie – “Lazarus”
Alesso – “I Wanna Know”
Ariana Grande – “Into You”
Best Editing:
Beyoncé – “Formation” — WINNER
Adele – “Hello”
Fergie – “M.I.L.F. $”
David Bowie – “Lazarus”
Ariana Grande – “Into You”
Best Visual Effects:
Coldplay – “Up&Up” — WINNER
FKA Twigs – “M3LL155X”
Adele – “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”
The Weeknd – “Can’t Feel My Face”
Zayn – “PILLOWTALK”
The show was really one of the best that I have seen in years. We witnessed Kanye’s new amazing video, Beyoncé’s life changing 15-minute performance, Britney’s huge return to the VMA stage, and we experienced not one but FOUR massive performances by the Caribbean Queen, Rihanna. This was the first time in a few years that I watched the entire show from beginning to end. It was captivating, thrilling, exciting, and so much more. What I did notice is that the show focused more on the performances and surprises than the “WTF” moments. This year’s show had more class and elegance to it in a sense. Overall it made for a great show. MTV, great job; keep it up!
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