Drake speaks with Rihanna after presenting her with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards in New York August 29, 2016. Beyonce’s politically charged anthem Formation beat the Aussie band’s The Less I Know The Better. “I dedicate this award to the people of New Orleans”. I was introduced to her. She was wearing white, but later stripped down to a black leotard with full sleeves as she sang “Hold Up” and “Sorry”.
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She was presented with the prestigious Moonman, previously awarded to big names like Madonna, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, The Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson, by Canadian rapper Drake with whom she has collaborated on several chart toppers. Drake and Rihanna were spotted getting cosy at a VMAs after party while dancing the night away according to several reports. He said he met Rihanna in 2005 on the set of her first music video for “Pon De Replay”.
“Spears performed “.Baby One More Time” during her 1999 stage moment.. “All of my adult life I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me”.
“When I think about the Vanguard Award and receiving this tonight, all I could think of was my country”.
She also noted that while her success “started as my dream”, now “it is not my own”.
Beyonce, 34, wowed fans with an epic rendition of tracks from her most recent album Lemonade, and received a standing ovation from the audience.
But it was Beyonce who proved once again she is the contemporary rock star, and she used the VMA stage to showcase her skills, outshining both Spears and Rihanna.
The Vanguard Award victor performed five times throughout the night and closed the show with “Stay”, “Diamonds” and some other hits. She was joined by rapper G-Eazy – and she lip synched the hook to his hit song, “Me, Myself and I”.
There was also Kanye West, who probably did in fact show up determined to be as serious as Beyonce. Grande cycled while singing and was backed by female dancers imitating her, while her male dancers lifted dumbbells and did other exercises.
“Formation”, the first single off her intertwined film and album “Lemonade”, was shot in New Orleans and inspired by the city’s Creole culture, its bounce hip-hop scene and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. According to the presenter, rap icon Puff Daddy, the Toronto star got stuck in NY traffic.
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Best male video went to Calvin Harris for “This Is What You Came For”.
