LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, And Jack Harlow On Deck to MC 2022 VMAs.
The 2022 VMAs will be a night of exciting moments and major performances — and with such a night comes a need for someone to help usher in all those big events. Luckily this year, the show boasts three such talents. LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow will all be on hand to emcee the VMAs and announce the biggest moments of the night.
This year’s ceremony will take a new and unique approach in contrast from the traditional “host” gig seen in previous years, like in 2021, which saw Doja Cat hosting and taking us to space with a sizzling live performance of “Been Like This” and “You Right” in a medley at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
This year, the hip-hop trio on deck have plenty of history on the stage they’ll be emceeing from. After his iconic duet performance of “Industry Baby” with Lil Nas X last year, Harlow is slated to debut his first solo VMA performance on the main stage this year. The rapper leads in nominations with seven nods this year (tied with LNX and Kendrick Lamar), including two of the night’s most coveted awards, Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. He was first nominated at the VMAs in 2020 for PUSH New Artist and Song of the Summer, where he also performed “Whats Poppin” during the pre-show.
Minaj, meanwhile, is listed as a nominee in Best Hip Hop for her major single “Do We Have a Problem?,” which also features fellow rapper Lil Baby. She will also both receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and perform live at the 2022 show for the first time since 2018, joining Harlow and other previously announced performers Blackpink, Lizzo, Måneskin, Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello x Khalid, Panic! at the Disco, and Kane Brown.
The Vanguard Award is presented to artists for their outstanding contributions and profound impact on music video and popular culture. Minaj’s co-emcee, LL Cool J, is a previous recipient of the award, taking it home in 1997 as the first rapper to ever receive the honor. He first performed at the ceremony in 1991, then again in 1996 and appeared as a presenter in 2000.
This year’s show will return to New Jersey’s Prudential Center in Newark on Sunday, August 28. The ceremony previously hit the Garden State in 2019, hosted by Sebastian Maniscalco; last year’s show aired from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. S: MTV
Here’s the full list of Nominees.
Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®
Doja Cat: “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future, Young Thug: “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic
Ed Sheeran: “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles: “As It Was“ – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo: “Brutal” – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Drake – OVO / Republic
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
Song of the Year
Adele: “Easy on Me” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat: “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Elton John, Dua Lipa: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lizzo: “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber: “Stay” – Columbia Records
Best New Artist, Presented by EXTRA® Gum
Baby Keem – Columbia Records
Dove Cameron – Disruptor Records / Columbia Records
Gayle – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
Latto – Streamcut / RCA Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
Seventeen – Pledis Entertainment / Geffen Records
Push Performance of the Year
Griff: “One Night” – Warner Records
Remi Wolf: “Sexy Villain” – Island Records
Nessa Barrett: “I Hope Ur Miserable Until Ur Dead” – Warner Records
Seventeen: “Rock With You” – Pledis Entertainment / Geffen Records
Mae Muller: “Better Days” – Capitol Records U.K.
Gayle: “abcdefu” Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
Shenseea: “R U That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records
Omar Apollo: “Tamagotchi” – Warner Records
Wet Leg: “Chaise Longue” – Domino Recording Company
Muni Long: “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording
Doechii: “Persuasive” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records
Best Collaboration
Drake ft. Future, Young Thug: “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic
Elton John, Dua Lipa: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa: “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone, The Weeknd: “One Right Now” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Rosalía ft. The Weeknd: “La Fama” – Columbia Records
The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber: “Stay” – Columbia Records
Best Pop
Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat: “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Ed Sheeran: “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles: “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lizzo: “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo: “Traitor” – Geffen Records
Best Hip-Hop
Eminem, Snoop Dogg: “From the D 2 the LBC” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future ft. Drake, Tems: “Wait for U” – Freebandz / Epic Records
Kendrick Lamar: “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto: “Big Energy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby: “Do We Have a Problem?” – Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records
Pusha T: “Diet Coke” – G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam
Best Rock
Foo Fighters: “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records
Jack White: “Taking Me Back” – Third Man Records
Muse: “Won’t Stand Down” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Black Summer” – Warner Records
Shinedown: “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group
Three Days Grace: “So Called Life” – RCA Records
Best Alternative
Avril Lavigne ft. Blackbear: “Love It When You Hate Me” – Elektra Music Group / DTA Records
Imagine Dragons, JID: “Enemy” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly ft. Willow: “Emo Girl” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
Måneskin: “I Wanna Be Your Slave” – Arista Records
Panic! at the Disco: “Viva Las Vengeance” – Fueled by Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Twenty One Pilots: “Saturday” – Fueled by Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Willow, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker: “G R O W” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records
Best Latin
Anitta: “Envolver” – Warner Records
Bad Bunny: “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment
Becky G, Karol G: “Mamiii” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records
Daddy Yankee: “Remix” – Republic Records
Farruko: “Pepas” – Sony Music U.S. Latin
J Balvin, Skrillex: “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records U.K.
Best R&B
Alicia Keys: “City of Gods (Part II)” – AKW
Chlöe: “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
H.E.R.: “For Anyone” – RCA Records
Normani ft. Cardi B: “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records
Summer Walker, SZA, Cardi B: “No Love” (Extended Version) – LVRN / Interscope Records
The Weeknd: “Out Of Time” – XO / Republic Records
Best K-pop
BTS: “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Itzy: “Loco” – JYP Entertainment
Lisa: “Lalisa” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
Seventeen: “Hot” – Pledis Entertainment / Geffen Records
Stray Kids: “Maniac” – JYP Entertainment
Twice: “The Feels” – JYP Entertainment
Video for Good
Kendrick Lamar: “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto: “P*ssy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Lizzo: “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Rina Sawayama: “This Hell” – Dirty Hit
Stromae: ”Fils de Joie” – Mosaert Label / The Darkroom / Interscope Records
Best Metaverse Performance
Blackpink the Virtual | PUBG – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
BTS | Minecraft – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records
Charli XCX | Roblox – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave – Def Jam
Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite – Republic Records
Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox – Fueled by Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Best Longform Video
Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Foo Fighters: Studio 666 – RCA Records
Kacey Musgraves: Star-Crossed – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Madonna: Madame X – Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
Best Cinematography
Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar: “Family Ties” – Columbia Records
Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran: “Bam Bam” – Epic Records
Harry Styles: “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar: “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Normani ft. Cardi B: “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records
Taylor Swift: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
Best Direction
Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar: “Family Ties” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Ed Sheeran: “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles: “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
Best Art Direction
Adele: “Oh My God” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat: “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future, Young Thug: “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic Records
Kacey Musgraves: “Simple Times” – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa: “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
Best Visual Effects
Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay, BTS: “My Universe” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar: “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa: “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber: “Stay” – Columbia Records
Best Choreography
BTS: “Permission to Dance” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Doja Cat: “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
FKA twigs ft. The Weeknd: “Tears In The Club” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles: “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Normani ft. Cardi B: “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records
Best Editing
Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar: “Family Ties” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat: “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo: “Brutal” – Geffen Records
Rosalía: “Saoko” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
The Weeknd: “Take My Breath” – XO / Republic Records
