A Night To Remember
The VMAs last Sunday (August 28) was a night to remember. From being on Jack Harlow’s VMA Flight with Fergie and other celebs as their passengers to Bad Bunny kissing both his male and female backup dancers while performing at Yankee Stadium, and HOT 97’s very own Nessa hosting the VMAs, there was a lot to cover. Here are just a few of our HOT highlights:
1. Irv Gotti Addressing Ashanti Backlash During VMAs
It started with the music producer commenting on the recent documentary he did about his life at Murder Inc. Irv Gotti received a lot of attention over continuously bringing up his past relationship with singer Ashanti. The backlash started off in an interview with The Shade Room where he blamed the interviewer for bringing Ashanti up in the first place and continuing by saying that people tried to “#MeToo” him. A problematic statement that interviewers at HOT 97 wanted to hear more about. When asked about his feelings after the fact, the producer said, “Ashanti, I wish you all the best.” He continued, “She was 21 when we… no comment.” Yikes. Watch this quick interview below!
2. Nicki Minaj’s Unforgettable VMAs Performance
The Barbie gave an exciting ten-minute performance at the 2022 VMA’s! The beloved rapper gifted her devoted fans, The Barbz, with timeless verses from her past hits. Just to name a few, Nicki Minaj performed “Super Bass”, “Roman’s Revenge”, “Moment 4 Life”, “Monster,” and plenty more legendary songs. The stage was set as if she was living in a real-life two-story Barbie house. To further enhance the Barbie vibe, the rapper wore everything pink from head to toe.
3. Nicki & Mental Health In The Industry
In addition to her iconic performance, Nicki Minaj also gave a beautiful speech thanking the artists that have inspired her, as well as the musicians and contributors that featured her in their tracks. Before giving a huge thank you to her son, Papa Bear, and the Barbz, the rapper also shed light on mental health in the music industry. “I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here.” She continued, “I wish people that people understood what they meant and what they were going through. I wish people took mental health seriously even for the people who we think have the perfect lives.”
4. Yung Gravy & His Obsession With MILFS
Oh yeah, the young “Betty (Get Money)” rapper shared his *very* personal interests with Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith during the VMAs. After being asked about his obsession with MILF’s, Yung Gravy nonchalantly explained that they are “more experienced, they are an underserviced community, and deserve more attention.” Yung Gravy’s date to the VMAs was no exclusion. Addison Rae’s mom, Sheri Easterling, was seen being pretty intimate with the rapper during the ceremony.
5. Lizzo Reminds Her Haters That She’s Winning After Her Acceptance Speech
Before this, Lizzo completed an incredible solo performance that channeled Beyonce’s “Run The World (Girls)” 2011 Billboard Music Awards performance. The “About Damn Time” star took on the stage in an all-pink ensemble and sang her hit song “About Damn Time” along with her latest single “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)”. The star then addressed fat-shaming comments while accepting her Video For Good award. She stated, “And now, to the bitches that got something to say about me in the press…You know what? I’m not gonna say nothing. They be like, Lizzo, why don’t you clap back?” Lizzo continued, “‘Cause bitch I’m winning, hoe. Big bitch is winning, hoe!”