Check out the best pics from the evening.
After hitting Brooklyn’s Barclays center in 2021, the MTV Video Music Awards returned to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Sunday (Aug. 28). The 2022 MTV VMAs saw hip-hop icon Nicki Minaj receiving the Video Vanguard Award, in addition to anchoring the show alongside LL Cool J and Jack Harlow. Minaj absolutely destroyed the stage prior to accepting her award, delivering a career-spanning medley that covered everything from her scene-stealing verse on Kanye West’s “Monster” to “Super Bass,” which had Taylor Swift rapping along with gusto.
Red Hot Chili Peppers were the 2022 VMAs Global Icon Award recipients, and they performed a medley as well after an introduction from stoner icons Cheech & Chong. Jack Harlow opened the show with his own “First Class” and brought out Fergie for a mashup of his song with her “Glamorous,” which “First Class” samples. Both are Hot 100 toppers.
BLACKPINK made their debut performance at an American awards show with their song “Pink Venom,” and Eminem and Snoop Dogg brought out their Bored Ape avatars for a metaverse-styled performance.
Additionally, the VMAs saw a huge roster of cross-genre artists performing: Anitta, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Kane Brown, Marshmello and Khalid, Lizzo, Måneskin and Panic! at the Disco.
Doja Cat, Harlow and Harry Styles are this year’s top nominees, with eight nods each. Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X have seven nods each, with Billie Eilish scoring six nods. BTS, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Future, Lizzo, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd all have five nominations each.
Taylor Swift & Kane Brown
Taylor Swift and Kane Brown attend the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Anitta
Anitta performs at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Dove Cameron
Dove Cameron accepts the award for Best New Artist onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny performs at the 2022 MTV VMAs broadcast on Aug. 28, 2022 in New York City.
Eminem
Eminem performs onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Jisoo, Rose & Jennie of BLACKPINK
Jisoo, Rose and Jennie of BLACKPINK in the audience during the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Maneskin
Maneskin performs onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Fergie & Lil Nas X
Fergie and Lil Nas X at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Panic! At The Disco
Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco performs onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Jack Harlow
Jack Harlow onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lizzo
Lizzo onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers
Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Eminem & Snoop Dogg
Eminem and Snoop Dogg perform onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj accepts the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Becky G
Becky G onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Khalid & Marshmello
Khalid and Marshmello perform onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers perform onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Mod Sun & Avril Lavigne
Mod Sun and Avril Lavigne at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lizzo & Khalid
Lizzo and Khalid at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
BLACKPINK
BLACKPINK performs onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Anitta
Anitta onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lizzo
Lizzo performs onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Joel Madden
Joel Madden speaks onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Sofia Carson & Sabrina Carpenter
Sofia Carson and Sabrina Carpenter at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Ryan Castro & J Balvin
Ryan Castro and J Balvin perform onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lisa
Lisa onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Offset
Offset onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Jack Harlow & Fergie
Jack Harlow and Fergie perform onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
LL Cool J
LL Cool J onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Remi Wolf & Khalid
Remi Wolf and Khalid pose backstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles accepts the Album of the Year award at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg performs onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Dove Cameron
Dove Cameron performs onstage during the 2022 MTV VMAs pre-show at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Saucy Santana
Saucy Santana performs onstage during the 2022 MTV VMAs pre-show at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Jack Harlow & Fergie
Jack Harlow and Fergie at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Yung Gravy
Yung Gravy performs onstage during the 2022 MTV VMAs pre-show at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj performs onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Anitta
Anitta at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Khalid & Marshmello
Khalid and Marshmello perform onstage at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Cheech Marin, Anthony Kiedis & Tommy Chong
Cheech Marin, Anthony Kiedis and Tommy Chong at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
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