Brace Yourself: Here Are 22 Of The Most Unforgettable VMAs Moments That Left Us Speechless
MTV might not be the institute for music that it once was, but the VMAs will forever hold a special place in the hearts of pop culture fanatics.
The annual award show produced some amazing and iconic performances, from Michael Jackson and Britney Spears to Kendrick Lamar and Cardi B.
But let's be honest: the VMAs greatest moments often had little to do with music.
Over the years, the award show's gained notoriety for unexpected and controversial moments that created media frenzies.
Below are some of the wildest VMA moments in history.
1.Miley Cyrus twerking on Robin Thicke (2013).
If I have to relive this moment, so do you.
2.Pee-wee Herman's comeback post-arrest. (1991)
3.Fat Joe and 50 Cent's beef hits the stage. (2005)
Jason Squires / WireImage via Getty Images, Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic via Getty
Fat Joe called out 50 Cent on stage while presenting an award to Missy Elliott. 50 Cent antagonized him during his performance. Joe later revealed that the back-and-forth cost him a $20 million deal with the Jordan brand. A moment that rattled the hip-hop industry at the time and lives on as the peak of their feud. These days, the two are best buds.
4.Michael Jackson receives the Artist Of The Millenium award... but it doesn't exist. (2002)
Apparently, he overheard Britney Spears mention the "Artist of the Millenium" award...which didn't exist. Instead, MTV wanted to honor him for his birthday. According to the Guardian, a producer said, "I think some wires got crossed." No kidding.
5.Miley Cyrus has a wardrobe malfunction (2015)
The accident happened while she was handling hosting duties backstage, covering herself with only a curtain until someone bumped into her trying to get into the area. She ended up showing her breast during the live segment, prompting a unsurprisingly harsh response by the Parents Television Council, who said, "Are we surprised that Miley Cyrus exposed herself to millions of viewers, and to more people who will inevitably see the news in the mainstream media? About as surprised as we’ll be if the sun rises in the east tomorrow morning." However, you've got to give her credit for handling the hosting duties without issue.
6.Kanye West announcing his presidential candidacy. (2015).
7.And, of course, the fact that Taylor Swift presented the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award to Ye. (2015)
“I'm really happy for you, and I'mma let you finish,” Swift joked. “But Kanye West has had one of the greatest careers of all time!” A reference to...
8.When Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech in defense of Beyoncé. (2009)
“I was only drinking Hennessy because I didn’t want to go to the awards show because it was a set-up," Ye told Nick Cannon in 2020 about the infamous moment.
9.Eminem clashes with Moby and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. (2002)
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Kevin Kane / WireImage, Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images
Moby previously referred to Eminem as a homophobe, misogynist, and antisemite, leading Eminem to use a homophobic slur against him. However, after a brief brush between the two via Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Christina Aguilera presented Eminem with an award. Eminem got booed as he walked to the stage and eventually said that he'd 'hit a man with glasses' and referred to Moby as a "little girl."
10.When Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera (2003).
Madonna sparked another media frenzy after her 2003 performance of "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood" at the VMAs when she kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The moment was timed with Britney and Madonna locking lips first, while Christina’s kiss was mainly overshadowed by camera cuts to Justin Timberlake’s reaction.
11.Can't forget about the time Nicki Minaj pressed Miley Cyrus on stage. (2015)
12.Eminem vs. Bruno. (2009)
Sasha Baron Cohen, in his character Bruno, landed on Eminem after a supposed mishap while he was flying through the venue with his ass out. This prompted Eminem and his crew to try to get him off before the rapper left immediately. It was one of many controversial moments of the evening, up there with Ye-Taylor, and Lil' Mama and Jay-Z, but fortunately, this one was staged. "Sacha called me when we were in Europe and he had an idea to do something outrageous at the Movie Awards. I'm a big fan of his work, so I agreed to get involved with the gag," Eminem said.
13.Lady Gaga's meat dress. (2010)
14.That time when Rihanna rejected Drake after he professed his love to her. (2016)
15.Madonna's debut of "Like A Virgin." (1984)
In contrast to performances like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP," Madonna's "Like A Virgin" is quite tame. However, at the time, the idea of Madonna singing in a wedding veil on top of a wedding cake caused a major kerfuffle and cemented this moment among the award show's most infamous.
16.Prince performing with his ass out, kinda. (1991)
Frank Micelotta Archive / Getty Images, MTV / Via youtube.com
The performance of "Gett Off" made headlines after Prince performed in a yellow suit with two circles on the backside that seemingly revealed his bare butt cheeks. However, in an interview with Pioneer Press, Marliss Jensen, who dyed the suit, revealed that it was actually flesh-colored fabric. "And that yellow suit — his ‘butt suit’ — did not show his butt. That was fabric," she said.
17.Diana Ross touches Lil' Kim's breast (1999)
Scott Gries / Getty Images, MTV / Via youtube.com
An indisputable fashion icon, Lil' Kim turned heads with her purple jumpsuit, featuring a single nipple pastie. When she presented an award with Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige, Ross playfully joined the two and greeted Kim by fondling her breast.
18.Rage Against The Machine's bassist Tim Commerford climbs the stage to protest during Limp Bizkit's acceptance speech for Best Rock Video (2000)
In an interview, he explained that he felt snubbed, not only because of Limp Bizkit but because it felt like the awards were pinning Fred Durst against Michael Moore, who directed RATM's "Sleep Now In The Fire" and "No Testify."
"We were up against Limp Bizkit, one of the dumbest bands in the history of music," Commerford said in an interview later on. "We're up against them and their singer made the video. So it was Limp Bizkit vs. Rage, Fred Durst-directed video vs. Michael Moore. And I'm sitting there with Michael and I'm like, 'Hey man, if that camera doesn't come over here, I'm climbing up that structure and I'm gonna sit there like a f***ng gargoyle and throw a wrench in this show.' And he's like, 'Tim, follow your heart.'" According to Loudwire, Commerford was arrested later that night.
19.Lil' Mama crashes Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's performance. (2009)
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were met with unexpected company during their performance of "Empire State Of Mind." Lil' Mama, feeling the pride of Brooklyn in her heart, jumped on stage and posed alongside the two legends, which neither appreciated. Nor did the public, prompting a wave of backlash. It's a moment she revealed weighed heavily on her career in the following years.
20.Van Halen's first reunion. (1996)
Marking the band's first reunion with the original lead singer, David Lee Roth, in over a decade, their presence was warmly received until things started getting shakey on stage. Their brief onstage appearance was intended as a celebration as they presented the award for Best Male Video. However, Roth continuously interrupted, making all the other members visibly uncomfortable.
21.Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley's PDA. (1994)
The two kissed on stage in an attempt to debunk rumors surrounding the authenticity of their relationship since the two had wed three months prior. The PDA kicked off the evening and went down in history as one of the most memorable moments at the VMAs.
22.Beyoncé's pregnancy reveal. (2011)
After performing "Love On Top," Beyoncé unbuttoned her jacket and rubbed her belly, confirming that she was pregnant with her first child. That particular moment set a new record on Twitter at the time for most tweets per second at 8,868 tweets per second.
23.What do you think is the wildest VMA moment of all time? Tell us in the comments!
