New York and New Jersey are ready to star in the MTV Video Music Awards.
The always amazing annual awards return Sunday at Newark’s Prudential Center for the first time since 2019, with many of the tristate’s biggest stars ready to shine.
They include Queens-raised rapper Nicki Minaj, who will co-host the show and win the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, and Bay Shore’s LL Cool J, who is also one of the top three hosts.
From Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech in 2009 to Miley Cyrus’ twerk on stage in 2013, they will accompany the ceremony, long known for its shocking moments.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 VMAs.
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How to watch
The ceremony is broadcast live starting at 8:00 pm ET on MTV and affiliate channels including MTV2, Comedy Central, BET, VH1, Logo, TV Land and Paramount Network.
Some of these channels, including MTV and VH1, will also air a pre-show starting at 6:30 p.m. featuring performances by pop star Dove Cameron and rapper Yung Gravy.
Who accepts?
The VMAs are moving away from the traditional single-host format in favor of what the organizers call a “more innovative and unique” approach, bringing in Minaj, LL Cool J and fellow rapper Jack Harlow as hosts to announce key moments of the show.
Known for songs like “Anaconda” and “Superbass”, the versatile Minaj will be the recipient of the Video Vanguard Award this year, which recognizes the artist’s career accomplishments. LL Cool J, who also started his career in Queens, was selected by MTV to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1997.
Harlow, whose chart-topping singles include “First Class” and “Industry Baby”, will also perform at the VMAs for the second year in a row.
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Who is nominated?
Hip-hop leads the way, with Harlow tied for the most nominations with eight.
Rapper-singer Doja Cat has also received eight nominations, as has pop star Harry Styles, while hip-hop artists Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X trail them with seven nods each.
Harlow, 24, and Lil Nas X, 23, are nominated for Artist of the Year, and their collaboration Industry Baby is up for the evening’s top video award for Video of the Year.
The young duo face stiff competition in both categories, with Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Drake and Bad Bunny also making it to the Artist of the Year finalists.
Video of the year contenders include Stiles’ The Way It Was, Sheeran’s Shivers, Swift’s All Too Good: The Short Film, Olivia Rodrigo’s Violent Film, Drake’s Way 2 Sexy, and Doji Cat’s Woman.
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Who is performing?
This year’s ceremony promises groundbreaking musical moments, including reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny performing live remotely at Yankee Stadium, where he plays Sunday.
Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg and Eminem will explore virtual reality with a performance inspired by the Otherside metaverse platform.
Korean pop supergroup Blackpink will sing “Pink Venom” at their first U.S. concert and hit for the first time in the country.
Other performers include Lizzo, prominent Latin artists Anitta and J Balvin, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who will also receive the evening’s Global Icon Award.
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Who can set records?
Swift is in line for several milestones, including a chance to set the record with a third Video of the Year win.
The pop star, who shares two career wins in the category with Beyoncé, Rihanna and Eminem, won awards for Bad Blood in 2015 and You Need to Calm Down, which she co-directed in 2019.
The win would also make Swift the first artist to win Video of the Year for a project he directed. Swift was also the writer, producer, and star of Everything Too Good: The Short Film.
Meanwhile, Minaj and Drake will try to break the tie in the best hip-hop category. The rappers, who are the only artists to win the award twice, are nominated again this year – Minaj for “We’ve Got a Problem” and Drake for “Wait for You”.
However, Eminem could equal Minaj and Drake if he wins this category for the second time this year for From the D 2 the LDC.
And Lil Nas X will aim to become the first artist to win Video of the Year for two consecutive years after winning the award for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” in 2021.