OUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE BOROUGH OF KINGS
COURIER LIFE, SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2021 27
BY BROOKLYN PAPER
The biggest stars in music descended
on the Barclays Center on
Sunday for the 2021 MTV Video Music
Awards, which saw world-renowned
artists taking home the iconic silverastronaut
inspired trophies.
The award show — which was slated
to take place at the arena last year before
the COVID-19 pandemic put a
damper on those plans — kicked off
with a mix of in-person performances
and virtual appearances, along with
dozens of speeches and displays from
ionic musical maestros like Camila
Cabello and Justin Bieber.
The Video Music Awards Winners
Rap artist Lil Nas X took home the
Video of the Year Award for his song
“Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
against tough competition. Ed Sheeran,
DJ Khaled and Drake, Cardi B, and the
Weeknd were all nominated for the
award as well. The video for “Montero”
was also given the award for Best Direction
and Best Visual Effects.
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber
won the Best Pop award for “Peaches”
featuring Daniel Ceasar and Giveon.
Bieber was also named the Artist of
The Year. Other nominees for this category
included Taylor Swift, Ariana
Grande and Megan Thee Stallion.
It was also a memorable night for
one of this year’s biggest breakthrough
artists, Olivia Rodrigo. The 18-year-old
singer, songwriter, and actress won
the Push Performance of the Year and
Song of the Year awards for her hit
single “Drivers License”. Rodrigo was
also named the Best New Artist. Rodrigo
dedicated her victory to “every
girl writing songs on their bedroom
fl oor”. Giving them a message of encouragement
to not give up on their
passions.
Other award winners include
Best Collaboration: Doja Cat featuring
SZA for “Kiss Me More”
Best Hip Hop: Travis Scott featuring
Young Thug & M.I.A for “Franchise”
Best Rock: John Mayer for “Last
Train Home”
Best Alternative: Machine Gun
Kelly featuring Blackbear for “My Ex’s
Best Friend”
Best Latin: Billie Eilish featuring
Rosalia for “Lo Vas A Olvidar”
Best Editing and Best R&B: Bruno
Mars, Anderson Paak, Silk Sonic for
“Leave the Door Open”
Best K-pop: BTS for “Butter”
Video For Good: Billie Eilish for
“Your Power”
Best Cinematography: Beyonce,
Blue Ivy, SAINT JHN, and WizKid for
“Brown Skin Girl”
Best Art Direction: Saweetie featuring
Doja Cat for “Best Friend”
Best: Choreography: Harry Styles
for “Treat People with Kindness”
Red Carpet Scuffl e
A red carpet is often a place for
stars to get their time under the bright
lights, a fashion show before an event,
and a place to greet one another in front
of the press. But before the VMA’s, the
red carpet became a setting for an altercation
between former UFC Champion
Conor McGregor and rapper Machine
Gun Kelly.
McGregor, who presented the
award for the Artist of the Year, was
seen throwing a drink at Machine Gun
Kelly and his team in videos that surfaced
on social media. Per PEOPLE and
TMZ sources, the incident was sparked
when McGregor asked for a picture
with Kelly, but was turned down by
the rapper’s security team. The source
from PEOPLE says that McGregor
dropped his cane and started swinging
it in Kelly’s direction.
While videos and pictures show
McGregor yelling and charging towards
Kelly’s team while being held
back by security, the altercation was
shut down before events escalated.
Show
time!
MTV Video Music
Awards returns to
Barclays Center
HOT STUFF: ERROR: No Metadata information available.