By Bolarinwa Akande
MTV Base, at the weekend hosted an epic night of music, with unforgettable performances, unpredictable moments and heartfelt messages as the 2014 “MTV Video Music Awards” held sway.
The awards, which held at the Forum, Inglewood in California had Beyonce welcome
MTV and the audience to an earth shattering performances of hits from her
visual album “BEYONCÉ”.
After she broke Justin Timberlake’s 2013 record for the longest VMA performance ever, JAY Z and Blue Ivy unexpectedly joined her on stage for a highly emotional moment as her family presented her with the “Michael Jackson Video Vanguard” Award.
Speaking through tears, Beyonce thanked God, her daughter, her “beloved,” MTV and her fans. She also won the most awards of the evening, taking home diadems in three different categories, including “Best Collaboration” for “Drunk in Love” and “Best Video with a Message” for “Pretty Hurts”.
Miley Cyrus delivered a heartfelt message as she took away the “Video of the Year”
award. A former homeless youth in Los Angeles named Jesse took the stage in her place to accept her award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the U.S.
The 2014 “MTV Video Music Awards” opened with the summer’s fiercest female threesome. Ariana Grande kicked it all off by starting an intergalactic dance party with her Zedd-produced hit, “Break Free”. Grande emerged from a spaceship before being joined by the Queen of Hip-Hop, Nicki Minaj, who hit the stage to unleash “Anaconda” on the world with an eye-popping, rump-shaking performance.
Finally, British singer-songwriter Jessie J joined the titillating trio to bring the house down with their smash-hit, “Bang Bang”. Nicki returned with a wardrobe malfunction that left her clutching her dress.
Before introducing “Best Hip-Hop Video”, Common asked the VMA audience for a moment of silence to mark the events taking place in Ferguson, Missouri, with some members of the in-house audience responding by spontaneously raising their hands overhead.
Introduced by super-fan Kim Kardashian West, British singing sensation and first-time VMA performer Sam Smith mesmerized the audience – and the Kardashian-Jenner sisters – as he and his band orchestrated a soulful rendition of his powerful hit ballad “Stay with Me”.
Multi-platinum global R&B star Usher also delivered a funk-filled performance of his single “Give it to You,” bringing the audience to their feet and surprising everyone when Nicki Minaj once again returned to join him onstage during their rhythmically charged set.