With a nip-slip, blood feud, presidential announcement and a Britney Spears cameo, the 2015 Video Music Awards were a wet dream for pop-culture fanatics.
In recent years, many questioned whether MTV should air the once reputable awards show as the network shifted focus to reality TV instead of music. This year’s show settled those qualms once and for all.
When MTV announced Miley Cyrus was hosting this year’s VMA’s, everyone expected something crazy. Cyrus was behind some of the show’s most infamously memorable moments of the last few years, and her hosting gig was surely a good plan to scoop up ratings.
Miley Cyrus was nearly nude throughout the evening. At one point, Cyrus’ breast flashed the camera briefly. But at this point, who hasn’t seen Cyrus naked? That was to be expected. Yawn.
When Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson’s top during their 2004 Super Bowl performance, most of America was ready to burn Jackson at the stake. The NFL was also fined $550,000 by the FCC — the largest fine from the FCC at the time.
Yet no one batted an eye when Miley Cyrus managed to sneak her breast onto the screen because everyone expected nothing less of Miley. What does that say about the current state of our society when no one cares that a pop starlet’s bosom dominated a screen?
People were too busy raging about the show’s unexpected moments to care about Cyrus’ breast.
What no one expected was Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift to prove the hatchet was buried over their feud and slay the stage together, or Minaj to call Cyrus a b—- for saying Minaj “overreacted” in the press and slice Cyrus in two during an obviously off-script moment. #MileyWhatsGood?
No one could’ve guessed Iggy Azalea was going to emerge from the stage during Demi Lovato’s performance and cause everyone to turn off their TVs in the middle of Lovato’s performance of “Cool For The Summer”. MTV then locked Lovato outside and forced her to perform for the plebeians outside the venue. I-G-G-Bye, Demi.
The biggest surprise of the night was Kanye West’s Video Vanguard acceptance speech.
Sure, everyone saw Taylor Swift presenting him the award from a mile away, but no one was prepared for the onslaught Yeezus was about to bring forth.
West took the opportunity to — sort of — explain his reasoning for his infamous-stage crashing scene with Swift in 2009. He then — kind of — lamented his distaste with the music industry and — maybe — there was a Justin Timberlake shoutout in there somewhere.
What West did next was unprecedented as far as the VMA’s go: He announced he is running for President in 2020. Cue the mic drop.
Within minutes, “Yeezus For
President” took over social media.
People realized if West became president, then Kim Kardashian would be the First Lady. The idea that an amateur porn star, turned reality tv star, turned fashion icon could become First Lady is mind-boggling, yet social media seemed down with the idea because #Yeezus2020 was trending.
That one moment arguably overshadowed the entire show — which is sad, because there were some special moments people should talk about.
Namely, Justin Bieber’s performance of his new single, “What Do You Mean?” I’m not a Belieber, but man, that guy can dance. If he wanted people to take him seriously as an entertainer, he couldn’t have put on a better performance. I think he knew that too, considering he was in tears when it was all over.
MTV — or at least the VMA’s — is as important to pop-culture as the State of the Union address is important to politics.
Sure, awards were handed out, with most of them going to Swift and her #Squad, but this is an awards show where it doesn’t matter who wins.
The VMA’s are a timestamp of what pop-culture is like in that particular point in time.
When people look back at this year’s show, they’ll remember that 2015 was the year of Swift and her endless parade of BFF’s. It was the year West made Kris Jenner his campaign “momager.” It was the year Cyrus released a new album — albeit an awful one — for free.
This was the year the celebrities did what they wanted and didn’t care, but everyone watching did.
John Gavin Harp is a 20-year-old mass communication Junior from St. Francisville, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @SirJohnGavin.