10 Memorable Moments From 2015 VMAs
Nicki calls out Miley, Kanye for president, and more.
1 / 11
Never a Dull Moment - The 2015 Video Music Awards were anything but boring, with memorable moments ranging from Nicki Minaj’s gangsta call-out to Miley Cyrus to Kanye West’s speech about everything. Click on to see what happened at the 2015 VMAs.— By Moriba Cummings(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
2 / 11
What Bad Blood? - No hair-pulling or mean-mugging here folks. After their highly publicized Twitter spat, Nick Minaj and Taylor Swift showed that everything’s all good when they opened the show together. Nicki kicked off the performance with her new single, “Trini Dem Girls,” with Taylor emerging from under the stage mid-performance, ending together with “Bad Blood.”(Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images)
3 / 11
Macklemore Goes 'Downtown' - After nearly three years of musical silence, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis returned to the stage to perform their new single, “Downtown.” They ditched the pyrotechnics for an outdoor performance and the crowd seemed to love it.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for MTV)
4 / 11
What’s Good, Miley? - Yep, that’s what Nicki said to the night’s host, Miley Cyrus, while accepting her award for Best Hip Hop Video. Was the “Wrecking Ball” singer really surprised after essentially calling the femcee an angry Black woman a few days ago?(Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
5 / 11
Up in Flames - After soaring high on the charts with his new album release, The Weeknd set the VMA stage ablaze — literally. Performing his newest No. 1 single, “Can’t Feel My Face,” he even had Kanye on his feet dancing.(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 11
Why the Long Face? - Justin Bieber’s performance at the VMAs was his first in nearly two-and-a-half years and he definitely made sure it was a memorable one. After starting with “Where Are U Now,” he transitioned into his newest offering, “What Do You Mean?” before breaking down in tears. Definitely a surprise there.(Photo: Jeff Kravitz/MTV1415/FilmMagic)
7 / 11
Best Friends Forever - So, Taylor Swift revealed that Kanye’s College Dropout was the first album that she ever bought on iTunes. Whether that’s true or not, it was a cute full-circle moment for the former VMA rivals.(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
8 / 11
Kanye for President - Get ready, folks. In 2020, Kanye West will officially be running for president of the United States of America. This is no joke — he said it himself! Will you be voting for ‘Ye?(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
9 / 11
Waaaay Up - Big Sean clearly felt blessed while accepting his moon man for Video With a Social Message, which he won for his inspirational anthem “One Man Can Change the World.” Showing just how far he’s come, Sean brought up his mentors Kanye West and John Legend and thanked ‘Ye for discovering him and hopping on the track. This was definitely one of the most heartfelt moments of the night.(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
10 / 11
Pharrell Calls for 'Freedom' - Pharrell’s latest hit, “Freedom,” has been everywhere lately, and with the fitting social message that comes with the song, it’s become a fan favorite in more ways than one. During the performance, the singer gave a little speech that made this one of the most memorable moments of the night. “They tried to put us in a box… tonight, we change things. We will express ourselves and let all of that go,” he said.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for MTV)