Last week, Chloe Bailey officially began her solo career with the release of “Have Mercy.” She also delivered an exuberant performance of her debut single at the 2021 MTV VMAs. The performance featured a unique moment that impressed many: her licking the microphone towards the end of the performance. That includes Gunna, who took to Instagram to show her love.
The rapper reposted an image of the moment, writing, “It’s the [tongue emoji] for me.” Chloe recently spoke about the moment in an Instagram post. “I swear i didn’t even know i licked the mic til after i watched the performance back,” she wrote under an image of the moment.
Chloe recently addressed claims that she is dating Future. “I don’t know where that rumor came from,” she said on Instagram Live. “He’s a wonderful fella, love his music, I’ve never spoken to him a day in my life.”
Some people also claimed that is in the Illuminati, which she adamantly denied. “One moment you all say that I talk about God too much and the next you say I’m selling my soul. Which is it, my loves?” she said. “I love God so much and I love music, and I just have a lot of passion. That’s it.” She added, “I didn’t sell my soul, no.”
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Reports that MMA’s Conor McGregor tried to take a swing at rapper-turned-rocker Machine Gun Kelly at the 2021 MTV VMAs are greatly exaggerated — at least, according to Conor McGregor. The Irish fighter denied the “rumors” that he tried to hit Kelly in an interview after the alleged incident, throwing shade at his would-be opponent in the process. When asked what exactly happened by an Entertainment Tonight reporter, McGregor said, “Absolutely nothing. I just showed up — and I don’t know, I don’t even know the guy.” He couldn’t resist taking a verbal jab, though, saying, “I only fight real fighters, people that actually fight. I certainly don’t fight vanilla, white rappers. I don’t even know the guy — except that he’s with Megan Fox.”
Of course, that’s not how some sources, including TMZ, reported it — at least initially. Reportedly, when McGregor asked MGK for a photo on the red carpet ahead of the show, Kelly shoved him away, spilling his drink. Supposedly, McGregor threw the drink at MGK before the two were separated by security. However, in an update to the story, it appears nothing so dramatic happened, as instead, McGregor merely approached MGK with his hand out to say hello and was shoved by MGK’s security guard. As he says above, he doesn’t know what MGK said to prompt that response from security, but a photo of McGregor with his arm out was interpreted by fans as him throwing a punch (because apparently, people don’t know what a punch looks like).
The two both made it inside without any further fuss and, as Conor said, he doesn’t fight non-professional fighters, so the odds of an escalation are low — although it looks like MGK may have lost himself a fan, and vice versa.
Last night, the MTV VMAs brought their unique blend of fun, scandal, and quirky ceremony back to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, bringing along a live audience for the first time since 2019. Doja Cat hosted, performed, and wore a truly hilarious sequence of off-the-wall costumes. Olivia Rodrigo threw her own prom. Chloe, Normani, and Teyana Taylor saluted the show’s salacious history while paying homage to their heroes. It felt like VMAs were “back,” for lack of a better term.
But while the fans in attendance seemed to be having the time of their lives, an undercurrent of discontent rippled among those watching from home, eventually bubbling up to the surface on Twitter. Viewers skewered the show for its treatment of hip-hop, which they felt had been reduced to an afterthought by the show’s attempt to cover a wide swath of musical genres and generations. While neophyte performers like The Kid Laroi teamed up with their elders like Justin Bieber (congratulations, you’re old now) and even the aging Foo Fighters got their due, for some, it seemed like hip-hop had been left in cold.
Were it not still summer, that would be a literal assessment. Performers Latto and Saint JHN performed their sets from a pavilion outside the main venue and although each was given multiple opportunities to perform — three songs each — home viewers noted that those performances basically amounted to snippets of each song functioning as advertising bumpers. One only lasted for thirty seconds, which more than one commenter observed was shorter than one of the commercials that followed it.
The only main stage rap performance came from Busta Rhymes, who’s been around as long as the Foo Fighters have and whose most recent mega-hit (“Touch It”) might actually be older than half the audience that attended. That, of course, doesn’t count Doja Cat, whose hybrid pop-R&B sound is often punctuated by secretly impressive raps honed on LA’s indie-hip-hop performance circuit (shout out to Bananas!) or Machine Gun Kelly, who still maintains a penchant for spitting the odd 16-bar missive despite ostensibly making the switch to pop-punk, emo-rock tribute. Lil Nas X may have started as a rapper, but he calls himself a pop star now. While Busta’s performance was lauded (again I ask, does the man even breathe during his “Look At Me Now” verse?), it also highlighted the VMAs’ utter lack of main stage hip-hop from this decade — of which there would certainly appear to be no shortage.
Now, we don’t know all the behind-the-scenes, contractual details. There’s still a pandemic on, and many of rap’s top names have flouted reasonable safety precautions over the past year — even Busta himself, who gave a weird, anti-mask rant just a few months ago and has always at least rapped like an anti-vaxxer, even if he might not really be one (rap is wrestling, let’s not forget). But still, there was a decided dearth of appearances from the likes of Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, hell, even Lil Wayne (yes, I know, hip-hop has a lot of “Lils” — if you’re still complaining about this in 2021, maybe you aren’t the audience for it. Go listen to Foo Fighters or something).
Even Travis Scott only showed up to accept his award for Best Hip-Hop Video (for “Franchise”), giving a short speech before probably bouncing from the building entirely. Plenty of hip-hop artists and videos were nominated — very few won Moon People, despite their videos’ arguable worthiness. Fans were right to be incensed. However, this is the MTV VMAs we’re talking about here. They’ve almost never given any level of serious thought to rap as a genre or hip-hop as a culture, and as mostly fan-voted awards like Artist Of The Year have shown time after time, MTV’s audience has never quite been as invested in them as much as they have pop megastars like Britney Spears and Taylor Swift (or Swift’s heir apparent, Olivia Rodrigo) — the obvious exception being Eminem, for obvious reasons.
So disappointed, but not surprised, is probably the sentiment that best describes how many of us feel about the show’s treatment of hip-hop — which is, if nothing else, reflective of how mainstream America views the perceived creators and purveyors of hip-hop. It’s just a little more disappointing after so many of the show’s efforts in 2020 to acknowledge Black Americans’ plights, making the progress feel more performative than anything. On the bright side, the ratio of Black performers was greater than it’s been since Busta and Missy ruled the VMAs (and took home a paltry handful of awards in their primes, although Missy was honored with a Vanguard Award in 2019). One of them was a gay Black man, expressing his sexuality unabashedly in a flamboyant performance preceding a win for Artist Of The Year.
That’s how progress actually looks. It’s rarely a straight line, with everything moving forward at once. Maybe we take some Ls along the way. Maybe one thing moves forward while others stay stagnant or suffer setbacks. We shouldn’t be discouraged by this. We shouldn’t overlook it either, because the only way we keep moving forward is by constantly fighting for it. But we should take stock and appreciate the wins too. Black women won last night, even if they didn’t take home as many Moon People as some would have liked. Busta Rhymes, a sometimes overlooked legend, got his flowers. Lil Nas X got to stand in a place no one like him would have just a decade ago, as Billy Porter pointed out in his introduction of the “Industry Baby” performance.
And as for Latto and Saint JHN, they got to play more songs than anyone else. Maybe those in the venue wouldn’t have seen them, but far more people watched the broadcast and got to see two of rap’s rising stars multiple times. Those who watched certainly know who they are now — which, when you think about it, is actually the point of these shows in the first place. We don’t always remember who won which award, but those performances can be the first time we fall in love. Someone somewhere did just that last night — and that’s the first step toward becoming the sort of fan-favorite with a shelf full of Moon People.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
With the MTV VMAs returning to Brooklyn for its first live audience show in two years, it was only right to allow a native to christen the evening with a live performance worthy of the occasion. Fortunately, Brooklyn is home to one of the greatest live performers popular music has to offer in the form of Busta Rhymes, who blessed the VMAs audience with a medley of many of his classics.
The medley included his hyperspeed verse from Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now,” his breakout single “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,” his star-making verse from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario,” his scene-stealing verse from M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” remix, and his inescapable 2006 hit “Touch It.” Busta was joined, as per usual, by his ever-present hype man Spliff Starr and a fleet of backup dancers. But he never really needed any extras; his magnetic personality and incandescent stage presence have never dulled, even after 30 years in the rap game (does he even breathe during that “Look At Me Now” verse??).
Busta wasn’t the only legend to receive some stage time. Rock staples Foo Fighters received the VMA Global Icon Award, celebrating with a medley of their hits including “Shame Shame,” “Learn To Fly,” and, of course, “Everlong.”
After spending the better part of two years out of the musical spotlight, Normani made her grand return earlier this year with the release of “Wild Side,” he collaboration with Cardi B. The track’s release certainly marked a new era in Normani’s career, one that will hopefully lead to the release of her long-awaited debut album. While a timeline for that project’s release is unknown at the moment, the singer continues to promote the new track with a gleaming performance at the 2021 MTV VMAs.
Normani showed off her dance moves while donning a metallic outfit, all without losing a step with her vocals with the performance. To close the performance, the singer did her own version of Janet Jackson’s iconic 2002 Live In Hawaii performance of “Would You Mind” with help from Teyana Taylor.
Earlier this year, during an interview with Rolling Stone, Normani revealed that she is “about halfway through the album” and added that she hoped to have a lead single for it out by the summer, which she achieved with the release of “Wild Side.” She also spoke about trying to be more open and authentic with her music.
“I want to be able to feel like I was represented in the most authentic way possible because I know what it feels like coming from a girl group and being told who to be,” she said. “[It’s] just overwhelming now to have the opportunity to be all that I want to be.” Normani added, “I want every girl out there to feel like I’m going through the same thing.”
You can watch the singer’s performance in the video above.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The MTV VMAs are known for publicity-grabbing stunts and culture-shaking viral moments but rarely do those moments take place on the red carpet before the show even gets started. This year, the red carpet was apparently the site of an altercation between MMA fighter Conor McGregor and rapper-turned-indie-rocker Machine Gun Kelly. TMZ reports that the fighter and singer got into some type of verbal argument — which some sources say started when MGK declined to take a photo with McGregor, pushing him away and spilling his drink — and escalated with McGregor lunging toward Kelly, throwing a punch that failed to connect, and being led away by security.
After the men were separated, they were apparently able to compose themselves admirably, as both were seen during the broadcast appearing relatively unruffled. McGregor even presented the Best Hip-Hop Moon Man to Travis Scott, while MGK prepared to perform backstage.
However, despite the dramatic goings-on outside, the actual show kept the dramatics to the performances, which included Justin Bieber and The Kid Laroi’s medley of “Stay” and “Ghost,” Kacey Musgraves‘ performance of “Star Crossed,” Lil Nas X bringing his “Industry Baby” video to life, Doja Cat defying gravity for “Been Like This” and “You Right,” Camila Cabello dancing her way through “Don’t Get Yet,” and Chloe Bailey throwing her assets and making the audience say “Have Mercy.”
Chloe Bailey has officially taken the first steps upward in her solo career. The singer delivered her first single as a solo act this past weekend with the release of “Have Mercy.” The track, which is produced by Murda Beatz, came after Chloe spent the last few weeks teasing its release and it also arrived with a captivating video that finds the singer showcasing her singing and dancing talents. Just days after fans got a hold of “Have Mercy,” Chloe brings the song to the 2021 MTV VMAs for an exuberant performance.
chloe bailey have mercy dance break live mtv vmas 2021 performance dance break pic.twitter.com/9fU4SEL0dg
The singer’s appearance at this year’s MTV VMAs is her first as a solo act, but it makes for the second overall in her career. Last year, as a part of her Chloe X Halle duo, she performed “Ungodly Hour” from their sophomore album of the same title. It was one of the many performances the duo delivered in 2020 of songs from that album.
Prior to the release of “Have Mercy,” Chloe gave fans an update on her upcoming album. “It’s 90% done,” she said during an interview with Billboard, adding that it’s “definitely more pop.” She added, “I’m creating my own lane, as well as paying homage to the ones who have inspired me,” she continued. “It has been fun finding my voice.”
Not only did Lil Nas X’s MTV VMA performance receive a huge introduction from Billy Porter, but he also brought a marching band out to play the triumphant brass section of his hit song “Industry Baby.” Recreating part of the music video, the stage reproduced the “Montero Prison,” where Nas performed alongside pink-jumpsuit-clad dancers, flouncing through his cheeky choreography before being joined by a latex-covered Jack Harlow. After Harlow’s bridge, Nas hit more choreo modeled after the video’s infamous shower scene (he wore a pink Speedo for modesty’s sake), finishing out with a flourish of his other mega-hit “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”
The timing of Nas’ VMAs appearance couldn’t be better. His debut album, Montero, is due for release in just six days. His performance caps a months-long rollout that included the releases of the controversial videos for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby,” a pregnancy announcement complete with a maternity shoot, and a slew of attention-grabbing performances on shows such as the BET Awards and Saturday Night Live.
Nas’ performance also accompanies five nominations, including Video Of The Year, Best Direction, Video For Good, Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” The video, which drew the ire of conservative commentators and old-school hip-hop heads, featured a fantasy setting in which Nas descended from paradise to a hellish underworld via stripper pole, where he offered a lapdance to a devilish ruler before killing and supplanting him on the throne.
Watch Lil Nas X’s VMA performance of “Industry Baby” with Jack Harlow above.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In addition to her hosting duties for the 2021 MTV VMAs, Planet Her popstar Doja Cat also performed her song “Been Like This.” Suspended above the stage in the center of an LED halo, Doja defied gravity before dropping down to the Earth to perform “You Right” with elaborate choreography and string accompaniment from an orchestra surrounding her dance floor.
Doja’s hosting gig was announced after she was revealed as a performer, but it’s likely that she earned both with her appearance last year. In 2020, Doja performed her hits “Like That” and “Say So” with a sci-fi-inspired staging, albeit without fans in attendance. This year, she got to show her stuff in front of an adoring audience, and the energy reflected the improved environment. This year’s performance comes in the wake of the release of Doja’s third album, Planet Her, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, spending four weeks at that position led by the singles “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA and “You Right” featuring The Weeknd. A deluxe version of the album added Atlanta trap rapper Gunna and legendary female rapper Eve.
Not only did Doja Cat perform and host, but she was also nominated for five Moon Men, including Video Of The Year and Best Collaboration for “Kiss Me More,” Best Visual Effects for “You Right,” and Artist Of The Year. She’s co-nominated with Saweetie for Best Art Direction for their collaboration “Best Friend.”
Watch Doja Cat’s VMA performance of “Been Like This” above.
The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber delivered one of the year’s biggest hit songs with their second overall collaboration, “Stay.” The track is one that appeared on a recent deluxe reissue of Laroi’s F*ck Love project, one that recently topped the Billboard album charts. As for “Stay,” the track itself as also found success on the charts as it spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. With these achievements, it’s only right that the singers brought the song to the 2021 MTV VMAs stage and that’s exactly what they did on Sunday night.
Laroi and Bieber delivered what appeared to be a space-themed performance for their No. 1 song as they stood atop a larger makeshift boulder that stood in front of a bright backdrop filled with neon colors. In addition to “Stay,” Bieber would take control of the stage to perform “Ghost” from his sixth album Justice. The project spent two non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the albums chart and “Ghost” is looking to be the singer’s next popular cut from the album.
Justin Bieber is opening #VMAs in 2021 with his best song of Justice. That’s it. That’s the tweet. pic.twitter.com/yUJuYpnn9M
When Laroi’s “Stay” reached No. 1 on the singles chart, it became the first song by an Australian-born solo male artist to top the Hot 100 in 40 years, following Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” He’s also the first Australian-born artist to reach No. 1 with a song since Sia did it with her and Sean Paul’s “Cheap Thrills” back in 2016. As for Bieber, he recently announced his Our World documentary which will recount his “intense and exciting” return to music.
You can watch Bieber and Laroi’s performance in the video above.
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