“Calling all Barbz”, according to MTV, Nicki Minaj is this year’s recipient for the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs on August 28th.
Minaj will not only be accepting this award, but she will also perform at the ceremony, and is nominated for the “Best Hip-Hop” category for her single “Do We Have a Problem”, featuring Lil Baby.
MTV’s Video Vanguard Award honors artists for their contributions to the the world of music videos and pop culture. Previous recipients of this award include Beyonce, Kanye West, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, and Missy Elliot, who tweeted, “Congratulations to @nickiminaj for this achievement.” And now Minaj will be added to the legendary list of recipients.
“Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry,” according to head of music and music talent, Viacom, and chief content officer of music, Paramount+, Bruce Gillmer in a press release. He later praises, “She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki.’” Minaj has been nominated 17 times and has won 5 awards at the MTV VMAs over the course of her career. Minaj took home her first Moon person for best Hip-Hop video in 2011, and her last performance at the award show was in 2018. The VMAs has not honored anyone for the last two years with the Video Vanguard Award, so Minaj will be the first.
2022 has been a big year for Nicki Minaj as she has headlined at this year’s Essence Festival, OVO Fest (where she reunited with her Young Money label mates Drake and Lil Wayne), is set to headline Rolling Loud New York, and has an upcoming six-part docuseries. Minaj will also be releasing her next single “Super Freaky Girl” on August 12.
Watch announcement video below:
