The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are set to take place on September 7th at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, broadcasting live from the UBS Arena on Long Island, New York. This year's show, hosted by LL Cool J, promises a night of exciting performances and special recognitions.
Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin are slated to receive prestigious awards. Busta Rhymes will be honored with the first-ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, celebrating his significant cultural impact and musical career. This award recognizes his boundary-breaking contributions to hip-hop. Ricky Martin will be presented with the inaugural Latin Icon Award, acknowledging his four-decade-long career that propelled Latin music and culture into the mainstream.
Both Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin will also take the stage to perform. Busta Rhymes has a history with the VMAs, including a memorable performance in 2021 where he delivered a medley of his greatest hits. Ricky Martin's VMA history dates back to 1999.
Joining them are several other artists. Sabrina Carpenter, nominated for eight awards, including Video of the Year for "Manchild," will perform. This will be Carpenter's second time performing on the VMA stage, as she took home song of the year last year. Alex Warren, a TikTok star nominated for Best New Artist, Best Pop, and Song of the Year for "Ordinary," will make his VMA debut. Sombr, another newcomer and MTV PUSH artist, will also make his award show debut. Sombr is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Alternative for his song "Back to Friends".
J Balvin will perform "Zun Zun" with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and will also team up with DJ Snake for the live premiere of "Noventa". This marks DJ Snake's first VMA appearance.
Lady Gaga leads this year's nominations with 12, followed by Bruno Mars with 11, and Kendrick Lamar with 10.
The 2025 VMAs will be broadcast on CBS for the first time, in addition to being simulcast on MTV and available for streaming on Paramount+. The show is produced by Gunpowder & Sky, with executive producers Bruce Gillmer, Jesse Ignjatovic, and Barb Bialkowski.
