The Top Five Moments From the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards

Flavor Flav Gifts Jordan Chiles a Bronze Clock

As a consolation to Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles having her 2024 Paris Olympic medal stripped away amid a scoring appeal dispute, Flavor Flav gave her a diamond-encrusted bronze stopwatch while presenting the award for best collaboration.

“I just want to turn this into a little Olympic moment for a second if ya’ll don’t mind,” the Public Enemy hype man said. “Ay yo Jordan, I know they tried to take your medal away from you, but you know what? I got you something that they can’t take away from you.”

LL COOL J Leads a Def Jam Records Tribute

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Def Jam Records, LL COOL J, one of the label’s first signees, performed a medley of his hits: “Headsprung,” “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Rock the Bells,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Goin’ Back to Cali” and “Doin’ It.”

He was also joined by fellow former Def Jam labelmates Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, who performed their own classic, “Bring the Noise.”

Megan Thee Stallion Recreates an Iconic Britney Spears Moment

This year’s VMAs was essentially a tribute to Britney Spears, with Sabrina Carpenter and Tate McRae giving nods to the legendary pop star. But the main homage to Spears surely came from Megan Thee Stallion. While conducting her hosting duties, the Houston rapper recreated the same outfit Spears wore for her 2001 VMAs performance of “I’m A Slave 4 U” — complete with a very real python.

It was clear that Megan was nervous with the snake as she asked crew members to remove it off her.

“Stop the music, stop the music. I'm just playing, come get this snake!” she said, adding, “I don't know this snake, this snake don't know me."

Lenny Kravitz Performs… with Quavo?

After beginning his performance with the 1993 classic “Are You Gonna Go My Way” and new song “Human,” Lenny Kravitz brought out Quavo to perform “Fly,” the rapper’s reimagining of another classic hit from the ‘90s rocker, “Fly Away.”

Prior to the actual VMAs, Kravitz won the best rock award for “Human,” and dedicated the award to his late mother, Roxie Roker, who died of cancer at the age of 66 in 1995. Roker accompanied Kravitz when he attended the VMAs in 1993.

“Wow. This is incredible. I am so grateful. Thirty-one years ago, my mother was with me at an award show, was at the VMAs, so I dedicate this to her,” he said after receiving the honor. “I thank God for this journey, this incredible journey. I thank Jesus for life.”

Kendrick Lamar Drops a New Song

OK, so Kendrick Lamar didn’t drop his new song, supposedly titled “Watch the Party Die,” at the VMAs. But he dropped it during the event, and that seems intentional — so, yeah.

In the song, which was released on Kendrick’s Instagram account, he offers lines that could be interpreted as more digs at Drake (“Just walked that man down, that’ll do everyone a solid / It’s love but tough love, sometimes you gotta result in violence”), complaints about the music industry (“Say hello to your future fate, the culture bred with carnivores / You let 'em snack, they eat your face, the signatures is bein' forged”), and more.

The song is Kendrick’s first release since dropping “Not Like Us” in May, and comes a day after it was revealed the Compton rapper will be headlining the halftime show for Super Bowl LIX.

Amid the new song’s release, many fans took to X to talk about how Kendrick completely took the focus away from the VMAs.