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Hi this is CB not Kaiser! Kaiser will be covering some of the other performances on the MTV VMAs, especially Missy Elliott (OMG!!) and Lizzo (love her). I just want to talk about the closing number, featuring Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, Redman, Fetty Wap and Wyclef Jean. This should have been the opener, in my opinion, because I was dancing so hard that I had trouble sleeping afterwards. Also I’m an late 80s/early 90s girl and this is the music I listened to in high school. (I still listen to it, I’ll be honest.)
The VMAs were held in Newark, New Jersey so they wanted to honor artists from New Jersey. The host was a comic named Sebastian Maniscalco and he was just terrible. I’m not exaggerating. His jokes involved the words triggered, safe space, support animal and participation trophy. He’s a garbage person who is not funny at all. But New Jersey also brought us Naughty by Nature and Queen Latifah, who rode up on a motorcycle! The whole closing act was amazing. I only wish it was longer. You can watch that below and MTV gave us a timestamped list of the artists:
0:03 : Da Rockwilder – Redman
0:25 : O.P.P – Naughty by Nature (w/Slugga The Mascot)
0:47 : Funky Child – -transition- – Da Rockwilder – Redman (w/DoItAll)
1:49 : Trap Queen – Fetty Wap
2:55 : Gone Till November – Wyclef Jean
3:37 : No Woman, No Cry – Wyclef Jean
4:55 : U.N.I.T.Y. – Queen Latifah
6:16 : Hip Hop Hooray – Naughty By Nature (w/Slugga The Mascot)
U.N.I.T.Y, O.P.P and Hip Hop Hooray are on my running playlist, from when I used to run. (Did that a couple of years ago, did two 5ks and then decided running is not for me.) Now whenever I hear golden era rap I want to run like the wind. (Or like the newbie runner I was before I gave up.) Whenever I hear Taylor Swift, who opened, I think of how expensive she is. (You’ll know what I’m referring to if you listen to our podcast.) So don’t make us old people wait until the end to see the best artists next time, MTV. We like to go to bed earlier than 11, but thanks for putting the video up.
Here’s Queen Latifah in a Sergio Hudson suit, looking like the boss she is.
I love Queen Latifah! I remember when “Dance for Me” came out and I loved the music video. She’s a hip hop icon and I agree, this should have been the opener.
Yup. She’s an original, a pioneer, and can even act. Love her, would love to see more of her.
Latifa is the QUEEN! ❤️
I was really wondering why that Sebastian dude was there, I’d never heard of him and he was really bad. also, know your audience! probably the crowd at the VMA is not interested in hearing jokes about safe spaces like they are at the bar in your hometown where the same five dudes stool in every night.
I have heard of him several times this past week – the really weird thing is that every time he came up (some reference on a radio show, then he was on HQ Trivia), someone would assure the audience that…in contrast to his appearance, he’s REALLY funny in his stand up. Ummm – if you have to make that disclaimer, I think he’s not funny at all. He just managed to find the right crowd once or twice and parlayed that into a career.
U.N.I.T.Y. is the best female rap song ever. Long live QL.
What an incredible number of absolute banger songs! *is nostalgic as heck*. I still love Queen Latifah with all my heart. She can still wipe the floor with most of the girls trying to play the game today.
QL and Missy all in the same night? LOVE.
I loved watching Queen Latifah on her feet during Lizzo’s performance. Two queens!
queen latifah is so beautiful.
the fringe at the bottom of those pants really speaks to me, wow
Oh I loved OPP in high school. And that method man and redman song in the early 2000’s. This was so nostalgic for me! Thanks for posting! ( I haven’t watched the VMAs in forever, but would not have made it to the end for sure)
I’ve seen naughty by nature twice in concert, both for free. They played at my college on the last day of classes and then they were playing at a bar on halloween in like 2005 or 2006. I would like to tell a funny story, but was hammered on both occasions. Ahhh I miss my 20s
Thank you for posting. I mistakenly caught the opener and turned the channel. But so glad you posted this. Love me some OPP and QL. And yes, the energy from these performers is out of this world and should have been the opener. Shout out to the late 80s and early 90s.
Is there only one comedian from New Jersey? Was there no one else they could get? Yikes.
I only tuned in for the last 5 minutes to catch this. It was worth it. The Queen put on a clinic on how to spit (I heard Missy did too). It made me feel old for a second but then I was grateful because I’m old enough to remember when music was GOOD.
Taylor is shooting herself in the foot by always demanding the opening slot. Because it will be really obvious when she starts performing mid-show again. There was a quote from Jack Nicholson, when he was the hugest star and asked why he still took smaller roles, he said that he did it so it wouldn’t look odd when he no longer only got the huge leading roles. That makes a huge amount of sense. More than Taylor has. It was so funny to watch all the black artists watching her, bopping along with a knowing smile plastered on their face. So different from the reactions to Latifah and Missy.
Good comment! But I wouldn’t have put it as nicely heehee