LL Cool J hit the MTV VMAs stage on Wednesday night time with a medley of his basic hits and new tunes to rejoice the fortieth anniversary of Def Jam Information.
The rapper — whose efficiency featured an look by Public Enemy’s Taste Flav and Chuck D, who’re two of LL’s unique Def Jam labelmates — took to the stage towards the top of the three-hour present.
LL kicked off the high-energy efficiency with “Headsprung,” with the viewers members sporting the rapper’s signature Kangol hats, all in purple. The cameras then reduce to a number of individuals within the viewers holding indicators of goats, with LL rapping his music “The G.O.A.T.,” when Taste Flav and Chuck D joined him onstage for a efficiency of their very own “Deliver the Noise.”
LL then segued briefly into his hits “Mama Mentioned Knock You Out,” “Rock the Bells,” “Across the Manner Woman” and “Goin’ Again to Cali.” He additionally carried out his new songs “Ardour” and “Proclivities” as a part of the medley, earlier than ending with “Doin’ It,” which he carried out on the VMAs in 1996.
Busta Rhymes launched the efficiency, calling LL his “hero” and a “true trailblazer.” “He’s not solely a hip-hop innovator; he’s not solely a godfather, huge homie and a mentor,” Rhymes added, noting that LL additionally was the primary artist to launch an album on Def Jam.
The efficiency got here hours after LL Cool J launched a video for his new single “Murdergram Deux” that includes Eminem, who opened the 2024 VMAs with a efficiency of “Houdini” and “Anyone Save Me.”
LL’s new album, The Pressure (brief for Frequencies of Actual Inventive Vitality), dropped Friday. Along with Eminem, the album, produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Known as Quest, additionally options collaborations with the likes of Rhymes, Saweetie, Nas and Snoop Dogg.
Megan Thee Stallion hosted the present, which aired reside from New York’s UBS Enviornment. See a full record of winners.