Ah, the Video Music Awards. Unveiled in 1984, the annual MTV awards ceremony has come to be known as the sexed-up, crazy cousin of the less-edgy Grammys. The VMAs have also consistently been in a hurricane of controversial outfits, shocking live performances and "oh my god, did that really just happen?" moments.
This year, the VMAs fall on Sunday, and with a bill fully stocked with mega talents like Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, chances are high that the 2011 awards will not fall short in manic moments. But before the big day is finally here, let's take a brief stroll down memory lane and see some of the heaviest jaw-droppers of the past 27 years.
Madonna's Wedding Day
The year was 1984, and the dress was white. This being the debut of the now-infamous awards ceremony, MTV producers knew they had to draw audiences in with big names and provocative performances that would have people talking for years after the original broadcast aired. They certainly got what they were asking for when Madonna took the stage. Clad in a lacy white wedding dress cinched at the waist with her trademark "Boy Toy" belt, the material girl writhed, thrust and moaned through her hit song "Like a Virgin," seducing half of America and solidifying herself as an eternal sex symbol for the next 30 years of her career.
Lady Gaga's Grade-A Dress
Since the start of her career, Lady Gaga has made her mark on the music industry not only for her catchy pop tunes but also for her wildly outlandish wardrobe. From bird feathers to blood to completely covering her face with lace, Gaga has always kept true to her crazy side, and she certainly didn't disappoint when she climbed the VMA stage in 2010 to accept her Video of the Year Moonman for "Bad Romance." Proving that you can have your meat and wear it too, Mother Monster donned a floor-length evening gown made completely of — yep, you guessed it — raw meat. Gaga later ardently claimed she wore the frock as a "political statement," although that didn't stop many from turning their noses at her meaty ensemble.
Kanye Steals Taylor's Thunder
Taylor Swift is country's princess, cooing to crowds of thousands about boys, love, broken hearts and everything in between. With a girl so innocent and so sweet, who could possibly be mean to her? Kanye West gladly took the torch at the VMAs in 2009, storming the stage to snatch the microphone from Swift's cute little hands and go on a rant that will live on in YouTube infamy. After insisting to Swift, who had just won for best video, that he would "let her finish," West barged on about Beyonce's "Single Ladies" being one of the "best videos of all time" as a dumbfounded Swift and the audience looked on. Pictures later surfaced of West sipping heavily on Hennessy as he strolled the red carpet with then-girlfriend Amber Rose, but even a heavy buzz can't get you off for being a major jerk.
Diana Ross Gets to Second Base
Before Nicki Minaj became the biggest female rapper to don neon wigs and tight, skin-exposing outfits, there was Lil' Kim. Although Lil' Kim often rapped about her somewhat masculine sexuality, the 1999 VMAs were truly her coming out party, and she walked the red carpet in a skin-hugging lavender pantsuit, with her left breast covered only by a simple sequined pasty. Heads were turning all night long, but it was only when the tiny rapper took the stage with fellow female songbirds Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige that things really got interesting. Instead of the usual kiss on the cheek greeting most celebrities dole out like candy, Ross instead reached out her hand and felt Lil' Kim up. Kim had the good sense to laugh at Ross' unusual hello, but that didn't stop the moment from becoming one of the most well-known in VMA history.
More Like This
Dress Like An Icon: Kanye West
By Jenna Schiferl | Nov. 30, 2016