The incomparable career of Missy Elliott, the rapper-singer-songwriter-producer-dancer whose music videos have moved the needle over the last two decades, was honored at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, where Taylor Swift also took center stage with her gay pride anthem, "You Need to Calm Down."
Elliott earned the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and brought her colorful, eccentric and groundbreaking music videos to life, from “Work It” to “Lose Control,” on Monday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
She even sported the inflated trash bag she wore with confidence and charisma in the video for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" in 1997 during the performance.
Missy Elliott performs onstage during the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on August 26, 2019, in Newark, New Jersey. /VCG Photo
"I’ve worked diligently for over two decades and I never thought I would be standing up here receiving this award," Elliott said.
Swift kicked off the VMAs, going from eye-popping pop star to guitar-strumming singer-songwriter. She gave a colorful performance of "You Need to Calm Down" — which won video of the year — and later grabbed her guitar to sing the ballad “Lover,” the title track from her album released Friday.
Taylor Swift attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, August 26, 2019. /Photo by Jamie McCarthy via VCG
“I just want to say that this is a fan-voted award, so I first want to say thank you to the fans because in this video several points were made, so you voting for this video means that you want a world where we’ll all treated equally."
Swift and a number of cast members from the video appeared onstage to accept the honor. The video for “You Need to Calm Down,” a song in which Swift calls out homophobes and her own haters, featured a number of famous faces, including Ellen DeGeneres, Laverne Cox, RuPaul and the cast of “Queer Eye.” Before the video’s release, Swift announced that she supported the Equality Act.
"You Need to Calm Down” also won the video for good honor. Todrick Hall, the multi-faceted entertainer who has appeared in some of Swift’s videos, including “You Need to Calm Down," accepted the honor.
Taylor Swift accepts an award onstage during the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey, August 26, 2019. /Photo by Bryan Bedder via VCG
"If you’re a young child that’s out there watching this show who is different, who feels misunderstood, we’ve never needed you more than now to share your art, share your stories, share your truth with the world no matter what you identify as, who you identify as, who you love, this is such a beautiful place," said Hall, who co-executive produced the video.
Swift won three honors, tying with Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish for most wins of the night. Grande, named artist of the year, and Eilish, who won best new artist, didn’t attend the VMAs. BTS also didn’t attend the show, hosted by comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco, but they won two honors: best group and best K-pop.
Other winners included Cardi B, who took home best hip-hop for "Money”; Jonas Brothers' "Sucker" won best pop; "Senorita," which Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello performed during the show, won best collaboration and best cinematography; and the Chainsmokers and Bebe Rexha’s "Call You Mine" won best dance.