MTV‘s Micheal Jackson Video Vanguard Award is the most prestigious honor given to an artist throughout the entire evening. The award is named after one of the most prolific entertainer of all time – Micheal Jackson. Not because he was simply an entertainer but an icon at the forefront of pop culture, fashion, film, and philanthropy. The honor is given to an artist who truly touches people beyond the borders of music. The vanguard award is not the average moon man, it’s the award that says you have stood the test of time and history books will reference your name forever.
This year at MTV’s 2016 Video Music Awards Rihanna will be recognized for all of her accomplishments over the last 10 years. She is now going to be considered a legend in the game, joining the ranks of past recipients like Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Kanye West, Gun’s N Roses, The Beastie Boys, Madonna, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.
Most people do not realize what Rihanna has done in such a short time. Rihanna is the youngest artist to have 14 number one hits on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, bringing not only great music but memorable videos like “We Found Love”, “Umbrella”, “Diamonds” and most recently her collaboration “Work” with Drake. The singer has sold 61 million records and 215 million tracks worldwide, garnering multiple Gold and Platinum certifications. Rihanna has won big at other award shows as well winning eight Grammy’s and 14 Billboard Awards.
Earlier this year Rihanna released the first music video to ever be released in IMAX theaters with “Sledgehammer” a song recorded for the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack.
Beyond music Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation globally assists communities in the areas of education, health, arts, and culture. The foundation was created in remembrance of Rihanna’s grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite in 2012.
The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards airs live on Sunday, August 28th and is hosted (again) by Miley Cyrus. The kickoff show begins at 8pm EST with the award show starting at 9pm EST. Fans can vote for their favorite music videos in the categories of “Video of The Year,” “Best Male Video,” “Best Female Video,” and the new “Breakthrough Long Form Video”.
