Entertainment icon and GRAMMY® and VMA Award-winner LL COOL J will host the 2025 MTV “VMAs” LIVE coast-to-coast from New York’s UBS Arena on Sunday, September 7, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Hip-Hop trailblazer will take the reins solo for the first time, following his 2022 co-hosting turn alongside Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow.
LL COOL J’s history with the “VMAs” is packed with milestones. He earned his first Moon Person in 1991 for “Best Rap” and became the first rapper to receive the prestigious Video Vanguard Award in 1997. Fans will also remember his high-energy moments on the VMA stage, from a surprise appearance with Public Enemy during Def Jam Recording’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2024 to his role in the star-studded Hip-Hop 50 tribute in 2023.
This year, he’s up for “Best Hip-Hop” with “Murdergram Deaux” featuring Eminem, a track from his 2024 critically acclaimed album “THE FORCE.”