On Thursday (August 14), it was revealed that LL COOL J will host the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards live from New York’s UBS Arena on September 7. This marks his first time hosting the show solo, after co-hosting the event with Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow in 2022. A hip-hop icon with a long VMA history – including a 1991 win for Best Rap Video for “Mama Said Knock You Out,” and being the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1997 – LL’s 2024 single “Murdergram Deaux” is nominated for Best Hip-Hop at this year’s ceremony. The VMA Awards will air on CBS for the very first time, along with a simulcast on MTV, while streaming on Paramount+. The ceremony features top nominees like Lady Gaga (12 nods), Bruno Mars (11), Kendrick Lamar (10), and others, with more performers and presenters set to be announced. (Billboard)

Getty Images
LL COOL J Announced As Host Of 2025 MTV VMAs
Aug 14, 2025 | 7:01 PM