LL Cool J to Run the Show as Sole Host of 2025 MTV VMAs

LL Cool J will host the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards solo for the first time on Sept. 7 at UBS Arena in New York. (Photo Credit: Peter Yang)

LL Cool J has been a fixture of the MTV Video Music Awards for decades — tearing up stages, setting records, and making history long before most of today’s nominees were even in the game. Now, the Queens-born hip-hop pioneer is stepping into the spotlight solo to host the 2025 VMAs on Sept. 7, live from UBS Arena in New York.

The broadcast — airing coast-to-coast on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and streaming on Paramount+ — marks the first time LL will emcee the awards by himself. He co-hosted in 2022 alongside Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, but this year, it’s his name alone at the top of the bill.

The move feels like a full-circle moment for a rapper who’s been part of VMA history since the early ’90s. In 1991, LL took home his first Moon Person for Best Rap Video. Six years later, he became the first rapper to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, a recognition of both his music video innovation and his role in bringing hip-hop visuals into the mainstream.

In the years since, he’s turned the VMAs into a personal stage for culture-shifting moments — from leading an all-star tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 to a surprise Def Jam 40th anniversary set with Public Enemy in 2024.

This year, LL isn’t just the host — he’s a contender. His 2024 single “Murdergram Deaux,” a collaboration with Eminem from his critically acclaimed album The Force, is nominated for Best Hip Hop.

For LL Cool J, the VMAs gig is another chapter in a career that’s defied categories. A two-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and multi-platinum artist, he’s also had a 14-season run as Special Agent Sam Hanna on “NCIS: Los Angeles” and launched the SiriusXM channel Rock The Bells Radio to preserve and promote classic hip-hop.

His return to the VMAs is more than nostalgia — it’s proof that the rapper who broke through at 16 with “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” still knows how to command a stage.

“LL Cool J is the blueprint,” said MTV executive producer Bruce Gillmer. “His impact spans music, television, film and culture. Having him host solo for the first time is going to be electric.”

Boston to Rename Roxbury Street 'New Edition Way' to Honor R&B Pioneers

Mike Edwards, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Boston is giving its most famous R&B sons the ultimate homecoming salute. On Aug. 30, Mayor Michelle Wu will declare “New Edition Day” in honor of the groundbreaking group, and the city will officially rename Dearborn Street at the corner of Ambrose and Albany streets in Roxbury as New Edition Way — a stretch near the Orchard Gardens Boys & Girls Club, where the members first sang together in the Orchard Park housing projects.

The celebration begins with the street-naming ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by a community block party one block away starting at 11 a.m., featuring live music, free food, backpack giveaways for youth, and appearances by the group.

On Instagram, Ricky Bell put the moment in perspective for fans around the world:

“We are so humble and equally excited to receive this incredible honor that is given to us by our home City of Boston. So come celebrate with us, catch a flight, take the train, drive or walk — this event would not be complete without the amazing energy of the #NE4Lifers!

“I am truly grateful for the privilege of being made a permanent fixture in our city that has played such a significant role in shaping our lives and career. It brings me immense joy to think that future generations of my family, friends, and #NE4Lifers from all over the world will be able to walk and drive down New Edition Way. This honor is mind-blowing in the most awesome way. 02119 IS and WILL always be my home.”

Bobby Brown echoed the emotion: “Boston is where it all began for us. This honor means the world to me.”

Mayor Wu called the event “a unique opportunity to bring Boston’s neighborhoods together in a celebration of culture, pride and community” and praised the group’s impact “from our communities here in Boston to the music industry worldwide.”

 

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Formed in 1978, New Edition changed the face of modern R&B with their blend of smooth harmonies, streetwise swagger, and chart-topping hits. From “Candy Girl” and “Cool It Now” to “If It Isn’t Love” and “Can You Stand the Rain,” they set the blueprint for boy bands and bridged the gap between soul, pop, and hip-hop. Their 1996 comeback album “Home Again” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, cementing their staying power.

Over four decades, the group has earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2017), the BET Lifetime Achievement Award (2017), and inductions into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (2022) and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame (2023).

Snoop Dogg to Bring West Coast Heat to Australia’s AFL Grand Final Stage

Snoop Dogg will headline the pre-game entertainment at the 2025 AFL Grand Final on Sept. 27 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

The AFL has locked in one of hip-hop’s most recognizable voices for its biggest day, announcing Snoop Dogg as the headline act for the Telstra pre-game entertainment at the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final on Sept. 27 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Australian Football League — founded in 1897 as the Victorian Football League and rebranded in 1990 — is the premier competition in Australian rules football, with its Grand Final regularly drawing over 100,000 fans in person and millions more watching nationally.

Snoop Dogg’s Biggest Sports & Entertainment Hosting Moments

• Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (2022) — Performed alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent in a set hailed as one of the NFL’s most memorable shows.
• WrestleMania 32 (2016) — Took the mic at AT&T Stadium, performed live, and was inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame celebrity wing.
• NBA All-Star Weekend Appearances — Provided live performances and fan engagement at multiple NBA events, bringing music to the heart of the sport.
• NHL Stadium Series & Charity Games — Delivered high-energy sets at major hockey events, blending his West Coast style with global sports culture.
• American Song Contest (2022) — Co-hosted NBC’s music competition with Kelly Clarkson, showcasing his live-event charisma.

For Snoop, it will be his first-ever performance at the MCG and his highest-profile Australian sporting event appearance to date. The West Coast rap legend, who rose to fame on Dr. Dre’s 1992 album "The Chronic" before releasing his multi-platinum debut "Doggystyle," has delivered three decades of chart-topping tracks, including “Gin and Juice,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Young, Wild & Free.”

“It’s an absolute honor to be hitting the stage at the AFL Grand Final — it’s one of the biggest events on the Aussie calendar,” Snoop said in a statement released by the league. “Can’t wait to bring the energy and celebrate with the fans. Let’s make it unforgettable.”

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said the addition of Snoop reflects the league’s push to make Grand Final day a cultural event as well as a sporting one. “Snoop Dogg is a pioneer, a performer, and a true entertainer,” Dillon said. “He’s played to packed stadiums around the world — but we think 100,000 fans at the MCG might just be his most iconic crowd yet.”

The AFL has a recent track record of bringing in global headliners for Grand Final entertainment, including Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, and The Killers. This year’s show will again be produced by the Mushroom Group, whose CEO Matt Gudinski promised “an unforgettable spectacle” and hinted at more Australian artists joining the bill.

Snoop’s relationship with Australia has had its twists. In 2007, he was denied a visa over past convictions in the United States, but the ban was lifted in 2008, allowing him to tour the country multiple times since. His most recent visit was part of a sold-out 2023 arena run.

Telstra executive Brent Smart said the company is “thrilled” to host the pre-game entertainment for the fifth straight year. “We’re passionate about delivering unforgettable experiences for fans. We’re confident Snoop Dogg will make this year’s celebration one to remember.”

The pre-game show will take place roughly an hour before the 2:30 p.m. bounce, following the traditional motorcade of coaches and players from the competing teams. Additional performers for the 2025 AFL Grand Final are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.