Eminem will return to the VMAs stage to open the show on Wednesday night, MTV announced early Monday morning.
The artist, who is tied with Peter Gabriel for the most wins by a solo male artist in VMA history, will return to the show’s stage for the first time since 2022, when he performed with Snoop Dogg, and last opened the show in 2010 with a duet on his hit “Love the Way You Lie” with Rihanna.
His eight nominations this year include “Video of the Year,” “Best Hip-Hop,” “Song of the Summer,” and “VMAs Most Iconic Performance” for his legendary 2000 medley of “Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am,” which included a procession of 100+ look-alikes dressed as him.
He joins a lineup that includes Anitta, Karol G, LL Cool J, Shawn Mendes, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, GloRilla, Camila Cabello, Rauw Alejandro, Benson Boone, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz and Blackpink’s Lisa.
The show takes place live on Wednesday, September 11th at 8 p.m. ET/PT from New York’s UBS Arena.
The VMAs had been scheduled for Sept. 10; now that that has been confirmed as the date for the first debate of election cycle between Harris and Donald Trump, MTV has moved its signature awards show back by one night, to Sept. 11.
Taylor Swift leads VMA nominees with 10, followed by Post Malone with nine (most of those for his duet with Swift, “Fortnight”). Carpenter is tied with Ariana Grande and Eminem with six nominations each. Following behind with multiple nods are Megan Thee Stallion and SZA (five each), and Lisa, Olivia Rodrigo and Teddy Swims (four each).
