The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are a month away, which seems like an opportune time for MTV to announce the host for this year’s ceremony. LL COOL J, who last co-hosted in 2022 with Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, is returning after performing a medley of his hits at last year’s show.
Uncle L is also one of this year’s nominees; his The FORCE single “Murdergram Deux” with Eminem is nominated for a Best Hip-Hop award, which is a great example of being an ally and giving back on Eminem’s part (do today’s MTV viewers even know who LL COOL J is?). The two hip-hop elders are competing with a field that also includes Doechii (who should win), Drake, GloRilla, Kendrick Lamar, and Travis Scott, with Em also being nominated as a soloist for “Somebody Save Me” featuring Jelly Roll.
This year’s nominees for the big award, Video Of The Year, include Ariana Grande’s “Brighter Days Ahead,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars’s “Die With a Smile,” Rosé & Bruno Mars’s “Apt.,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” and The Weeknd & Playboi Carti’s “Timeless.”
The show itself will air on Sunday, September 7 at 8 PM ET on CBS, MTV, and Paramount Plus. Fan voting is open through September 5 at 6 PM ET at vote.mtv.com.