MTV will bestow its highest honor to hip hop artist Kanye West at the 2015 Video Music Awards, MTV announced. West will be the recipient of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award during the upcoming ceremony on Sunday, joining the ranks of pop icons Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé and Britney Spears, according to Rolling Stone. The award is reserved for artists who have made a profound contribution to pop culture through innovative music videos, live performances, art and fashion.
Yeezus was responsible for some of the most memorable past VMA performances, including his breakout performance of "Jesus Walks/All Falls Down/Through The Wire" featuring Chaka Khan, Variety reported. His other performances include 2005's "Gold Digger," 2010's "Runaway," and 2013's "Blood on the Leaves."
His antics at the VMAs have also become major pop culture moments, including his infamous interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 ceremony. Swift was in the middle of accepting her award for Best Female Video, beating out Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies," Rolling Stone reported, when West notoriously hijacked the microphone, uttered the words "I'mma let you finish," and the moment went down in pop culture history.
West is scheduled to perform and accept his award at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, which airs at 9 p.m.Sunday, Aug. 30. Miley Cyrus will host and artist the Weeknd is also scheduled to perform. Additional performers and announcers to be announced in the days leading up to the ceremony.
