LL Cool J leads Def Jam Salute at the 2024 VMAs

Rap icon LL Cool J took the MTV Video Music Awards stage for the first time in nearly 30 years on Wednesday night (September 11) to lead a tribute to legendary record label Def Jam, which (like the VMAs themselves) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

LL was introduced by fellow hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes, who called him a “true trailblazer… and also my hero. He's not just a hip-hop innovator, he's not just a godfather, a big buddy and a mentor – he was the first artist to release an album on Def Jam and a force to be reckoned with.” (Busta also mentioned LL's new album The powerand shouted: “I am proud to say that I am also on this album, Baby!!“)

Joined by DJ Z-Trip, LL began his performance with the first verse and chorus of his 2004 hit “Headsprung” as hordes of fans flanked the stage wearing his iconic red Kangol hat – some of them holding up pictures of goats, in reference to LL popularizing the term “GOAT” (referring to “the greatest of all time”) with his 2000 album of the same name.

Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy then took over briefly with a performance of their group's 1988 classic “Bring the Noise” before Z-Trip played a series of top-notch LL classics: “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Rock the Bells,” “Around the Way Girl” and “Goin' Back to Cali.”

From there, the rapper moved on to “Passion,” his new The power album – and paused to shout to someone in the crowd, “That’s a nice green shirt” – and the pre-release single “Proclivities,” which also features Saweetie and interpolates LL’s 1990 hit “Jingling Baby.” Finally, LL moved from “Proclivities” to his R-rated Mr Smith hit “Doin' It,” which he performed during his last appearance on the VMA stage in 1996.

LL Cool J is a two-time winner of the MTV Video Music Awards: “Mama Said Knock You Out” won Best Rap Video in 1991 and in 1997 he became the first rapper to take home the Video Vanguard Award.