LL Cool J announced as host of 2025 MTV Video Music Awards

LL Cool J is set to be the host of the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.

The 57-year-old rap star, who is also a nominee at this year’s ceremony, would be taking charge of the event that will be held at New York’s UBS Arena.

The hip hop hitmaker has previously co-hosted the MTV VMAs in 2022 with Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow.

LL Cool J has a very successful award history, with him bagging his first Moon Person statuette in 1991 for Best Rap Video for Mama Said Knock You Out and in 1997 he became the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award.

In 2023, he was a part of the MTV VMAs’ celebration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary, and in 2024 he aided in marking Def Jam Recording’s 40th anniversary at the awards show.

This year, his single, Murdergram Deux - which also features Eminem - has been nominated in the Best Hip Hop category.

He would be competing against Doechii’s Anxiety, Drake’s NOKIA, Eminem and Jelly Roll’s Somebody Save Me, GloRilla and Sexyy Red’s WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME and Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us.

It is also pertinent to mention that Lady Gaga is the artist with the most nominations for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, with nods in 12 categories.

Bruno Mars earned 11 nominations, whilst Kendrick Lamar gained 10.

Rosé and Sabrina Carpenter have eight nominations each, including in major categories like Best Pop and Artist of the Year.