Metro Boomin brought a who’s-who of hip-hop superstars to his performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, overseeing the proceedings from a DJ booth hovering far above the stage. First, Future appeared to perform their song “Superhero” on a mist-covered stage. Then, Swae Lee popped out to sing the Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse soundtrack standout “Calling.” He was joined in short order by Nav, then by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (whose name got mangled by announcers and presenters all night. How hard is it to say “A Boogie?”). The performance ended with a loving dedication to Metro’s mom, Leslie Wayne, who was killed last year.
Their performance closed out an eventful night that saw exuberant performances from the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Stray Kids, and more. The night also saw an reunion of sorts for NSYNC — although Megan Thee Stallion might not have been completely impressed.
However, because of the ongoing WGA strike, it was pretty clear that show didn’t have as much room for the scripted moments that have made the VMAs must-see TV in prior years. That left more room for music and awards, making the three-hour show feel much shorter than it actually was.
You can watch Metro’s performance above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
