Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicate MTV Global Icon VMA to Taylor Hawkins
Funk rock masters Red Hot Chili Peppers were awarded the Global Icon award at the MTV VMAs last night (August 28th). However, the night’s highlight came when the California quartet dedicated their win to the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the ceremony was co-hosted by LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow. Red Hot Chili Peppers performed their new cut ‘Black Summer’ and fan favourite ‘Can’t Stop’ before they accepted the coveted award, and as drummer Chad Smith took control of the microphone, he paid tribute to the former Foo Fighters legend.
Hawkins tragically passed away in March this year, when Foo Fighters were on tour in Bogota, Colombia, aged 50. The Dave Grohl-fronted band are holding two all-star memorial shows in London and Los Angeles next month in his honour.
At the VMAs, Chad Smith said: “There’s another musical icon, global icon, and his name is my brother Taylor Hawkins. I want to dedicate this to Taylor and his family and I miss him every day and fly on Hawk, fly on brother.”
Elsewhere in the acceptance speech, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis thanked his bandmates, Smith, John Frusciante and Flea, for their positive impact on his life.
On the night, Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X and Kendrick Lamar led the individual number of nominations with seven each. Closely following them were Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six a piece and Taylor Swift with five.
Harlow began proceedings with a performance of ‘First Class’ alongside Black Eyed Peas legend Fergie, whilst Lizzo caught everyone’s attention performing her new cut ‘2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)’. The other stand-out performance of the evening came courtesy of rap icons Snoop Dogg and Eminem, who delivered a metaverse-inspired rendition of ‘From The D 2 The LBC’.
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