Taylor Swift Wins Top Prize at VMAs

The incomparable career of Missy Elliott, the rapper-singer-songwriter-producer-dancer whose music videos have moved the needle over the last two decades, was honored at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. Elliott earned the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and brought her colorful, eccentric, and groundbreaking music videos to life, from "Work It" to "Lose Control," on Monday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, the AP reports. Taylor Swift kicked off the VMAs and gave a colorful performance of "You Need to Calm Down," which won video of the year, the night's top prize. Swift and a number of cast members from the video appeared onstage to accept the honor. The video for "You Need to Calm Down," a song in which Swift calls out homophobes and her own haters, featured a number of famous faces, including Ellen DeGeneres, Laverne Cox, RuPaul, and the cast of "Queer Eye."

Other impressive performers Monday included former Fifth Harmony member Normani, who won for best R&B video, and Spanish singer Rosalia, who won the best Latin and best choreography awards. Swift won three honors, tying with Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish for most wins of the night. Grande, named artist of the year, and Eilish, who won best new artist, didn't attend the VMAs. BTS also didn't attend the show, hosted by comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco, but they won two honors: best group and best K-pop. Other winners included Cardi B, who took home best hip-hop for "Money." Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus' "Old Town Road," the longest-running No. 1 song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, won song of the year and best direction. "This is my first award ever," the 20-year-old newcomer said. (Click for a full list of winners.)