Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin will make history at 2025 MTV VMAs. Here’s who is taking the stage

This year’s MTV Video Music Awards is shaking things up, handing out two new awards to decorated artists in the rap and Latin music genres.

Rapper Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award, the VMAs announced Monday.

The Rock the Bells Visionary Award celebrates the hip-hop star’s “boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career,” the announcement read. Rhymes, who has taken the VMAs stage various times since his first performance in 1997, will also perform during the ceremony.

Martin, whose long VMAs history began with his first performance in 1999, will also perform, and be honored for a “four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream,” according to the announcement.

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Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s MTV VMAs, so far.

When are the MTV Video Music Awards?

The 2025 VMAs will air on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern, live from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.

Who is performing at the VMAs?

Rhymes and Martin will be joined by a slew of artists confirmed to perform, including Alex Warren, J Balvin, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr.

Warren, who’s nominated for best new artist, best pop and song of the year, will take the VMA stage for the first time, performing his breakout hit, “Ordinary.” Newcomer sombr, a singer-songwriter and producer, will also be making his award show debut.

Balvin will perform “Zun Zun” with Latin singers Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and “Noventa” with producer DJ Snake.

Carpenter, who offered a debut performance at the VMAs last year, taking home song of the year, will return to perform “Manchild.”