Kendrick Lamar was the king of the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, winning six awards on a night full of emotional performances, political moments and a new, eye-popping Taylor Swift music video.
Lamar's "Humble" won video of the year, best hip-hop video, direction, cinematography, art direction and visual effects on Sunday at the Forum in Inglewood, California, The Associated Press reported.
He gave an explosive performance of "Humble" and "DNA," backed by ninjas dancing near fire. But another rapper had the night's most memorable and touching performance.
Logic performed his inspirational song "1-800-273-8255," named after the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. He was joined onstage with suicide attempt survivors as well as singers Alessia Cara (best dance video winner) and Khalid (best new artist winner). Lyrics from Logic's song include: "I don't wanna be alive/I just wanna die today" and "I want you to be alive/You don't got to die today."
Kesha introduced the performance and also offered words of encouragement: "As long as you don't give up on yourself, light will break through the darkness."
Oscar winner Jared Leto, who is also the frontman of rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, remembered Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, who hanged himself in July. Leto also mentioned Chris Cornell, who hanged himself in May.
"I think about his band, who were really his brothers and I remember his voice," Leto said of Bennington. "That voice will live forever."
"Hear me now, you are not alone. There is always a way forward. Reach out. Share your thoughts. Do not give up," Leto added.
Lamar's performance kicked off the three-hour show — hosted by a forgettable Katy Perry — followed by the premiere of Swift's video for "Look What You Made Me Do," which featured the singer dressed like a zombie in one scene and surrounded by slithering snakes in another.
The video for the track, rumored to be a diss toward Kanye West, also featured Swift in a tub of diamonds, a cat mask, and a car that crashed (she was holding a Grammy). The clip ended with a dozen of Swifts — in memorable outfits she's worn in the past — portraying how the singer felt the media has portrayed her throughout the years.
Swift and Zayn, who didn't attend the show, won best collaboration for "I Don't Wanna Live Forever." Jack Antonoff and Sam Dew, who wrote the song with Swift, accepted the award.
Ed Sheeran performed his hit, "Shape of You," and was later joined by Lil Uzi Vert. Sheeran won artist of the year, a new award established after MTV eliminated gender categories like best male and female video.
Fifth Harmony, who lost a group member last year and released their first album as a foursome last week, won best pop video for "Down." Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane of the group were in tears as they accepted the award alongside Normani Kordei and Lauren Jauregui.
"This is honestly so unreal. Thank you to God and thank you to our families," Jane said.
Fifth Harmony started their performance standing on high platforms to sing "Angel," then falling backward like superheroes. Then followed it with the upbeat "Down," taking a break from singing to perform some intense choreography. Later, water rained on the four girls, who dropped their microphones at the end of the performance.
Lorde, who had the flu, danced throughout the performance of "Homemade Dynamite" instead of singing it, wearing a tin foil half dress, pants and sneakers.
Lamar's win for video of the year beat videos by Bruno Mars, DJ Khaled, the Weeknd and Cara. "Despacito," which was snubbed in the video of the year category, lost the only award it was nominated for: song of summer. Lil Uzi Vert's Top 10 hit, "XO Tour Life," won the prize.
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's international hit is the most viewed video on YouTube and currently No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. MTV said Universal Music Latin Entertainment didn't submit the video, while the record label said they weren't asked to send in the clip.
Miley Cyrus, Shawn Mendes and 30 Seconds to Mars also performed. Rod Stewart, DNCE and Demi Lovato sang remotely from Las Vegas.
Here's the winners list:
Video of the year: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar
Artist of the year: Ed Sheeran
Collaboration: "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," Zayn & Taylor Swift
Pop: "Down," Fifth Harmony feat. Gucci Mane
Hip hop: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar
Dance: "Stay," Alessia Cara & Zedd
Rock: "Heavydirtysoul," Twenty One Pilots
Fight against the system: "Black SpiderMan," Logic feat. Damian Lemar Hudson; "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)," The Hamilton Mixtape; "Light," Big Sean; "Scars to Your Beautiful," Alessia Cara; "Stand Up/Stand N Rock #NoDAPL," Taboo feat. Shailene Woodley; "Surefire," John Legend.
Song of summer: "XO Tour Llif3," Lil Uzi Vert
New artist: Khalid
Art direction: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar (Production Designer: Spencer Graves)
Choreography: "Fade," Kanye West (Choreographers: Jae Blaze, Guapo, Matthew Pasterisa, Teyana Taylor & Derek Watkins)
Cinematography: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar (Cinematographer: Scott Cunningham)
Direction: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar (Directors: Dave Meyers, The Little Homies)
Editing: "Wyclef Jean," Young Thug (Editors: Ryan Staake, Eric Degliomini)
Visual effects: "HUMBLE." Kendrick Lamar (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)