Mariah Carey is one of the R&B queens. So, it's no surprise that she was treated like absolute royalty at the 2025 MTV VMAs. The New York balladeer was not only awarded with her first-ever trophy from the cable channel, but she also earned perhaps the most prestigious piece of hardware too.
Per The Shade Room, Mariah walked away with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. This goes to the artist who's had a major impact on music videos and pop culture. It's been handed out to some other incredible acts over the years since its inception in 1984 and rework to include MJ's name in 1991.
Per ABC, many R&B and hip-hop talents have brought home this honor. Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, LL COOL J, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, and Missy Elliott are a few. Then, there's other greats like MJ, David Bowie, Katy Perry, Shakira, and etc.
While you can argue it's been a long time coming for Mariah Carey to receive her proper due, she's got it now. At the end of the day, that's what matters most. During her acceptance speech, the hitmaker explained why this Moon Person trophy means so much to her.
Mariah Carey New Album
"Music videos are my way of life, of bringing music to my own life... movies visualizing the sheer fantasy of it all. And let's be honest, sometimes there's just an excuse to put in the drama and do things I wouldn't do in real life," she joked.
She concluded, "After all this time, I've learned that music evolves, videos evolve — but the fun, that is eternal. Thank you, MTV, for playing my videos. And to our fans, the Lambily, I love you so much."
On top of receiving another honor with the Best R&B video for "Type Dangerous," Mariah Carey also put forth a showstopping performance onstage. "Sugar Sweet," "Fantasy," "Honey," and "Obsessed" and "It's Like That," were a part of her career-spanning medley.
This was also Mariah's first time at the MTV VMAs in 20 years.
Overall, this spectacular evening is just the tip of the iceberg for the powerhouse, though. On September 26, she will be returning with her sixteenth studio album, Here For It All. It's set to include 13 tracks, according to Genius.
