Jennifer Lopez to Receive Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at 2018 MTV VMAs

Jennifer Lopez has been announced as the latest artist to be honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, with the award going to a musician who has achieved a “remarkable body of work” throughout their career.

Speaking to MTV’s Sway Calloway, Lopez shared that she didn’t expect to receive the honor, though it shouldn’t come as a surprise given all the World of Dance judge has accomplished throughout her 20 years in the industry.

“I never thought about it, to be honest,” she said. “You don’t think about that at all in the beginning — you’re just thinking, ‘I’m happy I’m here! Maybe I’ll win tonight!’ It’s a crazy thing.”

Lopez has previously won two VMAs — her video for “Waiting for Tonight” was crowned Best Dance Video in 2000 and “I’m Real” won Best Hip-Hop Video in 2002. This year, the 49-year-old is nominated twice, with her song “Dinero” featuring Cardi B and DJ Khaled up for Best Collaboration and Best Latin.

MTV’s website shares that Lopez will also perform live at this year’s show, which will take place on Monday, August 20.

Lopez will be the first Latin artist to be honored with the award, which she noted was “overwhelming.”

“That’s always an amazing thing because you want everybody to know that they have a fair shot at anything in this life,” she said. “If I could be the first to do anything, it’s not about me, it’s about everybody else, it’s about them.”

After the news was announced, Lopez took to Twitter to share that she was “so excited” and “so grateful.”

Previous winners have included P!nk, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Justin Timberlake. The Vanguard Award was first awarded to David Bowie, The Beatles and Richard Lester in 1984 and was renamed in honor of Michael Jackson in 1991. The King of Pop received the honor in 1988.

As for who Lopez thinks should receive the honor next, she had a few names in mind for Calloway, including Missy Elliot and Lady Gaga.

“Missy’s a great one, ’cause her videos were always so cutting-edge,” she said. “Yes, her and Gaga I think would be good ones.”

The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on August 20 at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Fans can vote for their favorite artists now at mtv.com.vma.

Photo Credit: Getty / Christopher Polk