12 Videos That Explain Why Kanye West Won MTV's Video Vanguard Award

FUSE TV - 12 Videos That Explain Why Kanye West Won MTV's Video Vanguard Award

When Kanye West takes the stage to accept his Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday, it’ll be as an artist who has been notoriously shut out when it comes to actually winning. Three Video of the Year nominations, no wins. Nine Best Hip-Hop Video nods (10 if you count in supporting roles), zero victories. A singular win for Best Male Video in 2005 with “Jesus Walks,” but five losses in the category, too.

Those facts should surprise quite a few; after all, West is known for creating some of the quintessential clips of the past decade. He’s entertained. He’s shocked. He’s warned us about potential epileptic seizures triggered by watching his videos. He’s one of the few artists today where a new video is still a moment, an event, something that’s sure to get people talking no matter where it ranks in his overall career arsenal.

Now in his 12th year of releasing music videos (2003-2015, with 2014 the only holdout), we’ve ranked the 12 videos that best encapsulate why Kanye West is getting this award, joining artists like BeyonceThe Rolling Stones and even his frequent collaborator, Hype Williams. Many of them are also among his best, and all are certainly the types of clips many artists would kill to get their hands on. Bow in the presence of greatness.

Video Games-Rated MA

24m

Video Games-Rated MA

That Environmental Ish

20m

That Environmental Ish

That Medieval Ish

20m

That Medieval Ish

That Gaelic Ish

20m

That Gaelic Ish

That DIY Ish

20m

That DIY Ish

That Sideshow Ish

20m

That Sideshow Ish

That Competition Ish

20m

That Competition Ish

That Dog Ish

20m

That Dog Ish

She Did That

1h 7m

She Did That

Why This Show Exists?

8m

Why This Show Exists?

That White People Shit

That White People Shit

That Hi-Octane Ish

20m

That Hi-Octane Ish

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

2m

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

That White People Shit - Trailer

1m

That White People Shit - Trailer

That Farm To Table Ish

20m

That Farm To Table Ish

I Can Smell That Smell

46m

I Can Smell That Smell

Why Is He Blowing Me Kisses?

21m

Why Is He Blowing Me Kisses?

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

5m

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

That White People Shit: Quarantine Edition

22m

That White People Shit: Quarantine Edition

That Back To The Future Ish

20m

That Back To The Future Ish

A Glove That Fits Like a Dress

41m

A Glove That Fits Like a Dress

We All Have That One Family Member...

3m

We All Have That One Family Member...

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

1m

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

3m

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

41m

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

12 Greatest Divas of Pop

41m

12 Greatest Divas of Pop

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

3m

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

3m

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

Get A Taste of G Fella's Style with His Gangster Music Video

4m

Get A Taste of G Fella's Style with His Gangster Music Video

Missy Elliott: The Icon (Extended Interview)

11m

Missy Elliott: The Icon (Extended Interview)

Evidence's Vinyl Collection

11m

Evidence's Vinyl Collection

The Hottest Music x Sneaker Collabs of 2016

2m

The Hottest Music x Sneaker Collabs of 2016

Inside UBIQ Sneaker Store

5m

Inside UBIQ Sneaker Store

Juneteenth Honors 2023

1h 37m

Juneteenth Honors 2023

The Power of Weed

41m

The Power of Weed

Shake Out

21m

Shake Out

Welcome To Hollywood

21m

Welcome To Hollywood

Rebooty Call

20m

Rebooty Call

Ecuador, Buenos Aires, Peru

21m

Ecuador, Buenos Aires, Peru

Iggy Azalea Learns A Magic Trick

2m

Iggy Azalea Learns A Magic Trick

SofÍa Reyes and Arianny Celeste

19m

SofÍa Reyes and Arianny Celeste

Leaning On Lena

20m

Leaning On Lena

Sweet Like Kuki

20m

Sweet Like Kuki

Lecrae

20m

Lecrae

Dade County Debauchery: TS Madison

20m

Dade County Debauchery: TS Madison

Meet The Family

21m

Meet The Family

Cardi B and Offset Are Now Parasite B

1m

Cardi B and Offset Are Now Parasite B

Adrenalina High

23m

Adrenalina High

The Read - Trailer

57s

The Read - Trailer

They Done Gave Us a TV Show

20m

They Done Gave Us a TV Show

Ann-Marie Hoang

20m

Ann-Marie Hoang

Work Hard, Play Hard

20m

Work Hard, Play Hard

Will Devon Deliver & Prove Everyone Wrong?

3m

Will Devon Deliver & Prove Everyone Wrong?

Fuse+ is the Home for Big Freedia Means Business, Sex Sells, Made From Scratch & More!

30s

Fuse+ is the Home for Big Freedia Means Business, Sex Sells, Made From Scratch & More!

A$AP Ferg Learns A Magic Trick

4m

A$AP Ferg Learns A Magic Trick

T-Pain Talks Developing His Unique Style While Cooking With His Mom

12m

T-Pain Talks Developing His Unique Style While Cooking With His Mom