Entertainment

Was Kanye's VMA Award Narrator An A-List Star?

by Rachel Simon

When it was first announced that Kanye West would receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMA Awards, most people's reaction was something like this: this is gonna be good. After all, it's Kanye West we're talking about, a guy known for spontaneous speeches, groundbreaking performances, and sometimes ill-advised walks onto another person's stage — he doesn't do things lightly. So it was no surprise that, at the 2015 VMAs, West's award acceptance came not just with a speech (albeit a very memorable speech — #KanyeForPres!) but with a long video introduction that featured narration of West's life and accomplishments. But who narrated Kanye's VMA video? It has to be a brave soul who took on a challenge like that.

The person responsible for the video's narration has not been officially named, but according to Twitter, the most likely culprit is none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Yes, that Samuel L. Jackson. If true, it'd make perfect sense — Jackson is an actor who appears basically everywhere, and is friends with seemingly every celeb. West is one of the biggest stars on the planet, and the video was going to be seen by millions. It's only logical that Jackson would help West out by providing his iconic voice to the video.

Jackson — or whoever the narrator was — spoke about West's career during the lengthy video, specifically about the ambition, passion, and energy that goes into his work. He also, of course, spoke about West's tendency to speak his mind, saying, "If his honesty creates chaos, it doesn't make him wrong. It makes him a person." A few minutes later, VMA viewers would see this firsthand, as West gave a long, spontaneous-seeming speech that discussed everything from Taylor Swift to his daughter North to his future run for president (yes, he's serious). It says a lot about West that possibly getting an A-list actor like Jackson to narrate his video is the least surprising part of his time at the VMAs — and it's why we love him so.