Snoop Dogg Hosts VMAs as Ceremony Returns to Los Angeles

Snoop Dogg hosted the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards at Los Angeles’s Peacock Theater on September 27, opening the ceremony with jokes about Madonna and a story about how he was asked to host in his hometown. The show marked the VMAs’ return to Los Angeles for the first time since 2017. After praising Madonna’s performance, Snoop joked in his opening monologue that she “ain’t a virgin no more.” He also recounted that he initially asked whether the awards would be held in Los Angeles and said he was busy when told they would not. In his account, organizers later called back to say the ceremony would be in Los Angeles. Snoop then promised a party in his city. His account linked his hosting discussions with the ceremony’s location, but the available reporting does not establish whether his request caused or influenced the decision to bring the VMAs back to Los Angeles. The show’s return followed a period in which it had been held on the East Coast, according to reports about the ceremony’s history. The ceremony included several performances and presentations.