Roddy Ricch Pulls Out Of VMA Performance

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Roddy Ricch and J Balvin won't be performing at the 2020 VMAs.

It's been a massive year for Roddy Ricch. Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial, his major-label debut album, has been going crazy, especially off of the strength of "The Box" -- the longest-running #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year. On top of that, he won his first Grammy and recently revealed that his sophomore album is complete, though no release date has been set.

While Roddy Ricch is inarguably the hottest newcomer this year, it only made sense that he graced the stage at the VMAs. And while he was confirmed to be part of the artist line-up for the 2020 award show, it turns out that he's decided against it. According to Variety, the Video Music Awards have confirmed that both Roddy Ricch and J. Balvin have pulled out of the performer line-up. They didn't necessarily specify why but it seems incredibly likely that it has to do with growing concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

"Unfortunately, J Balvin and Roddy Ricch are no longer performing,” a source close to the show said. “As with every awards show, there are always last-minute talent changes. That said, this year has more logistical hurdles than most and the health and safety of our employees and partners is of the utmost importance.”

The VMAs were forced to reroute their plans due to the coronavirus. Instead of hosting the event at the Barclay's Center, MTV will host the VMAs at iconic locations across New York City -- a city that's been devastated by the coronavirus. It was recently reported that performers and celebrities attending the award show will be able to bypass the 14-day quarantine rule imposed on travelers coming into the city. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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