Rihanna Named Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award Recipient for 2016 VMAs

Rihanna will receive the highly regarded Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 28. A press release qualifies Rihanna as a recipient for her “decade-long impact on music, pop culture, fashion, film and philanthropy.”

At 28 years old, Rihanna is the youngest artist to hold 14 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Being the best-selling digital artist ever, she has sold 61 million albums and 215 million tracks. She has won eight Grammys and two VMA Music Video of the Year Awards. It’s safe to say tracks like “Umbrella,” “We Found Love” and “Diamonds” are forever ingrained into this generation.

Past recipients of the award include Beyonce, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Beastie Boys and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson.

Rihanna shared her excitement on Twitter earlier today:

Honored to take the #VMAs stage as your video #VANGUARD award recipient LIVE from NYC on August 28! pic.twitter.com/Yk0RMH2ODr

— Rihanna (@rihanna) August 11, 2016

The artist has also been nominated for four VMAs, which you can vote on here. Rihanna will perform at the event on Aug. 28, which will air live from New York’s Madison Square Garden at 9 p.m. ET.