During Monday night's MTV Video Music Awards, Jennifer Lopez accepted the 2018 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, a prize given to powerhouses in music, and especially in music videos. In past years, the prizes have been given to stars like Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Kanye West. Lopez accepted her speech after giving her first VMAs performance since 2001. She was also nominated for two other awards for her single "Dinero." Read the full transcript of her speech below: "I'm not gonna take too much time. You know, I grew up on MTV. This is really like, a tremendous honor for me. It has been an incredible journey of dreaming my wildest dreams, and then kind of watching them come true. Music, acting, performing, this career has always been kind of an obsession for me. When people have said, you know 'You're doing too much. You can only do one thing.' I always had it in my mind, I was always a person who was like, 'Why not? Why not?' So, I kind of had to to force my own path, make my own rules. And I was obsessed like that I liked it that way for a while. Just working and working and working. But it wasn't until I had two little angels come into my life, that everything changed. You know, I knew I had to be better. I knew I had to go higher, I knew I had to be stronger than I had been before. It was through that unconditional love that my career, that my whole life became clearer in every way. And now, today, I stand here stronger and better than ever. So thank you, Max and and Emme. There is so much more to do, and I know in my heart that the future is even brighter than anything I could have accomplished up to now because of you. There's so many people I gotta thank. For the last 20 years, my core people have been with me. These past few decades. My lovers, my dreamers, my friends, my family, who helped me to never lose focus. You have to stay focused. I have to say I love you, and I thank you, to Benny Medina. For 20 years! 20 years! Of fighting for me, and loving me. And believing in me. Every day since the day I played you that rickety demo of the first song I ever wrote. It would be not here if it wasn't for you. Elaine Goldsmith Thomas, my three-eyed crow, my touchstone, my twin. You lift me up every day. I never want to imagine this journey without you. You are priceless to me. I want to thank Tommy Mottola, and Corey Rooney. They taught me what it is to be an artist, to be a musician, what it is to be in a studio, to give everything that you have to music. I want to thank you for your love and support and even to this day, you are writing me today, both of you, you will never be forgotten to me. Thank you to everyone I work with, Kevin Huvane, Debbie, Tiana, Tabitha, Napoleon, Kyle, Kimbers, Kevin, Tiesley, Stevie, Macky, Beezy, my glam fam, Rob, Mariel, Scott, Chris, Tom. Jimmy, Tara, Natalie, all my dancers, my band, my whole crew backstage. Bruce, all of you. And to my girls, Anna, Lauren, Leah, Jay Ray, all of you. Thank you for this moment, MTV. And thank you, Bruce Gillmer, for believing in me. I went to give a quick shout out to the directors who helped me to make all these videos. Francis Lawrence, are you out there? Stand up, Francis Lawrence. There you are. Dave Meyers, I know are you out there, too, Dave. Paul Hunter, Jessy Terrero, Joseph Camp, and so many others, thank you for your artistry, and collaboration. Thank you for listening to a little girl who had crazy ideas. There is my mother, Lupe, the original dancing queen. Anybody who knows Lupe knows that that's where I get my skill from. My father, my rock, daddy, David. My sisters, Linda and Leslie, for their unending love and support. And Alex. You are like my twin soul. We are like mirror images of each other. My life is sweeter and better with you in it because tou make me realize that every day, the sky is not the limit. The universe is infinite, and so is what we can accomplish together, with love and trust and understanding. There so much more to do and to experience, and there is nobody I would rather do it with, baby. You are my macho, and I love you. And a special thank you to the fans, oh my God. You have touched my heart and my soul, and become a part of me. Loyalty is everything to me. Anybody who knows me knows that, you have won me over forever, thank you, I love you." This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>Jennifer Lopez had quite the night on Monday as she performed and received the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs in New York City. The multitalented artist was honored for her 20-year career of top hits and iconic music videos, and for her epic performance, which included a medley of "Waiting For Tonight," "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and "On the Floor," the brunette stunner delivered jaw-dropping fashion moments with multiple outfits changes. Because every single one was so good -- and we don't expect anything less from the superstar -- we're breaking down all of her show-stopping ensembles by none other than Versace, from her red carpet arrival to the custom pieces she shook her famous booty in. Feast your eyes on all the glamour ahead! First, Lopez graced the pink carpet in a sultry, sparkly, one-shoulder silver chainmail gown accented with Swarovski crystal mesh (with a high slit, obvi), finished off with matching clutch, platform sandals, Tiffany & Co. jewelry and long straight tresses. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images The time has come! Her highly anticipated performance started off with "Waiting For Tonight" in a glitzy gold plunging bondage-style strappy bodysuit adorned with Medusa medallion. It was topped off with an opulent floor-length chiffon cape rendered in Versace's signature pillow talk print, featuring mythical Greek statues, Barocco motifs and printed feline figures, encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic She then switched the floaty regal piece for an oversize white faux-fur coat with pillow talk lining as she sang the 2002 hit "All I Have," reminiscent of the wintery scene in the music video featuring LL Cool J. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Lopez concluded the performance with "Jenny From the Block", "I'm Real" remix with Ja Rule and her latest single "Dinero" in an embellished cropped track jacket and pants made with Swarovski crystals layered over the bodysuit. Noam Galai/WireImage She accepted the Video Vanguard Award sans jacket and gave a heartfelt speech in which she thanked her kids and boyfriend Alex Rodriguez. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for MTV J.Lo ended the night in a breathtaking beaded strapless bustier belted number with a dramatic high-low layered laser-cut plexiglass skirt as she took home the award for best collaboration with Cardi B and DJ Khaled on "Dinero." She accessorized with matching ankle boots and a large statement bucket belt. Kevin Mazur/WireImage For the after-party at Beauty & Essex, the star sported pillow talk printed leggings and matching silk shirt cinched with a black leather belt. Getty Images See Lopez rock thigh-high denim boots: Jennifer Lopez Rocks Over-the-Top Thigh-High Denim Boots This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page. RELATED CONTENT: All the Times Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Melted Our Hearts at 2018 MTV VMAs Jennifer Lopez Thanks Twins & Alex Rodriguez in Touching MTV VMAs Video Vanguard Speech Jennifer Lopez Puts on Epic Performance With Ja Rule & DJ Khaled Before Accepting MTV Video Vanguard Award<doc-sep>
Armed with an arsenal of hits, performative swagger, and show-stopping dance moves that have become synonymous with her multi-hyphenate career, pop icon Jennifer Lopez took the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards by storm with an electrifying — and golden — set during Monday night’s ceremony. Taking the VMAs stage at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall for the first time since 2001 for a fierce, elaborately choreographed set, Lopez blazed through a powerhouse medley of standout tunes from her robust discography, including old classics “Get Right” and “My Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” as well as new hits “Ain’t Your Momma” and “Booty.” In a mash-up reminiscent of her Vegas residency, her subway car performance for “Jenny From the Block” was also part of this 10-minute medley. Accompanied by a cadre of shimmering, sexy backup dancers, Lopez stayed true to her roots as a Fly Girl, making ample time to dance across the stage. Ever the collaborator, she brought out two surprise guests. Rapper Ja Rule appeared on stage to perform their 2001 hit “I’m Real,” while DJ Khaled joined to close out the medley with their newest single “Dinero.” Following the highly-anticipated performance, Shawn Mendes presented 49-year-old with this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, noting Lopez is a trailblazer, as the first Latino artist and seventh women to receive the show’s highest honor since the prize’s 1984 inauguration. “I grew up on MTV, and this is really like a tremendous honor for me,” Lopez said during her acceptance speech. “It has been an incredible journey of dreaming my wildest dreams and then kind of watching them come true.” 2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Show Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images One of Hollywood’s leading triple-threat performers, Lopez called her career an “obsession” and thought “why not?” whenever questioned about her workload. Then came along her two children with Marc Anthony, Max and Emme in 2008. “It was through that unconditional love that my career, my whole life became clearer,” she said. “Today I stand here stronger, better than ever.” Past recipients of the Vanguard Award include David Bowie, Kanye West, Tom Petty, and the accolade’s titular pop superstar (named for him in 1991). Madonna became the first woman to claim the prize in 1986, followed by Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Pink in subsequent years. RELATED VIDEO: VMAs by the Numbers Ahead of notching four No. 1 singles and several high-profile videos to her belt, Lopez first transitioned from acting to music with the release of her triple-platinum debut album On the 6 in 1999. She has since released eight full-length LPs, which have sold a combined 80 million worldwide units in addition to multiple theatrical successes with global box office grosses exceeding $2.9 billion. “Dinero,” reportedly lifted from an upcoming Spanish-language album, dropped earlier this year, peaking at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 before scoring two nods at the 2018 MTV VMAs. Lopez’s next big-screen effort Second Act (which she also produced) hits theaters on Nov. 21. “I go back to my neighborhood at times, I still have friends who live there and people my mom hangs out with, I know that slice of life so well. It’s not something I’ve become disconnected from,” Lopez previously told EW of her humble roots, which laid the foundation for her pop cultural domination later in life. “I feel no matter how much I travel and where I go, I always feel so connected to the working class I grew up in with my mom and my dad. It so affected me to see my dad working nights for 20 years… I think that’s why I work so many jobs, still. I feel like a working woman, a working girl. That’s who I am.”