The Red Hot Chili Peppers honored late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins during their performance at the 2022 MTV VMAs on Sunday, August 28, where they received the Global Icon Award. As the band performed two hits, drummer Chad Smith played on a kit, which had a hawk with Taylor’s first name printed across it. The tribute came months after Taylor’s unexpected death in March.
As the band gave their acceptance speeches, Chad honored Taylor, who won the same award as a member of the Foo Fighters in 2021. “There’s another musical icon, Global Icon, and his name is my brother, Taylor Hawkins, and I want to dedicate this to Taylor, and his family. I loved him, and I miss him everyday, and fly on, pop. Play on, brother,” he said.
The group were honored for their decades of rockstardom at the 2022 MTV VMAs. Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, John Frusciante, and Flea (whose real name is Michael Balzary) were given the Global Icon Award, and they celebrated by performing their classic song “Can’t Stop” after their more recent single “Black Summer.”
While the band had been announced as the recipients of the Global Icon Award to celebrate their many years as one of the biggest bands in the world, they were also nominated in the general categories for Best Rock Video (for their new song “Black Summer”) and Group of The Year. The band won/lost the two other awards.
RHCP are no strangers to the VMAs stage! While the band’s been kicking around since the VMAs began in 1984, they received their first nominations in 1990 with their breakout success “Higher Ground.” While they didn’t win in their first year, they took home three Moonmen the next time that they were nominated in 1992. Throughout their decades-spanning career, the Chili Peppers have taken home 8 VMAs (out of 30 nominations) with their most recent win being in 2006 for Best Art Direction for their song “Dani California.”
Aside from their wins, the band has also performed for the VMAs on plenty of occasions. They first got to rock the stage in 1992, when they brought tons of audience members onstage for their funky jam “Give It Away.” They’ve since followed it up with a performance of “Warped” in 1995 and “Californication” in 2000.
The Global Icon Award seems like it’s just icing on the cake for the band, as they celebrate their latest album Unlimited Love, which dropped back in April, and marked the return of longtime guitarist John Frusciante. The band has also been on a world tour all summer, which they’ll resume with a headlining gig at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Tuesday, August 30. They don’t seem like they have any plans of stopping anytime soon, as they’re also expected to release another album Return of the Dream Canteen in October.