Fans of the late Kobe Bryant were left outraged when the former National Basketball Association (NBA) player was seemingly excluded from the In Memoriam segment at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.
While Travis Barker’s introduction mentioned late rappers like Juice Wrld and Pop Smoke and noted that the segment would honour “other brilliant artists we lost,” not everyone included in the tribute was primarily associated with music – such as film actor, Chadwick Boseman.
After the segment aired, disgruntled fans of Kobe took to social media to slam organizers for overlooking the sportsman – who was a member of rap group CHEIZAW in the ’90s and featured solo on tracks by Brian McKnight and Destiny’s Child – during the tribute.
“Well hell if y’all gone show Chadwick show Kobe too. Kobe did music too. #VMAs,” tweeted one fan. Another posted: “Who at the #VMAs forgot to include Kobe Bryant in the In Memoriam section?!?”
Well hell if yall gone show Chadwick show Kobe too. Kobe did music too. #VMAs
— Jerome (@jeromebiggs404) August 31, 2020
Pointing out Boseman’s inclusion, as well as that of late Glee actress, Naya Rivera, meant the In Memoriam tribute wasn’t just for straight musicians, they continued: “You added Naya and Chadwick, you weren’t sticking to just music.”
Another viewer wrote: “How DARE you guys Not pay tribute to KOBE BRYANT!!!! He is an Academy Award winner and Legend!!! And you choose to leave him out of your 2020 tribute! #BoycottVMAs #VMAs.”
@MTV @vmas
How DARE you guys Not pay tribute to KOBE BRYANT!!!! He is an Academy Award winner and Legend!!! And you choose to leave him out of your 2020 tribute! #BoycottVMAs #VMAs— Ucrbutterfly (@ucrbutterfly11) August 31, 2020
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