NEW YORK — Two of New York’s top entertainers will take center stage at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
LL Cool J will host and perform at the March 22 ceremony, while Jennifer Lopez will be honored with the event’s icon award, organizers announced Thursday.
“It’s an honor to return to the stage as host of the iHeartRadio Music Awards and bring live music back to fans all over the world as we celebrate our favorite artists,” LL Cool J, whose real name is James Smith, said Thursday. “I have a special performance for the fans, and the show will have some great surprises throughout the night.”
LL Cool J, who was born on Bay Shore, Long Island, and grew up in Queens, is a two-time Grammy winner known for songs such as “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Going Back to Cali.”
The 54-year-old rapper and the Bronx-born Lopez collaborated on the hits ”All I Have” and “Control Yourself.”
The icon award will commemorate Lopez’s “impact on pop culture, longevity and continued relevance as a touring and radio force,” organizers said in Thursday’s announcement.
Lopez, 52, is known for songs including “Jenny from the Block,” “Let’s Get Loud” and “On the Floor.”
The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards will be the ninth edition of the annual show. The ceremony is set to take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
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