The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards (colloquially referred to as the VMAs) took place on August 28, 2003. Beyoncé and Jay-Z performed “Crazy in Love,” which was the hit of the summer. Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas, and 50 Cent also took the stage. But there was one performance that cemented its place in pop culture history: Madonna, alongside Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, whose performance is remembered less for the songs sung (by the way, that was “Like a Virgin,” “Hollywood,” and “Work It” with Missy Elliott) and more for the kiss. You know, that kiss. People reports that it was kept such a tightly guarded secret that Madonna had everyone clear out Radio City Music Hall during their rehearsals so no one would know that the surprise moment was about to happen—and after it did, it was all anyone could talk about.
