Wayne Brady remembers Takeoff at the American Music Awards. Image Source US Weekly 

Wayne Brady remembers Takeoff at the American Music Awards.

Wayne Brady who hosted the 50th Annual American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on November 20, 2022, remembered the recently deceased Migos rapper Takeoff.

Takeoff passed away on November 1, 2022, after being fatally shot at 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston, Texas, after an argument broke out and shots were fired. Takeoff’s uncle and fellow Migos rapper Quavo were also present during the incident, but he was unharmed. He was 28 years old, and Wayne Brady paid a special tribute to the late rapper after a commercial break.

Wayne stated that the industry recently lost Takeoff, real name Kirsnick Khari Ball, one amongst the pioneering hip-hop group Migos, and that he thanks Takeoff for his artistic expression on behest of everybody who appreciates hip-hop all over the world, and that every person remembers him tonight.

The American Music Awards 2022 host stated that people must put an end to these meaningless and truly awful mass shootings and expressed his thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Tinashe spoke with Entertainment Tonight ahead of the ceremony about how Takeoff's music and style influenced her generation. Tinashe said that she thinks that Takeoff is such an amazing talent, and he is going to go down in history as somebody who set the bar high for the rappers who would follow.

Tinashe also added that Migos is such a legendary group, and she is honestly very sad about the entire situation and how it played out. She added that she genuinely feels that Takeoff’s absence will be like missing one of the generational figures, mentioning that Takeoff went away too soon.

Later in the show, P!nk paid tribute to a late star, Olivia Newton-John, by performing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in her honor. Newton-John died of breast cancer in August at the age of 73. Ahead of her performance, P!nk told ET that Olivia Newton-John was an absolute icon and a wonderful human being too.

P!nk went on to say that she loved her voice and that her daughter had just actually completed performing "Grease" in a theatrical production in her school, and she had assisted her to learn the song. Olivia Newton-John received ten AMAs during her career and hosted the 1976 ceremony.

Olivia Newton-John's husband shared the news of her death by saying that their love for each other transcends their comprehension and that they express their gratitude every day for the love that could be so deep, so real, so natural that they never had to work on it. John Easterling mentioned that they were in awe of this great mystery and accepted the experience of their love as past, present, and forever. Even now, as her soul soars, the pain and holes in his heart are healed with the joy of her love and the light that shines forward.

Pink performed her latest track "Never Gonna Not Dance Again" on rollerblades earlier in the show. Lionel Richie, the 2022 AMA Icon Award recipient, was recognized by Stevie Wonder, Charlie Puth, and Ari Lennox.

Dove Cameron addressed the LGBTQ+ fans and the Colorado Nightclub tragedy during her acceptance speech for New Artist of the Year. She stated that she wishes to begin by stating that any award she receives will be dedicated first and foremost to the queer community at large.

Dove added that the fans have created such a safe space for her to be herself and create songs about it and that she has never felt safer, more adored, or more supported, and she sincerely hopes that her music can give them some of that same feeling.Dove then addressed the shooting, saying that in the aftermath of the tragedy at Club Q in Colorado Springs, she wishes to remind everybody how essential queer visibility is and how significant the society is. The singer asked fans to consider donating to LGBTQ-focused charities, asserting that she would like to direct everyone's attention to organizations such as GLAAD and the Trevor Project for what they can do right now.