Beyonce to perform, receive honor at MTV Video Music Awards

Beyoncé is the latest to join the lineup of performers for the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, the network announced early Thursday morning.

The pop diva – she has a leading eight nominations this year -- will also be rewarded with the night’s highest honor, the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

She joins a list of iconic acts who have received the lifetime achievement honor, including Madonna, Beastie Boys, U2, George Michael and Janet Jackson. The award was named for Janet’s late brother Michael (the award was renamed in his honor in 1991).

Beyoncé’s history with MTV is extensive, with the superstar routinely using the VMA stage for some of her most career-defining performances. She hung from the ceiling for her first showing as a solo act in 2003 and caused Internet hysteria when she revealed she was pregnant at the end of her 2011 performance of “Love On Top.”

So what will she do this year to mark her big honor?

Last year’s honoree Justin Timberlake breezed through a nearly 15-minute retrospective of hits and reunited with ‘N Sync. But Beyoncé already revisited her catalog, and reunited with the group that launched her, Destiny’s Child, during her 2013 Super Bowl gig.

With nods being spread among numerous hits from her provocative visual album -- which she released without warning late last year – it’s likely that she will mine the project for a medley or introduce a new single from the effort. Having spent the summer on the road with husband Jay Z for their On the Run tour in the midst of breakup rumors, maybe she will use the VMA stage to address the nonstop chatter. May we suggest she tackle her slowburner “Mine,” one of the album’s most revealing tracks?

Beyoncé’s seductive duet with husband Jay Z, “Drunk in Love,” is up for several awards, including the night’s top prize, video of the year, as well as in the network’s collaboration field. She also received multiple nominations for brazen sex jam “Partition” and empowerment anthem “Pretty Hurts.”

The 2014 VMAs will air live on Aug. 24 from the Forum in Inglewood. The ceremony will be the first awards show to broadcast from the Forum since it reopened earlier this year after a $100-million makeover by Madison Square Garden Co.

Usher, Ariana Grande, 5 Seconds of Summer and Maroon 5 have all been confirmed to perform, with additional performers and presenters to be announced at a later date.

Online fan voting for the awards is now open and public tickets to the awards are on sale through Ticketmaster.

Twitter: @GerrickKennedy