Which rap group was the first rap act to perform on the MTV VMA stage?

Run-D.M.C. was the first rap act to perform on the MTV Video Music Awards stage.

The milestone occurred at the 1987 VMAs, when Run-D.M.C. performed “Walk This Way” with Aerosmith. The collaboration brought the Queens rap trio together with the rock band whose original song they had transformed into a landmark rap-rock crossover hit.

Run-D.M.C.’s appearance represented a major change in MTV’s relationship with hip-hop. The group had already helped push rap into the mainstream through songs such as “It’s Like That,” “King of Rock,” and “Walk This Way,” while their visual style—Adidas clothing, fedoras, and streetwear—became part of their cultural impact.

People sometimes confuse this achievement with the group’s earlier MTV milestone: Run-D.M.C. were also among the first rap acts to receive major exposure on the network. The VMA claim is narrower: it concerns a live performance on the awards stage. The 1987 show was held at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.