Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith honors the late Taylor Hawkins at MTV VMAs
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The Red Hot Chili Peppers honored a rock legend as they accepted the Global Icon Award at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.
"There's another musical icon, a global icon, and his name is my brother Taylor Hawkins," drummer Chad Smith said during his remarks. "And I want to dedicate this to Taylor and his family. I love him. And I miss him every day. Fly on, Hawk. Fly on, brother."
Hawkins, the longtime drummer for the Foo Fighters, died in March at the age of 50. Last year, the Foo Fighters were honored with the Global Icon Award, which celebrates an artist or band whose career, impact, and influence have left an indelible mark on the music landscape.
Jeff Kravitz/Getty Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith accepts the Global Icon Award at the 2022 MTV VMAs
RHCP bassist Flea expanded on Smith's theme of love during his portion of the group's acceptance speech, sharing his feelings for his bandmates, his family, and the audience. But he didn't stop there.
"I love cockroaches and dirt and trees and every human being and the f---ing ocean and the fish in it and deer and deer antlers and birds and sky and love," Flea said. "And everything that isn't love is cowardice."
Lead singer Anthony Kiedis also spread his gratitude far and wide.
"I did want to thank the sassy mistress known as MTV for supporting us for a thousand years or more," he said. "I also wanted to thank planet Earth and the people of planet Earth for listening and caring and paying attention to what we do. It's a blessing."
He also thanked his bandmates Flea, Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante for giving him purpose in his life for the past 40 years: "I would've been a free-floating disaster in space if not for these boys."
Prior to receiving their award, the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed a pair of songs, kicking off with "Black Summer" from 2022's Unlimited Love album before moving into their 2003 hit "Can't Stop" from By the Way.
Previous winners of the Global Icon Award include Janet Jackson, U2, Green Day, and Eminem.
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