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Rihanna to open Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards; Beyonce to perform?

By Karen Butler
Beyonce performs "Freedom" at the 16th annual BET Awards in Los Angeles on June 26, 2016. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Beyonce performs "Freedom" at the 16th annual BET Awards in Los Angeles on June 26, 2016. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Rihanna is to open the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New York Sunday night.

Later in the evening, the recording artist is to be presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vangard honor.

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Beyoncé leads the field with 11 VMA nominations, followed by Adele with eight.

Among the musicians slated to perform during the gala are Britney Spears, Future, Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and The Chainsmokers. The ceremony will not have a host, but presenters will include Naomi Campbell, Hailee Steinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kim Kardashian West, Alicia Keys, Ansel Elgort, Fifth Harmony, Jaden Smith, Tove Lo, Rita Ora, Shameik Moore and Bebe Rexha.

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MTV has not officially announced Beyoncé as a performer, however it did post on Facebook a photo of her image on the marquee outside MSG Saturday. The photo was accompanied by a lemon emoji, a nod to her blockbuster album, Lemonade, which is generating buzz that she will take the stage for a surprise show-stopper Sunday.

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