Purple Scorching Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith Honors Taylor Hawkins at VMAs

Chad Smith paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins throughout Purple Scorching Chili Peppers’ look on the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.

The Chili Peppers had been given this yr’s World Icon Award, an honor which was bestowed on Foo Fighters in the course of the 2021 ceremony. As Purple Scorching Chili Peppers tore by way of a pair of songs — current single “Black Summer time” and basic hit “Can’t Cease” — Smith carried out on a drum equipment that featured Hawkins’ distinctive hawk emblem, together with “Taylor” on the bass drum.

As Smith took the mic for his portion of the band’s acceptance speech, he once more paid tribute to his departed buddy.

“There’s one other musical icon — international icon — and his identify is my brother Taylor Hawkins,” Smith declared. “And I wanna dedicate this to Taylor and his household. I like them, and I miss him on daily basis. Fly on, Hawk.”

Hawkins was discovered lifeless on March 25 previous to the Foo Fighters’ scheduled efficiency in Bogota, Colombia. Smith has honored his the late-musician on a number of events since then, together with throughout his speech when the Purple Scorching Chili Peppers acquired their star of the Hollywood Stroll of Fame.

Smith was additionally concerned in a controversial report from Rolling Stone that alleged Hawkins had been “exhausted” by the Foo Fighters’ schedule. The Chili Peppers drummer was quoted within the story, saying that Hawkins “had an actual essential heart-to-heart with Dave [Grohl] and the administration.” Smith later expressed remorse over his involvement within the piece. “I used to be requested by Rolling Stone to speak about Taylor for a tribute article and I actually didn’t count on it to be a bit about his final days,” the drummer defined by way of assertion. “Had I recognized that, I by no means would have talked to the journal, and I apologize for any ache my participation within the article might have precipitated his household and his musical mates. I miss him on daily basis.”

Two star-studded tribute live shows are set to honor Hawkins. The primary will happen Sept. 3 in London, whereas the second is scheduled for Sept. 27 in Los Angeles. Smith is among the many artists taking part within the LA present.