Common Addressed Ferguson Onstage At The VMAs

"I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike Brown and for peace in this country and the world."

With the events in Ferguson, Mo., looming over the festivities, Common addressed the elephant in the room at the 2014 MTV VMAs. Here are his comments in full, made before presenting the award for Best Hip-hop Video:

MTV.

"For the past two weeks, the eyes of the nation have been on Ferguson, Mo. The people in Ferguson, in St. Louis, and in communities across the country have used their voice for justice and change, to let everyone know that each and every one of our lives matters. Hip-hop has always been about truth and it’s been a powerful instrument of social change from Melle Mel to Public Enemy to Kendrick Lamar, hip-hop has always presented a voice for the revolution. I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike Brown and for peace in this country and the world."

Here's a PSA on Ferguson that aired in commercial breaks during the broadcast.

MTV.