The power or pyro. The first two performers during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards flashed flames to help ignite their performances. Ed Sheeran who turned heads by bringing his “Shape of You” video co-star Jenny Pegouskie as his date on the VMA Red Carpet was second up to bat on the night. On stage, him, his band and backup singers had the crowd singing along as small clouds of fire kept jumping behind them. Extra ammunition came in form of his labelmate Lil Uzi Vert. Uz, wearing his hair all black, kicked a verse to his own smash record.

“C’mon, c’mon be my baby,” Uzi rapped, kicking off his rhyme. Sheeran returned the favor, singing the hook from Uzi’s hit “XO Tour “Llif3.”

“I don’t really care if you cry./ On the real you should’ve never lied./Should’ve saw the way she looked me in my eyes./She said baby I am not afraid to, die,” the singer crooned.

The Philadelphia rap star joined in with his fan favorite melancholy word. “Push me to the edge./ All my friends are dead,/ Push me to the edge./ All my friends are dead.”

Before the pairing of the hitmakers, Kendrick Lamar literally had the show lit. The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards got off to a combustible commencement with arguably the hottest MC on the planet, “Kung Fu Kenny” himself, performing Damn‘s two chart toppers “DNA.” and “HUMBLE.”

Kendrick, crouched down on stage wearing his all red karate warfare gear, sprung up and sprung into action with piercing words. Later in his set, the theatrics played out heavy as a ninja dressed in black was engulfed in flames, mirroring a backdrop of fire behind Kendrick.

Stay tuned here for a list of tonight’s VMAs winners.