Busta Rhymes can now say that he's a proud VMA winner as of last night, September 7. The longtime New York rapper and exuberant voice achieved said accomplishment after winning the inaugural Rock The Bells Visionary Award from LL COOL J. It goes to an artist who's shifted the game in the hip-hop genre and displays terrific music video expertise.
But despite having 16 nominations and over three decades worth of experience, Busta Rhymes was not upset in the slightest. In fact, he was able to make light of it while also delivering an emotional thank you. "Y’all know I usually do these long speeches, I’m not gonna do one today. But next time y’all take 35 years to give me one of these, y’all gonna let me talk as long as I want!" he began.
Busta then showed love to LL, who not only hosted the show by himself for the first time, but who's brand is attached to this award. The "Break Ya Neck" MC expressed that his NY neighbor was "the reason I wrote my first rhyme."
Afterwards, he paid his respects to the late Ananda Lewis, a former MTV video jockey (VJ) who passed this June. She died at 52 after a lengthy bout with lung cancer, per the Grio. "I want to thank… and I think we all need to acknowledge the incredible woman that loved us very much when we came to MTV during the 90s. An incredible woman that loved me, and she loved us. She loved the culture very much. I miss her very much–the late, great, incredible, royal empress, Ananda Lewis."
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Then, after one more line of thank you's, Busta Rhymes concluded by adding, "The blessings don’t stop, so we don’t stop, baby."
Busta was also a performer during the program, putting on displays for songs like "Gimme Some More," "Touch It," and "Pass the Courvoisier."
He was one of many hip-hop winners during the award show. Doechii took home Best Hip-hop with the viral "Anxiety." Kendrick Lamar won Best Cinematography for "Not Like Us." Moreover, the former also secured Best Choreography for the same track.
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