On June 25th, 2023 a living legend in the world of Hip-Hop, Busta Rhymes, was recognized and honored by BET with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Busta Rhymes is a well documented musical artist with a track record of hit songs and features known across the globe. Some of those songs include hit songs such as “Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check”, “Put Ya Hands”, “Touch It”, “What’s It Gonna Be” featuring Janet Jackson, “Look Over Your Shoulder” featuring Kendrick Lamar and the list goes on.
First noticed for his featured contribution to A Tribe Called Quest’s hit song “Scenario” and the “Scenario (Remix)”, Busta would go on to be featured on many more hit songs and popular albums over the next three decades. Some of those memorable musical contributions being, Craig Mack’s “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)”, M.O.P.’s “Ante Up (Remix)”, Monica’s “So Gone (Remix)”, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz’ “Get Low (Remix)”, The Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha”, DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood (Remix)” and many more.
Busta Rhymes received his award with a tear filled appreciation, humility, gratitude, and awareness rarely seen and heard in the music industry today.
He gave a story of his musical history and membership with his first Hip-Hop group Leaders of the New School and went on to tell of his removal from the group and his need to provide for his new born son as a teen father. After paying homage to his children, he outlined his journey and the method of getting into studio sessions with various rappers to take advantage of the buzz that he created on the “Scenario” with A Tribe Called Quest. Busta’s hunger to provide for his young son and his resilience, after being kicked out of Leaders of the New School, paved the way for a trend he would forge in Hip-Hop known as “features”. His list of features would be both extensive and notable and most worthy of the Lifetime Achievement Award he was being presented with.
Never shy with words or his emotions, he gave a tearful thanks to his longtime friend and “hype man” Spliff Starr and his deejay, DJ Scratchator, telling them both that he “loved them” and that they were his “best friends”.
Busta also took time to mention in his acceptance speech, his appreciation for Hip-Hop artists new and vintage, the need to bridge the generational gap between the two, and the potential power and influence that such a cooperative could bring to the culture. He closed with a message of love and a call for peace in the culture, in hopes to inspire improved relations among artists and to create a more business-friendly atmosphere for Hip-Hop as a whole.
Congrats Bussa Bus! Big up bredren!
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