Busta Rhymes to Receive First MTV VMAs Rock The Bells Visionary Award

Woo Hah! Busta Rhymes is set to achieve another milestone. The hip hop legend will make one of his biggest moves as he receives the Rock the Bells Visionary Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards! The inaugural award celebrates Busta’s significant contributions to music and culture. These include 20 million album sales, and a catalog with over 60 million records certified gold and platinum. The New York City native will also perform during the ceremony, marking his continued presence on the VMAs stage.

Busta Rhymes Was Always a force to Be Reckoned With

Widely known for his rapid-fire rhyming, intricate flows, and distinctive style, Busta first honed his skills in 1986. These skills were first showcased as a founding member of the hip hop group Leaders of the New School. Along with Busta, the group consisted of Bryan “Charlie Brown” Higgins, James “Dinco D” Jackson, and Sheldon “Cut Monitor Milo” Scott.  Even with his group-mates, Busta knew that he was destined for greatness.

The group gained national attention after being selected as the opening act for pioneering hip hop group Public Enemy. It was during that time that P.E’s front-man Chuck D gave Busta his stage name inspired by NFL wide receiver George “Buster” Rhymes. The group’s debut album, A Future Without a Past, was released in 1991, followed by their final album, T.I.M.E., in 1993. He gained significant exposure through a guest appearance on A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 hit single “Scenario“. A rousing performance of the song on the Arsenio Hall Show, scored Busta his first solo deal with Elektra Records.

Busta Rhymes’ Star Quality Was Inevitable

After Leaders of the New School disbanded, Busta launched an extremely successful solo career in 1995. His debut solo album, The Coming, was released in 1996 and featured the hit single “Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check”. The single helped the album reach platinum status. His subsequent albums, When Disaster Strikes (1997) and Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front(1998), were also million-selling successes. The latter received three Grammy nominations.

Busta Rhymes: Four Decades of Hip-Hop Power and 12 Grammy Nominations Without a Win

To date, Busta has received a total of 12 Grammy Award nominations throughout his career. Surprisingly, this made him one of the most-nominated artists without a single win. Although he has been associated with various record labels throughout his career, Busta is the founder of the Conglomerate label. Formerly known as Flipmode, the label also featured his hip hop collective, Flipmode Squad.

With a career that spans over four decades, Busta Rhymes is still active in music. Ultimately, he has proven his undeniable star quality and power. The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards takes place on Sunday, September 7, at the UBS Arena in New York.