( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Rap legend delivers a nostalgic medley and accepts the first-ever Rock the Bells Visionary Award
ENSPIRE Contributor: Sydney N. Culpepper
Photo Credit: Manny Carabel, Getty Images
Busta Rhymes lit up the stage at the 2025 Video Music Awards this past Sunday with a medley of some of his biggest hits before accepting the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award. The award, created in collaboration with LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells, is presented to artists who have made a boundary-breaking cultural impact and built indomitable music careers.
As the first-ever recipient, Rhymes was celebrated for his inventive and imaginative contributions to hip-hop. Since his first VMAs performance in 1997, he has been a fixture at the show, and this year’s performance brought a wave of energy and nostalgia. Fans erupted as he performed classics including “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and “Pass the Courvoisier Part 2.” He was joined on stage by Joyner Lucas, Papoose, and GloRilla, who helped bring the high-powered set to life.
Photo by Manny Carabel (Getty Images)
After the performance, LL Cool J presented Rhymes with the Visionary Award trophy. In his acceptance speech, Rhymes thanked LL Cool J for being his hero and biggest inspiration, saying, “The reason I wrote my first rhyme, LL Cool J.” He also expressed gratitude to his mother, late father, God, and all who supported his journey. Rhymes took a heartfelt moment to honor the late Ananda Lewis, reflecting, “I miss her very much… The late, great, incredible Ananda Lewis.”
Closing out his speech, he left the audience with a powerful reminder of his relentless drive:
“The blessings don’t stop, so we don’t stop, baby!”
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