Busta Rhymes Honored with Global Icon Award at 2024 MTV EMAs, Delivers Powerful Performance and Message

By Althea Legaspi

MANCHESTER, England — Busta Rhymes was celebrated with the prestigious Global Icon Award at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday, marking a milestone in the rapper’s legendary career. The award, which highlights an artist’s lasting impact and achievements, was presented to Rhymes at the Co-op Live arena, where he also delivered a high-energy medley of his iconic tracks.

The rapper thrilled the audience with hits spanning his decades-long career, including “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” and “Break Ya Neck.” In a tribute to his collaborations, he also performed the crowd-favorites “Scenario” with A Tribe Called Quest and “Look at Me Now” with Chris Brown.

During his acceptance speech, Rhymes reflected on the significance of the award, sharing, “Thirty-four years of professionally recording, this is the first time I’m getting an award from MTV. And it feels [expletive] incredible, yo.” Rhymes took the opportunity to thank mentors and collaborators who have supported him, including LL Cool J, Chuck D, and his mother, who he described as his “best friend and hero.”

Rhymes used the platform to share words of encouragement, challenging perceptions of perfection. “They tell us that perfection is unreachable. That is a lie,” he told the audience. “The perfection is in the imperfection. We all are the perfection of what we’re supposed to be. So be the perfection that you’re supposed to be.”

Fans have more to look forward to as Rhymes announced his upcoming album, Dragon Season, set to drop on Nov. 29. Prior to the release, he will participate in Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians live event on Nov. 22 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

This iconic night at the EMAs was a fitting tribute to Rhymes’ enduring influence on hip-hop and his powerful presence on the global music stage.

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