Busta Rhymes is set to receive the BMI Icon Award at at the 2022 BMI R'n'B/Hip-Hop Awards.
The legendary rapper, who started his career as a standout member of Leaders of the New School in the early 1990s, has impacted Hip-Hop music and culture for decades. He's released 10 solo albums, including his acclaimed 1997 sophomore effort When Disaster Strikes and its 1998 follow up, Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front, which is widely considered to be among his best work and peaked at #12 on the Billboard 200.
"Being a timeless great is important," Busta told Rock The Bells ahead of his most recent album, 2020's Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God. "Because I was never taught that you can put an age or a timeline on greatness. Everything that you thought was new and fresh in Hip-Hop came from the shit we was taking away from the 60s and 70s to rhyme over! It's really contradictory when you try to say emcees are over 40 that we still can't appeal to every demo. I'm a living testament to having a 29 year professional recording career. I celebrate 25 year anniversaries, 20 year anniversaries — classics. I don't gotta be in the club when they play them shits! And the youngest demo is still bouncing off the wall to my shit. I'm a testament to that. Literally."
BMI Vice President, Creative said Busta's "legendary" career has inspired other artists.
"As one of the pioneers of hip-hop, we are excited to honour Busta Rhymes as a BMI Icon," Brewton said in a statement. "Through his award-winning solo work, countless collaborations and acting, Busta is a true innovator in every sense of the word and has made a dynamic impact on legions of fans and music creators worldwide. His quick wit and intricate rapping style have made him legendary, inspiring many young performers to follow in his footsteps. We’re also thrilled to be back in person in Miami, celebrating our top music creators behind some of today’s most-performed songs. We’re looking forward to a fantastic night of great music.”
The awards ceremony will take place in Miami on Sept. 7.
