Busta Rhymes took home the night’s biggest honour at the 2023 BET Awards, the Lifetime Achievement Award, handed to him by Swizz Beatz. The 12-time Grammy Award nominated rapper, producer, and pioneering hip-hop figure is widely regarded as one of the great MCs, with seven Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits to his name.

Diddy, Janet Jackson, Chuck D, Missy Elliot, Pharrell Williams, and Mariah Carey recorded a video tribute to Rhymes.

“Alright, Imma wear it on my sleeve. I do wanna cry,” Rhymes started his speech, as his eyes started to water. He talked about his six children, being kicked out from his hip-hop group Leaders of the New School, and learning how to rebuild by going into studios, sharing a cigar with whoever was in the studio, and “quickly whipping up a 16 bar verse. … By default, I pioneered the feature,” he said. “A lot of greatness from out people in our culture is by default. Because it’s just a magic we have.”

At the end of his acceptance speech, Rhymes urged the hip-hop community to “stop this narrative that we don’t love each other,” urging veteran musicians and newcomers alike to embrace one another.

An energetic tribute to Rhymes followed – the MC teamed up with Spliff Star for Ante Up Remix, Scenario, Look At Me Now and I Know What You Want.

Rhymes shifted gears to celebrate dancehall alongside Dexta Daps, who performed Shabba Madda Pot; Spice, So Mi Like It, Skillibeng, Whap Whap, and CuttyRanks’ A Who Seh Me Dun (Wait Deh Man).

Dancehall again took centrestage during the celebration of 50 years of hip-hop. Marking hip-hop’s reggae influence, Jamaica’s Doug E. Fresh and Lil ’Vicious did an a cappella version of Freaks, Mad Lion performed Take It Easy, and PATRA nailed Romantic Call.