Which special award did Busta Rhymes receive at the 2025 VMAs?

Busta Rhymes received the Rock the Bells Visionary Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.

The honor was one of two special awards introduced for the 2025 ceremony, alongside the Latin Icon Award. Rock the Bells, the hip-hop culture platform founded by LL Cool J, presented its inaugural Visionary Award to recognize Busta Rhymes’ long influence on rap, performance and visual culture.

Busta Rhymes has been a major MTV presence since the 1990s, both as a solo artist and as a member of Leaders of the New School. His energetic videos, rapid-fire delivery and theatrical style helped make him one of hip-hop’s most recognizable performers. LL Cool J presented the award during the ceremony at UBS Arena in New York.

A common mix-up is the Video Vanguard Award, another major VMA honor. In 2025, that award went to Mariah Carey, while Busta Rhymes received the distinct Rock the Bells Visionary Award.