VMAs: Busta Rhymes Honors Late MTV VJ Ananda Lewis During Award Speech

Busta Rhymesis paying respect to a trailblazer.

During the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. on September 7, the 53-year-old recipient of the inaugural MTV Rock the Bells Visionary Award paid tribute to the late MTV VJ Ananda Lewis, who passed away in June after a long fight against breast cancer. He made sure to acknowledge her.

During his acceptance speech, Rhymes (also known as Trevor George Smith Jr.) expressed gratitude towards the remarkable woman who showed immense love towards him and the rest of us when we joined MTV in the ’90s. This extraordinary woman not only loved me but also us, and she cherished the culture, giving us a boost.

He expressed, “I adore her deeply. I yearn for her profoundly. The exceptional, remarkable, regal empress Ananda Lewis, may she rest in peace.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to express my respect to the family of the former Total Request Live host. Specifically, I want to show appreciation to her mother, father, and sister, Lakshmi.

During the event, similar to Ricky Martin (the Latin Icon Award winner) who had performed a mix of his popular tunes earlier, also took the time to acknowledge and show appreciation for the host of the ceremony, LL Cool J, as well.

He expressed his gratitude, stating, ‘You’ve always been my role model.’ This exceptional individual is among my main sources of inspiration. He was the catalyst for me starting to write poetry.

Beyond just the individuals who supported him during his musical journey, the artist behind “Break Ya Neck” also showed affection towards his loved ones, specifically his family.

He expressed his gratitude towards his mother and father. ‘Rest in peace, Dad,’ he said. He also praised greatly and acknowledged the supremacy of the Almighty. Lastly, he thanked his lovely children.

After expressing his gratitude, Rhymes concluded with a joyful exclamation, saying, “The good fortune keeps coming, so neither will we, my dear!

Read on for more celebs who showed up and showed out at the 2025 MTV VMAs.

He expressed his gratitude towards his mother and father, saying ‘thank you’. He also paid tribute to his late father, ‘Rest in peace, Dad.’ He praised greatly and highly to the Almighty, ‘All praises due to the most high.’ And he did not forget to thank his dear children.

In conclusion, after expressing his gratitude, Rhymes exclaimed exuberantly, “There’s no end to the blessings, so we keep going, darling!

Read on for more celebs who showed up and showed out at the 2025 MTV VMAs.