Busta Rhymes — a Brooklyn-born hip-hop legend who moved to Uniondale at just 12 years old — was honored with a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, nearly 30 years after The Coming, his debut solo album.
Rhymes, who delivered an emotional speech during his induction ceremony, was awarded the 2,818th star and honored in the recording category. Prior to his speech, fellow hip-hop pioneers such as Public Enemy’s Chuck D, L.L. Cool J — both fellow Long Island-natives — and Brooklyn’s Big Daddy Kane took to the podium, sharing their praise for the rapper.
“When I think about Busta Rhymes: awe-inspiring power, commitment to his craft, commitment to excellence as an artist and performer… [Rhymes] was born to do something universal,” Cool J said.
In his speech, Rhymes reflected on his upbringing, and thanked the multiple people who have helped him on his journey, including Epic Records CEO Slyvia Rhone, members of his team, his parents and children. He recalled times of hustling as a young boy and getting in trouble with the law, to forming his Long Island-based Leaders of the New School hip-hop group and receiving his iconic rap name from Chuck D.
“I worked so hard and I never asked for a shortcut, I never asked for a cheat code,” Rhymes said. “I was never raised by a support system that made it seem okay to try to go around honestly earning your rite to passage… I want to thank those people.”
Rhymes closed his speech by explaining that he has three incredible things to celebrate: the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, the release of The Naked Gun movie (which he acts in), and the Bad Guys 2 movie, which he created the theme song for — all of which contribute to making him feel “born again today.”
“I feel complete today. As we completed this chapter and started giving birth to a new one,” Rhymes said. “I’m no longer Daniel-San in this shit, I’m Mr. Miyagi now.”
Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor George Smith Jr., is best known for his intricate rhyming technique with ragga-inspired lyrics and style, as well as his outlandish fashion sense depicted in his music videos. He has earned 12 Grammy nominations, sold over 20 million copies of albums worldwide and has appeared in the Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 chart seven times, according to KTLA.
“His talent and influence are undeniable,” Ana Martinez, the producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said in a statement. “His star on the Walk of Fame will stand as a testament to his lasting impact on hip-hop music and how important it is to the American culture.”
