At the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, rapper Papoose offered a powerful tribute to Busta Rhymes, the night’s Rock The Bells Visionary Award recipient.
Standing alongside boxing champion Claressa Shields on the red carpet, Papoose framed Busta not only as a groundbreaking artist but also as a spiritual symbol of completeness in hip-hop culture.
“Man, what, Busta Rhymes means to hip hop. Busta Rhymes means be different. Be yourself, be outgoing. Continue to elevate. Busta Rhymes has no ceilings. Busta Rhymes teaches, Busta Rhymes has had knowledge itself since we can remember. So the answer to that question, what he means to hip hop is, he means everything as a whole,” Papoose told journalist Torae, underscoring Busta’s fearless individuality and relentless innovation.
For Papoose, Busta’s legacy extends beyond music charts and accolades. He positioned the veteran rapper as a mentor figure, one who pushes boundaries while staying rooted in authenticity. Busta, he said, represents the essence of hip-hop: self-expression without compromise and constant evolution without losing integrity.
Papoose then drew on the language of the Five Percent Nation to describe Busta’s influence, invoking the concept of the cipher. “
You got to remember, it’s a cipher. We all started out a cipher. So a cipher is 120 degrees of knowledge, 120 degrees of wisdom, 120 degrees of understanding. Then you got a complete cipher, which is 360 degrees. That’s what Busta Rhymes represents. Knowledge itself and a full, complete cipher,” he explained.
By equating Busta to a “complete cipher,” Papoose highlighted him as a symbol of balance—melding artistry, intellect, and community.
The metaphor also connected to the night’s imagery, as Busta walked the red carpet with his children. “Everything is as you can see, he’s walking the carpet with his children, his cipher is complete. He means everything,” Papoose added.
The comments framed Busta Rhymes as far more than an award recipient. For Papoose, he embodies the totality of hip-hop itself—creativity, knowledge, and generational legacy.
His remarks capture why Busta remains an enduring figure, not only for his trailblazing sound and iconic performances, but also for his role as a cultural elder, ensuring the spirit of hip-hop remains intact.