New York rapper Busta Rhymes is known for many things. He’s one of hip-hop’s greatest visual artists and has an ability to deliver one of the fastest rap verses ever.Last night, Busta – real name Trevor Smith – was honoured at the MTV EMAs 2024 here in Manchester with the Global Icon award. In a ten-minute speech, the musician spoke of how his idol LL Cool J inspired him and encouraged his fans to ‘be the perfection you’re supposed to be’.
But not many might not have known during the ceremony that it was not the first time Busta, known for hits including Break Ya Neck, Gimme Some More, and Turn It Up/Fire It Up, had been up north and, in fact, also has links to this part of the world.
During an interview with GQ magazine four years ago, the 54-year-old revealed how he had spent part of his childhood in Lancashire and spent ‘two summers’ with his Aunt Velma at her house in Morecambe in the early 1980s.
“One summer when we went down there I was 12, my brother was eight, so my aunt made sure that we actually went to school in England,” he told the publication. “Regular school and then we went to karate school too.”
Attending Skerton Community High School, Busta also spoke to BBC Radio 1Xtra last year about his time in Morecambe and said it was one of the first times he saw people from different ethnicities mix together.
He told the radio stationT: “hey’d never seen a white and a black person go together until I came here. When I was 11 years old that’s the first time I saw that in my life.”
Asked if it had been something that he experienced solely in Lancashire, Busta, who also attended breakdancing classes in the town, added: “In Lancashire, in Morecambe, in Preston, in Blackpool.”
Whilst walking the red carpet for the MTV EMAs 2024 at Co-op Live on Sunday night (November 11), Busta spoke more about his time in Morecambe – and also found time to pay homage to one unlikely comedy hero.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “At those times, Boy George was cool, Wham! was cool, the shag haircut that’s low up-top and thick in the back, that used to be cool. The British guy that used to be the superstar back in our days was Benny Hill. Benny Hill was our favourite back then, to this day, I don’t think anybody is as funny or as charismatic as Benny Hill.”
During the awards show, Busta also delivered a career-spanning performance featuring a medley of hits including Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Scenario, and Look at Me Now. Upon accepting his Global Icon award, he also noted how it had been the first award he had received from MTV in his 34-year music career.
He told the Manchester crowd: “Thirty-four years of professionally recording, this is the first time I’m getting an award from MTV. And it feels ******* incredible, yo.”
The MTV EMAs also saw the likes of Raye, Taylor Swift, Benson Boone and Sabrina Carpenter pick up prizes, whilst performances on the night also came from Pet Shop Boys, Teddy Swims, Shawn Mendes and Le Sserafim.
About The Author
