Busta Rhymes To Receive Inaugural MTV VMA Rock The Bells Visionary Award

EXCLUSIVE: Hip-hop icon, rapper and actor Busta Rhymes, whom MTV has called “one of hip-hop’s greatest visual artists”, will receive the inaugural MTV VMA, Rock the Bells Visionary Award. The award, which will celebrate his “boundary-breaking cultural impact and indomitable musical career,” will be presented to Rhymes during the 2025 VMAs on Sunday, Sept. 7. Rhymes also will perform live during the telecast.

Rhymes has sold 20 million albums worldwide, received seven Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, 12 Grammy Award nominations and has a catalog with over 60 million records certified gold and platinum. He was also the Global Icon honoree at the 2024 MTV “EMAs.”

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The rapper first appeared on the VMAs in 1997, and has since performed numerous times, including a show-stopping medley of greatest hits to close the 2021 show.

Hosted by LL Cool J, the VMAs will air live from New York’s UBS Arena Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on CBS for the first time, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Lady Gaga leads the 2025 field with a dozen noms, followed by Bruno Mars with 11 and Kendrick Lamar with 10. They’re the only performers in the double digits, and this marks the third year that Gaga has led all nominees.

Rosé and Sabrina Carpenter are next with eight each, followed by Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (seven), Billie Eilish (six) and Charli xcx (five), Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and Tate McRae have four each

The 2025 VMAs are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Bruce Gillmer, Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic, and Barb Bialkowski are executive producers. Alicia Portugal is co-executive producer. Jackie Barba is executive in charge of production. Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella is executive in charge of music talent.