Jamaican artistes take stage at BET Awards during Busta Rhymes’ tribute

Jamaica’s culture was showcased at the 2023 BET Awards on Sunday when popular Dancehall artistes Spice, Dexta Daps, Skillibeng, and Cutty Ranks performed during Busta Rhymes’ tribute

BET organizers honored Busta Rhymes, born Trevor George Smith Jr, for his contributions to music and black culture over the years

Last Friday, BET revealed that the 51-yearold rapper would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors industry pioneers who have profoundly influenced culture and the entertainment business

Busta Rhymes who is of Jamaican parentage, paid homage to his dancehall culture when recording artistes Dexta Daps, Spice, Skillibeng, and Cutty Ranks each took the stage with him

The audience got a taste of Jamaica’s culture from Dexta Daps’ “Shabba Madda Pot”,

The honorees were chosen from hundreds of nominations at a meeting conducted on June 16, 2023, and validated by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors on June 21, 2023, according to the selection panel’s announcement “The committee did an amazing job choosing these very talented people We can’t wait to see each honoree’s reaction as they realize that they are becoming a part of Hollywood’s history with the unveiling of their star on the world’s most famous walkway,” Ellen K said

The proud Jamaican actress is included in the television category of honorees who are now known as the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2024 Her compatriots in that category are Ken

Jeong, Eugene Levy, Mario Lopez, Jim Nantz, Michael Schur, Kerry Washington, and Raúl De Molina and Lili Estefan, co-hosts of the television show El Gordo y La Flaca

The motion pictures category comprises Chadwick Boseman (posthumous), Kevin Feige, Gal Gadot, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chris Meledandri, Chris Pine, Christina Ricci, and Michelle Yeoh

In the category recognizing musical recordings are Glen Ballard, Toni Braxton, Def Leppard, Charles Fox, Sammy Hagar, Brandy Norwood, Darius Rucker, Gwen Stefani, and Andre “Dr Dre” Young

Other honorees are Jane Krakowski and Otis Redding (posthumous) in the category of live theatre/live performance; Angie Martinez, radio; and Billie Jean King and Carl Weathers in the sports entertainment category

This will not be the first time Ralph is recognized for her work as the Emmy-winning actress was among 143 Jamaicans highlighted at Jamaica’s National Awards ceremony late last year

She was invested with the Order of Jamaica, the nation’s fifth-highest honor, for her contribution to the international film industry

Other awardees included five-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Culture, Entertainment, Sports, and Gender Minister, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange; the late business stalwart and founder of the Jamaica Money Market Brokers Ltd (JMMB), Joan Duncan; and renowned Jamaican jazz pianist, Monty Alexander and Spice’s “So Mi Like It”, to Skillibeng’s “Whap Whap” and CuttyRanks’ “A Who Seh Me Dun (Wait Deh Man)

Swizz Beatz presented Busta Rhymes with the Lifetime Achievement Award, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest MCs, having had seven Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits

“Alright, imma wear it on my sleeve I do wanna cry,” Rhymes started his speech, as his eyes started to water He talked about his six children, being kicked out from his hip hop group Leaders of the New School, and learning how to rebuild by going into studios, sharing a cigar with whoever was in the studio, and “quickly whipping up a 16 bar verse By default, I pioneered the feature,” he said

The 2023 BET Awards which recognized black media and creatives in the various fields of music, film, and sports was held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California