The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards got a pleasant surprise when Busta Rhymes put on a live set that took fans on a trip down memory lane. After an introduction by Swizz Beatz, Busta—clad in a red and white outfit—went through a quick medley of his biggest hits and guest appearances, beginning with the instrumental to his classic 1997 single, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.”
With longtime friend and hypeman Spliff Star by his side, the Brooklyn rep followed up with M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” remix, before bringing the heat with his verse from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario.” Next up was his 2006 single, “Touch It,” his rapid-fire verse on Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” and his 2002 runaway hit, “Pass the Courvoisier.” Busta held it down for his home borough of Brooklyn as he put forth one of the most memorable and riveting performances of the night.
In 2020, Busta released Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, a sequel to his multi-platinum 1998 release, E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. His first album since 2009’s Back on My B.S. and ninth overall, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God
debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 38,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week.