Busta Rhymes to receive special award at MTV VMAs

Uniondale-raised rapper Busta Rhymes will receive a new award when the MTV Video Music Awards comes to the UBS Arena in Elmont next month.

The inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award will be given to Rhymes, 53, in honor of his “indomitable musical career spanning 20 million albums worldwide, 12 Grammy nominations and seven Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200,” according to VMA organizers.

Rhymes, born Trevor George Smith Jr. in Brooklyn, moved with his family to Uniondale at the age of 12 and soon became involved in Long Island’s booming hip-hop scene. (Rhymes got his stage name from Roosevelt-raised rapper Chuck D, of Public Enemy.) With his husky voice and a rhythmic style that borrowed from Jamaican dancehall, Rhymes established himself as part of the rap crew Leaders of the New School in the early 1990s, then launched a successful solo career that included such albums as 1996’s “The Coming” and 2006’s “The Big Bang,” his first to reach No. 1.

The VMAs, to be held at UBS Arena on Sept. 7 and aired live on CBS, will be hosted by LL Cool J, who is also in contention for the best hip-hop award for “Murdergram Deux,” his collaboration with Eminem. Among the artists scheduled to perform are balladeer Alex Warren, pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter, reggaeton artist J Balvin, dance-pop singer sombr and Ricky Martin, who will be honored with the Latin Icon Award. Rhymes is also scheduled to perform.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com