Earlier this summer the Hip-Hop world mourned the loss of popular MTV VJ Ananda Lewis. Alhough many Gen Zers aren’t familiar with the name, Millennials remember her fondly, and Busta Rhymes made sure to give her her flowers at last night’s (Sept. 7) MTV VMAs.
During his acceptance speech for the MTV VMA Rock The Bells Visionary Award, Busta Rhymes took the time to acknowledge Ananda Lewis’ contribution to the culture during her run at MTV. After thanking his family and friends for their support throughout his career, Busta showed love to the dearly departed Lewis.
“I want to thank — and I think we all need to acknowledge — the incredible woman that loved us very much when we came to MTV during the ’90s. An incredible woman that loved me, and she loved us, and she loved the culture. She lifted us up. I love her very much. I miss her very much. The late great, incredible royal empress, Ananda Lewis.” Going on to shout out her parents and sister, Busta ended his speech by thanking everyone for the award at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Making a name for herself as one of the best VJs at MTV during the 1990s (when MTV actually had shows centered around music videos), Ananda Lewis revealed that she was battling stage IV cancer in October of 2024. Unfortunately, the beloved MTV personality passed away in June of this year at the young age of 52.
RIP Queen.
Check out Busta Rhymes give Ananda Lewis her flowers, and let us know your favorite memory of the MTV VJ in the comments section below.
