Busta Rhymes Gives Heartfelt Speech At Carnegie Hall

The iconic Busta Rhymes performed at the Carnegie Hall Presents Power Network: A Black History Month Conversation and Concert on Monday, Feb. 27 with the hosts of the hit podcast and web series “Earn Your Leisure,” Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.

Also in attendance was host ED Lover, the welcome provider Rev. Al Sharpton and the music maestro, DJ Clark Kent.

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The speakers, dropping knowledge for the audience to take back to their communities, were Robert F. Smith, Dr. Paul Judge, Derek Ferguson, Yvette Badu-Nimako, Lisa Francoeur, Ibrahim Sagna and Kim Keenan, all there to give “world-class business insight, electrifying musical performances, and the power of community-minded ethos.”

Check out some of the jewels dropped.

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After they gave their presentations, Busta took to the stage with his partner Spliff Starr dipped in tuxedos.

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He paused at a certain point to acknowledge what a big deal performing at Carnegie Hall, remembering how his mother used to take him to school, but before they would leave allowed him to watch cartoons.

“While she was making breakfast, I used to see ‘Transformers and Voltron,’” he shared with the sold-out audience, noting the shows would come on between 6:30 and 8:00 am.

“So, names like Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Soundwave [I would hear]. It was interesting when I went to the corner store to get my Charleston Chews … I would see brothers on the corner and they would have names like Lord Victorious and Supreme justice … Peace to the Gods!”

He continued, “The point that I’m trying to make is that I learned a lot tonight while in my dressing room looking at the TV monitors and watching these incredible gentlemen speak.”

“Interestingly, what I learned today they don’t teach at school. Same way I learned from these brothers that stood on the corner … like how much is the earth weighs … how far the was each planet from the sun … what’s the total square mileage of the planet … the original man is the Maker, the Owner, the Cream of the Planet Earth, the God of the Universe.”

“So, to come from those humble beginnings, I was being taught like this from dudes that looked like the ones would racially profile. I was taught by these brothers to believe that I was made in the likeness of God and I believe this so much I claim that divine that everything that I wanted after I would just claim.”

“32 years later by professional recording career on stage at Carnegie Hall,” he continued. “Leading up to this moment, I had two tear-jerking moments. I cried a lot. They were tears of joy. I am so happy to be here.”

He said the moment was especially special to his mother because when he was 17 in 1989, she was the one to sign his deal for him.