(Busta Rhymes)Hi, thank you. (interviewer, on right) It's a very exciting night. (Busta Rhymes) It's a
dream come true night for me. (interviewer) Is it?
(Busta Rhymes) Absolutely. (interviewer) Tell me about that. (Busta Rhymes) First and foremost, this is my
first Kennedy Center Honors. I can't even
explain…the fulfillment…that I'm having
in meeting some of my superheroes. Some
of them, the last time I've saw, I've seen
them was when they were on TV when I was
about 10, 11, 12 years old. I just met the
incredible Lynda Carter. I mean I used to
have a crush on that incredibly
beautiful woman, incredibly [emphasized] talented
woman. I just met one of my all-time
musical heroes, Herbie Hancock. (Um) when I
started with my first group 26 years ago,
Leaders of the New School,
we released a 12-inch single, and on the
B side of the single was a song called
“Teacher, Don’t Teach Us Nonsense,” and one of
the samples that we used came from a
original recording from Herbie Hancock.
So, to finally be able to meet that man
for the first time, knowin’ that he gave
us his blessing to be able to use his
music 26 years ago when I was just
starting, and that was the beginning to a
legacy that I've been able to create 26
years later. And then finally meet that
man right at the entrance of the red
carpet, be able to shake his hand and
give him a hug, and share that experience
at that moment with him. It was almost a
tearjerker moment for me. So, I can't even
really explain…
the feeling that I'm havin’ and how
overwhelmed I am with just excitement
and enthusiasm for just bein’ able to be
a part of such an extravaganza this
evening. (interviewer) Well, I know you're gonna enjoy the
show. It's been an incredible line, it's
like a lotta roads converging, and a lotta
people who've influenced you.
(Busta Rhymes) Absolutely. I'm a huge fan of Norman Lear. (Ah)…
Good Times and The Jeffersons and… The
Bunkers, and just, just, just…
(Ah) that's my era. That's what I grew up on.
That's, those were the, the, the shows
that shaped, you know, my, my perspective on a
lot of things. Even the more difficult
things that, you know, were kinda the things
that we didn't really want to have as
conversation and an open and honest
dialogue, and I wasn't really allowed to
engage in that kinda dialogue ‘cause at my
age, I was a little young boy. But, in any
event, seeing greats like him, seein’
Stevie Wonder, seeing Dave Chappelle, just
wanderin’ around, seein’ the incredible
DMC right here, the incredible Z-Trip.
These are my big brothers. And it's like,
you know, bein’ here to see LL too, by
the way, which is not only the most
appropriate representative and upholder
of the moral fiber and integrity of our
culture called hip-hop music and hip-hop
period. It's, it's almost like the most,
it's the most incredible thing to
actually see that [emphasized] he was the one that
was chosen to be the first…
representative of our culture to be
honored. I really, really am happy and
proud that the Kennedy Center chose him,
‘cause there's a million people that
coulda been chosen that may not have
been the proper representation as the
first one to be honored to represent our
culture with the, the careful selection of
how they hand-picked—it bein’ the 79 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:37,18 0 incredible LL Cool J—is another very
fulfilling moment for me. So, this whole
experience so far—and I have not made it
past you bein’ my first interview—is
already been dream come true. If I wasn't
able to experience another second, which
fortunately I'm gonna experience the
entire moment, I was, I was, I was in, I’m
on, I'm on cloud nine right now.
(interviewer) You're very kind, and we're so happy for
you and, and for everything that's
happening tonight that's made you so
proud. (Busta Rhymes) Thank you so much, and I’m glad that
you were here to capture the moment the
way it's supposed to be captured. You
look stunning by the way. (interviewer) Well, that's very
kind of you. Thank you so much. (Busta Rhymes and interviewer overlapped) Thank you. It was (interviewer continuing)
very nice to meet you. (Busta Rhymes) God bless. (interviewer) Enjoy the show. God bless.
(Busta Rhymes) Have a good evening.
(interviewer) You too. [music]