Mariah Carey received a heartfelt dedication from longtime friend and collaborator Busta Rhymes at this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year charity gala.
On Friday night (January 30), as part of this year’s Grammy Weekend, Carey’s extraordinary legacy was honored at the annual event. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the singer was celebrated by many of her friends and peers, including the likes of John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Foo Fighters, Teddy Swims, Billy Porter, Jermaine Dupri and more.
Busta Rhymes, Spliff Starr and R&B vocalist Chanté Moore performed a tribute to Carey, taking to the stage to deliver a rendition of her and Busta’s "I Know What You Want" collaboration. Before that, though, Busta said a few words about Carey and shared that he had a crush on her years before meeting her.
"I love you so much. I’m super grateful for you," Busta said. "I’m grateful for our friendship. I’m grateful for those off-the-record conversations when it has nothing to do with music. Those friendship conversations."
Busta added that the five-time Grammy winner replies to his text messages "all the time." "I love whenever I need you, even when it’s not the most convenient, you pull up for Busta Rhymes," he said. "And there was a time that I would look at you on Video Music Box, before I ever had an opportunity to make music, and I was like, 'I might have a crush on her.'"
Video Music Box is a music video program that has aired exclusively in New York since the early 1980s. In 1990, Carey released her debut self-titled album.
"And then fast-forward, we have shared moments where we can actually say it’s forever documented and etched in stone for eternity," Busta concluded.
Busta’s crush on Mariah was made apparent last September when he asked for permission to hump her leg during a 2025 VMAs afterparty.
"You ain't got no husband no more, ain't no fiancé's around. Let me hump on your leg like an old nasty dog," he said in the clip below.