Busta Rhymes Sends the Grammys a Message About Dillagence II: “It Would Mean Everything”

Busta Rhymes has a message for Grammy voters, and it is about J Dilla as much as himself. In an interview published Monday (Oct. 19), Rolling Stone reports that Dillagence II has been submitted in the Best Rap Album category for the 2027 Grammys, and Busta says a nomination would be personal.

It would mean everything because neither one of us has received a Grammy. The Grammys are actually airing and being held on his birthday.

Busta Rhymes, to Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone

Nominations are announced Nov. 16, and the show is Sunday, Feb. 7, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, per the Recording Academy. Rolling Stone notes that neither Busta nor Dilla has won a Grammy despite multiple nominations. Complex counted 12 for Busta in August, when he told Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast: “If it’s going to happen, it would be no crazier time than to happen now.”

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Dillagence II arrived Aug. 25 on Busta’s Conglomerate label with Dilla credited as primary producer, a posthumous appearance by D’Angelo on “This Woman” and guests including Lauryn Hill, Common, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Anderson .Paak and Ludacris. Busta says it began in November 2025, when Dilla’s mother, Ma Dukes, called to ask for help marking the 20th anniversary of his death, and grew from a single song into an album. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis added production to “This Woman” late: “three days before the release date,” Busta says.

He is protective of the catalog he has kept since the late producer started sending him beats.

I’m very selective with who I want to put on his music because I feel a great responsibility to make sure nobody misrepresents his work.

Busta Rhymes, to Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone

Asked whether Dilla would have embraced AI, Busta declined to speculate but pointed to the producer’s habits: “Dilla was always one to utilize the tools as they advance.” He moved from the SP-1200 to the MPC, Busta noted, so “I’m pretty sure he would have continued to evolve.” As for his pitch to voters, he offered thanks in advance for “celebrating with us a moment that is purely from the most genuine place possible.” Hear the album’s first single below.

The Grammy angle is the latest turn in a run we covered at release, and it lands in a Grammy race already missing Drake, BTS and Stray Kids. The next date to watch is Nov. 16, when the nominees are announced.