Busta Rhymes has tipped his hat to his longtime friend and collaborator Papoose for ensuring DJ Kay Slay’s memory lives on.

On Sunday (December 31), the former Flipmode Squad members linked up on stage during a private event.

Before handing the microphone over to his fellow New Yorker to spit a few bars, Bus had some kind words for Papoose and his drive to keep the aforementioned Hip Hop legend within everyone’s line of sight.

“Papoose — one of the best fathers that I know, one of the best husbands that I know, one of the best friends that I know, one of the best storytellers that I know,” he said. “Our brother Kay Slay, may he rest in peace. He discovered Papoose and he passed away, and Papoose continues to carry the torch for our good brother Kay Slay.”

In a video post on Instagram, Papoose wrote: “At the very end of a private party Thursday night. My brothers @bustarhymes & @dingdongravers Asked me to spit a couple bars. When I first came in the game. @bustarhymes embraced me as a artist. When many others did not!!! He invited me on a record that changed my life!! Since then we became brothers.

“He is currently setting an amazing example right now. By having all of his beautiful children together. Shinning winning and being successful as a unit. It speaks volumes, & makes a statement. As far as fatherhood, unity, & growth is concerned. I will stand on the front line, with anything concerning Buss. Love you my brother! Forever in debt with you.”

DJ Kay Slay tragically passed away at the age of 55 in April 2022, but his memory continues to burn bright in the Hip Hop community — and a tribute track released a few months back is a testament to that.

In early November, 200 of the culture’s finest MCs hopped on an hour-long joint to honor his legacy. The nearly endless list of contributors included names such as Snoop Dogg, Bun B, Ice-T, Paul Wall and Raekwon, to name a few.

Whereas the video release of “Rolling Deep 200” bundles every contribution into one lengthy segment, the record drop has been chopped up into 16 cuts.

The dozens-of-rappers-on-one-song concept was something Kay Slay did repeatedly throughout his life. He went from 25 MCs in 2010 (something he actually did twice) to 50 a decade later to a mind-blowing 110 in 2021.

The new homage was released a year and a half after Kay Slay succumbed to complications stemming from COVID-19. Soon after his death, DJ Vlad expressed regret over not pushing Slay to get vaccinated, opining that it could have saved his life.

“To this day, it still bothers me,” the YouTube host said. “DJ Kay Slay, who had been my friend for like 20 years – my last text message with him, we were talking about some interview stuff. He was helping me book somebody.

“And I’m like, ‘How you been?’ He’s like, ‘I’m good, just trying to stay out of the way of this COVID thing.’ I’m like, ‘Okay! Are you vaccinated?’ He said, ‘Nah, the vaccine don’t work for the variants. I’m gonna wait until all the variants are done and I’m gonna take the vaccine then. Maybe.’”

Vlad continued: “One week later, he got COVID. Went to the hospital. He was in the hospital on life support for months; ultimately died. And it’s like, if I had said something, would it have changed? Would he have been like, ‘I respect Vlad. Let me go ahead and get vaccinated.’ That vaccine would have saved his life.”