Ananda Lewis left her mark on the entertainment world in her short time on Earth … a feat Bill Bellamy says he’s fortunate to have witnessed in person!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the tenured comedian on Thursday, just as the reality of Ananda’s death after a lengthy breast cancer battle had set in.

Ananda passed away yesterday and Bill says he always referred to Ananda as his “little sister,” but certified she had a big aura.

He even notes how they started as rivals … Bill was a rockstar MTV host at the same time Ananda’s career skyrocketed at BET as the host of “Teen Summit.”

Once Ananda joined MTV in the late ’90s, Bill says they were an unstoppable force regarding the network’s African-American coverage, interviewing the blossoming careers of the likes of Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and even politicians — Bill says Ananda was like the “Black Barbara Walters” when it came to the interviews!!!