Maggie, busking is about playing music , you are judged purely on the merits of how you are on the day , the most honest of performing, you are not judged on a reputation built partly by self promotional bullshit,or as jim said
" the cult of the personality", all that personality cult stuff belong to and emanates from the pop music scene
in my experience when at you are busking you are giving people pleasure by making music, cheering people up, ,fairly important at the moment