Misplaced Pages

Latest revision as of 13:29, 10 January 2025

Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes performing in 2022
Born	Trevor George Smith Jr. (1972-05-20) May 20, 1972 (age 52) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Trevor Taheim Smith
Education	Uniondale High School
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter record producer actor record executive businessman
Years active	1986–present
Children	6
Relatives	Rampage (cousin)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Hempstead, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop East Coast hip hop progressive rap
Instruments	Vocals samplers drums
Discography	Albums production
Labels	Empire Conglomerate Epic Violator Republic Cash Money Young Money Universal Motown Interscope Aftermath J Elektra
Member of	Flipmode Squad
Formerly of	Leaders of the New School
Website	bustarhymesuniverse.com
Musical artist

Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. He has received 12 Grammy Award nominations for his work, making him one of the most-nominated artists without winning.

Busta Rhymes was an original member of Leaders of the New School, a group that attracted national attention when they opened on tour for Public Enemy. He gained exposure for their guest appearance on A Tribe Called Quest's track "Scenario". Shortly thereafter, Leaders of the New School broke up, leading Rhymes to become a sought after solo artist, appearing on numerous tracks for other artists before his solo debut album, The Coming (1996). The album reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 album chart, was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and earned him a Grammy nomination.

He has released eleven total solo albums, with the most recent being 2023's Blockbusta. Rhymes' list of hit singles include "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check", "It's a Party", "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See", "Dangerous", "Turn It Up" (Remix)/"Fire It Up", "Gimme Some More", "What's It Gonna Be?", "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II", "I Know What You Want" and "Touch It".

Among his other ventures, he founded the record label Conglomerate (initially Flipmode Entertainment) and the production crew The Conglomerate (formerly Flipmode Squad). About.com included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), and Steve Huey of AllMusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the 1990s. In 2012, The Source placed him on its list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. MTV has called him "one of hip-hop's greatest visual artists".

Early life

Trevor George Smith Jr. was born in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, on May 20, 1972, to Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith Sr., who both were immigrants from Jamaica. At age 12, Smith's family moved to Nassau County on Long Island, and settled in Uniondale, New York. For a short while, Smith attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn with future rappers Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School with Edward "Special Ed" Archer and Roderick "Chip Fu" Roachford of Fu-Schnickens. Smith eventually graduated from Uniondale High School in 1991.

Busta also spent time in England during the early 1980s where he resided with his maternal aunt. She lived in Morecambe, and he spent two summers there with his mother and younger brother. He went to Skerton Community High School while he was staying in the area. He told GQ in a 2020 interview, "One summer when we went down there I was 12, my brother was eight, so my aunt made sure that we actually went to school in England. Regular school and then we went to karate school too. We also were on some breakdancing that was so crazy, we ended up actually getting work to breakdance in clubs as minors. And our cousins used to run us around and they used to advertise us as TJ and Paul."

Career

1986–1995: Leaders of the New School and rising popularity

"They were performing with one mic, and it was three MCs, not four. Busta also did the beatbox. It was just ill. He was controlling the mic and certainly the star of the show. He was completely amazing."

In 1986, Smith, alongside fellow Long Island natives Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo, and Dinco D, formed the East Coast hip hop group Leaders of the New School.

Leaders of the New School released their debut album A Future Without a Past... in June 1991 on Elektra Records. Later that year, the group appeared on A Tribe Called Quest's critically acclaimed posse cut "Scenario". In 1993, they released T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye). Smith gained popularity from his advanced rhymes as well as his unique style that was not common of many New York rap artists at the time. Soon after, however, internal problems arose because of his increasing popularity, and the group broke up on the set of Yo! MTV Raps.

"I was like the first artist to really start rhyming on everyone else's record. And I was doing that because it was a quick way to feed my kid. That's what was going on until, you know, I got to a place where I felt comfortable enough with doing a solo album."

1996–1999: The Coming, When Disaster Strikes, and Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front

In 1996, Busta Rhymes release on his solo debut album The Coming. His single "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" was a success, pushing the album into gold record status. Later, he started work on his second album, When Disaster Strikes, which would not be released until September 1997.

In 1998, Busta Rhymes recorded Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front.

2000–2004: Anarchy, Genesis, and It Ain't Safe No More

In 2000, Busta Rhymes released his final album for Elektra, titled Anarchy. He released Genesis in 2001. The album featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Kelis, and others.

In 2002, Busta Rhymes released his sixth studio album It Ain't Safe No More.

2005–2009: The Big Bang and Back on My B.S.

His seventh studio album, titled The Big Bang, became the first No. 1 album of his career. The album sold over 209,000 copies in its first week to earn the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200.

It was later revealed that Busta signed a deal with Universal Motown, through which he released his eighth studio album Back on My B.S., on May 19, 2009. Due to controversial content, the United Arab Emirates has banned the album. Back on My B.S. was released internationally, but because of one song, "Arab Money", it cannot be purchased as a CD there, although the album can still be purchased via iTunes. According to the National Media Council, the lyrics were considered to be offensive to Arabs and to Islam because it quoted the Quran.

In November 2008, when "Arab Money" was released as a single, DJ Dany Neville and the Iraqi rapper The Narcicyst responded by recording a reply. Rhymes later apologized. DJs in the country said they had not received an order banning the record from being spun in nightclubs, and they had mixed feelings on whether the record was offensive or not. DJ Saif of Dubai said "I don't play 'Arab Money' because it's disrespectful Arabs. I don't think there is a ban on playing it in clubs, but many here don't play it anyway."

DJ Bliss, along with many other DJs in the UAE, refused to play "Arab Money" on Radio 1 in Dubai after it was banned in the UAE for offense to Arabs. He added, "I used to play the original version in the club, but out of respect for the laws here in my country, I haven't played it since." In 2010 the track's producer Ron Browz defended Busta Rhymes in a Dubai interview with journalist Awad Mustafa stating that the track was misunderstood. "For us, having 'Arab money' is a compliment understood like having 'Oprah money' or 'Tiger Woods money' – it's just street slang, and we were appreciating the amazing wonders that have been created here," Browz said. Browz added that he had produced the track in a moment of inspiration while experimenting in his studio. "Growing up in Harlem I was always surrounded by Arabs and Muslims, we embraced their culture and they embraced ours and we always joked with each other," he said.

2010–2020: Collaborations and Extinction Level Event 2

In September 2009, Busta Rhymes had announced that he was working on his ninth studio album, alongside Canadian producer Boi-1da, titled The Chemo. At the time, he stated that the project was 80% finished. In May 2010, Busta Rhymes had reportedly changed the title of his ninth album from The Chemo to Extinction Level Event 2, making his ninth effort a sequel to his 1998 album Extinction Level Event (Final World Front).

Busta Rhymes contributed to the 2011 Tech N9ne album All 6's and 7's, performing vocals on the single, "Worldwide Choppers", released on May 31. Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber featured Busta Rhymes on a song called "Drummer Boy" off Bieber's sophomore studio album Under the Mistletoe, released on November 1, 2011. On November 11, 2011, a Heavy D tribute song titled "You Ain't Gotta Wait Till I'm Gone" was leaked.

On November 16, 2011, it was announced that Busta Rhymes signed to Cash Money Records.

A song with Twista, titled "Can You Keep Up", was leaked. Busta Rhymes was featured on Fat Joe's single "Pride & Joy" alongside Kanye West and Jadakiss. His ninth studio album, Year of the Dragon, was released for free on Google Play on August 21, 2012. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Robin Thicke, Maino, Gucci Mane and more. He also released a music video for the track "Doin' It Again" which features Reek da Villian and includes a tribute to his manager Chris Lighty, who committed suicide in 2012.

He was later featured on YMCMB label mate Shannel's single "Last Time". In 2011, it was announced that Universal Motown was going defunct, forcing Rhymes and other artists to move to Universal Republic Records. In mid-2012, it was announced that Universal Republic Records was also going defunct, forcing artists on the roster to move to Republic Records, reviving the label.

On December 21, 2012, members of The Conglomerate Ent., Busta along with J. Doe and Reek da Villan released a mixtape titled Catastrophic, their first collective effort. Busta Rhymes collaborated with Pharrell Williams, who produced the first single off his Cash Money Records debut, "Twerk It", which was released on June 6, 2013. A video was shot in Flatbush on June 3, 2013. The official remix was released featuring Nicki Minaj. On July 23, 2014, Busta Rhymes announced that he left Cash Money Records due to creative differences and he is no longer on Republic.

He was featured on "Devil", featuring Neon Hitch and B.o.B, a song by Cash Cash. It was released in August 2015. In July 2014, it was announced that Rhymes had amicably departed Cash Money Records due to creative differences.

In 2016, a movement to name a small, uninhabited lake island in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts after Busta Rhymes received viral publicity. The unofficial name of Busta Rhymes Island was chosen by a town resident because the island has "rope-swinging, blueberries, and ... stuff Busta would enjoy". A formal proposal was made to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to officially change the island's name, but it was not accepted due to regulations regarding the naming of geographic places after living people.

Busta Rhymes was also a featured artist on The Hamilton Mixtape, singing a remix of "My Shot", along with Black Thought of The Roots and Joell Ortiz. The trio performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. On February 2, 2018, Rhymes released a new single "Get It", featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland, through Epic Records.

In February 2019, Busta Rhymes confirmed he's "finishing touches" of his new album with longtime collaborator, Dr. Dre.

In 2020, Busta Rhymes competed in season 4 of The Masked Singer as "Dragon". He was eliminated in the first episode.

On October 30, 2020, Busta released his album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.

2021–present: Blockbusta

In 2021, Busta Rhymes released the 25th Anniversary Edition of his debut studio album, The Coming.

In late 2023, his eleventh studio album Blockbusta was released; with a long list of features.

Personal life

Busta Rhymes identifies as a member of the Five-Percent Nation. He has six children: three sons (born in 1993, 1999, and 2001) and three daughters (born 1998, 1999, and 2006).

During an interview for Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, the rapper walked out when confronted with a question about homophobia in the rap community. Rhymes is quoted as saying: "I can't partake in that conversation," followed by, "With all due respect, I ain't trying to offend nobody. . . What I represent culturally doesn't condone whatsoever." When asked if the hip hop culture would ever accept a homosexual rapper, Busta Rhymes then exited the interview.

In a later interview with MTV News, Rhymes expressed his support for Frank Ocean upon his coming out, as well as general cultural acceptance of homosexuality.

Legal issues

In December 1998, Rhymes was arrested and charged with possession of an unregistered gun after being pulled over during a routine traffic stop in New York City. On October 6, 2000, he received five years probation after pleading guilty earlier in the year.

On August 20, 2006, Rhymes was arrested and arraigned for charges of third-degree assault after attacking a man who reportedly spat on his car in New York City on August 12 after the AmsterJam Music Festival on Randall's Island.

On October 24, 2006, Rhymes appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court as the district attorney's office attempted to amend previous charges against him to include weapons possession for a machete found in his car. The judge refused to add the charge and adjourned the case.

On February 20, 2007, Rhymes refused a plea deal offered by the prosecutor's office for the assault of his former driver, Edward Hatchett. The deal would have entailed his being in jail for six months and pleading guilty to two assaults, the attack on Hatchett, and the attack on the former fan. The dispute with Hatchett is believed to have originated over back pay Hatchett felt he was owed. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Becki Rowe offered Busta another option, pleading guilty to third-degree assault. The conditions of the proposed sentence would include five days of community service, two weeks of youth lectures and six months of anger management classes, as well as three years of probation.

On May 3, 2007, Rhymes was arrested in Manhattan for driving without a license and for driving while impaired. On March 18, 2008, a judge in New York City sentenced Rhymes to three years of probation, 10 days community service, $1250 in fines (plus court costs), and to enroll in a drunken driving program.

On September 25, 2008, Rhymes was temporarily refused entry to the UK due to "unresolved convictions".

In 2018, Busta Rhymes was accused of plagiarism by Bernardo Lanzetti and his group Acqua Fragile, who alleged that Rhymes' 2001 song "Genesis" used an uncredited sample of the group's "Cosmic Mind Affair". After negotiations with Rhymes' publishers broke down, Lanzetti and Acqua Fragile opted to move forward with a lawsuit.

Influences

Busta Rhymes' favorite rapper as a teenager was LL Cool J, who was the inspiration and reason for Busta Rhymes writing his first raps.

He was creatively inspired by American singer and record producer George Clinton for "being over the top and outlandish and brave as far as his showmanship." Rhymes has also stated that he was taught by Clinton about the music industry and numerous challenges people in it have to face.

Legacy

Rhymes' work has influenced artists such as Eminem, Talib Kweli, Ski Mask the Slump God, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, and Ciara. Fellow American rapper Big Daddy Kane has stated that Rhymes has the best flow in hip hop, alluding to the original version of "Turn It Up".

Discography

Studio albums

• The Coming (1996)
• When Disaster Strikes... (1997)
• Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front (1998)
• Anarchy (2000)
• Genesis (2001)
• It Ain't Safe No More... (2002)
• The Big Bang (2006)
• Back on My B.S. (2009)
• Year of the Dragon (2012)
• Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (2020)
• Blockbusta (2023)

Collaborative albums

• A Future Without a Past... (1991) (as part of the Leaders of the New School)
• T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) (1993) (as part of the Leaders of the New School)
• The Imperial (1998) (as part of the Flipmode Squad)

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Documentary

Awards and nominations

See also

• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart
• List of number-one U.S. dance hits
• List of songs recorded by Busta Rhymes

References

1. "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1260. May 24, 2013. p. 34.
2. John Bush. "Busta Rhymes". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
3. Fonseca, Anthony J.; Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn, eds. (2018). Hip Hop Around the World: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 96. ISBN 9780313357596.
4. Johnson, Kevin C. (December 23, 2011). "Q&A: Local artists pay tribute to Native Tongues rap acts". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
5. "Busta Rhymes Reunites On Stage With Leaders of the New School". HipHopDX.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
6. "Top 50 MCs of Our Time: 1987 – 2007 – 50 Greatest Emcees of Our Time". Rap.about.com. January 26, 2012. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
7. Huey, Steve (June 20, 2000). "Anarchy – Busta Rhymes". AllMusic. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
8. "THE SOURCE PRESENTS: TOP 50 LYRICISTS (PREVIEW)". The Source. June 22, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
9. "Busta Rhymes' 'Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See' Inspired By Diddy, Q-Tip". MTV. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
10. "Busta Rhymes must be released, orders judge". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
11. "Buzz Briefs: Emilio Navaira, David Blaine". CBS News. September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
12. "Busta Rhymes Refused Entry into Britain". Accesshollywood.com. NBCUniversal, Inc. September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
13. Bush, John (May 20, 1972). "Busta Rhymes Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
14. "Vibe". August 1, 2000. Retrieved October 5, 2017 – via Google Books.
15. Rhymes, Busta (June 18, 2017). "As me, my brother Shakim, and my 3 sons and his 2 sons ... visit our old King's resting place". Busta Rhymes verified Instagram account. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2017. Trevor G. Smith Sr. ... Love you very much Dad.
16. "Busta Rhymes Biography". Sing365.com. December 6, 2007. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
17. Reed, Ryan (October 21, 2015). "Jay Z Talks High School Rap Battle With Busta Rhymes on 'Kimmel'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020. Jay Z, who attended Brooklyn's George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School with Busta Rhymes and Notorious B.I.G.
18. Ryan, Gary (November 12, 2020). "Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?! – Busta Rhymes". NME. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
19. "Notable Long Islanders". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. September 17, 2018. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020. Rapper Busta Rhymes ... graduated from Uniondale High School in 1991.
20. ^ Coker, Cheo Hodari (November 21, 2020). "The Voice: What Busta Rhymes Has Learned After over 30 Years in Hip-Hop". GQ.
21. "Busta Rhymes in Morecambe: The Truth".
22. ^ Bell, Max (March 25, 2021). "How Busta Rhymes Harnessed the Dungeon Dragon on His Classic Debut". The Ringer. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
23. ^ Allmusic Biography
24. "Leaders of the New School Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
25. Young, Kevin. "Unwrapping the Message". Bookforum. Archived from the original on October 26, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
26. Mlynar, Phillip (July 29, 2011). "The Five Best Moments On Yo! MTV Raps". The Village Voice. Village Voice, LLC. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
27. Markman, Rob. "Busta Rhymes Recalls LONS' 'Yo! MTV Raps' Breakup". MTV. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
28. "Busta Rhymes - The Coming Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
29. ^ "Busta Rhymes Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
30. "Busta Rhymes - Genesis Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
31. "The Big Bang – Busta Rhymes – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
32. "Exclusive: Busta Rhymes Signs with Universal Motown". Rap-up.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
33. ^ "Busta Rhymes album banned over track that quotes Quran – The National Newspaper". The National. Abu Dhabi. May 28, 2009. Archived from the original on August 30, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
34. "Rapper says Arab Money track was as a 'compliment'". The National. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
35. "Rapper says Arab Money track was as a 'compliment'". The National. Abu Dhabi. October 8, 2010. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
36. Mustafa, Awad (October 8, 2010). "Rapper says Arab Money track was as a 'compliment'". The National. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
37. "Busta Rhymes Brings Chemo To Hip Hop | Busta Rhymes". Rap Basement. September 2, 2009. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
38. "Busta Rhymes Changes Title Of New Album | Busta Rhymes". Rap Basement. May 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
39. ""Worldwide Choppers" single on iTunes". iTunes Store. May 31, 2011. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
40. "Justin Bieber Unwraps 'Mistletoe' Tracklisting with Mariah Carey, Usher, & Busta Rhymes". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
41. "You Ain't Gotta Wait Til I'm Gone (Heavy D Tribute)". HipHopDX.com. November 11, 2011. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
42. "New Music: Busta Rhymes x Chris Brown 'Why Stop Now'". RapRadar.com. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
43. "Behind the Video: Fat Joe f/ Kanye West, Jadakiss, Miguel, & Busta Rhymes – 'Pride N Joy'". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
44. "Video: Busta Rhymes f/ Reek Da Villian & Chanel Nicole – 'Doin It Again'". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
45. "New Music: Shanell f/ Busta Rhymes – 'Last Time'". Rap-Up.com. October 31, 2012. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
46. "Busta R". Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
47. Cooper, Roman (December 16, 2012). "Busta Rhymes & The Conglomerate "Catastrophic" Mixtape Download & Stream". HipHopDX.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
48. "Busta Rhymes Left Cash Money With No Hard Feelings, After Talking With Birdman". MTV. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
49. "Premiere: Listen to Cash Cash's "Devil" f/ Busta Rhymes, B.o.B, and Neon Hitch". Complex.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
50. Alexis, Nadeska. "Busta Rhymes Left Cash Money With No Hard Feelings, After Talking With Birdman". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
51. Grundhauser, Eric. "Busta Rhymes Island". Atlasobscura.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
52. "One Man Is An Island – 99% Invisible". 99percentinvisible.org. March 11, 2014. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
53. "Listen to 'My Shot' Feat. Busta Rhymes and Joell Ortiz from Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton Mixtape | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. November 4, 2016. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
54. Kelley, Seth (December 6, 2016). "Busta Rhymes, the Roots and Joell Ortiz Perform 'My Shot' From the 'Hamilton Mixtape' on Jimmy Fallon (Watch)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
55. "Get It [Explicit] by Busta Rhymes feat. Missy Elliott & Kelly Rowland on Amazon Music". Amazon UK. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
56. "Busta Rhymes & Bearded Dr. Dre Finishing Up Long Delayed Album". HipHopDX. February 12, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
57. "Busta Rhymes, dressed as a dragon, eliminated from 'Masked Singer'". Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
58. "Busta Rhymes Reflects On Debut Album's 25th Anniversary". HotNewHipHop. March 26, 2021.
59. "Busta Rhymes announces surprise release of new album 'Blockbusta'". NME. October 25, 2023.
60. "Busta Rhymes on 5 Percenters & Nation of Islam". May 29, 2009. Archived from the original on December 27, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2019 – via YouTube.
61. "Busta Rhymes is a Muslim and talks about Islam". June 27, 2007. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via YouTube.
62. Williams, Steven (June 27, 2006). "Busta Rhymes' 'Ego Hurt' By Ex-Girlfriend Becoming A Lesbian". Contactmusic.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
63. "Busta Rhymes Gets Results Of Paternity Test". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
64. "Daddy Dearest: Paternity Scandals in Music". BET. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
65. Richards, Chris (February 19, 2007). "A Hip-Hop Fan Hunts the Reason Behind the Rhyme". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 9, 2008.
66. "Frank Ocean Is 'Impeccable,' Busta Rhymes Praises". MTV News. July 6, 2012. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023.
67. P-I staff, news services (August 21, 2006). "People in the News: Busta Rhymes busted". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
68. Hartocollis, Anemona (October 25, 2006). "Rappers Come and Go, Serving Justice and Their Fans". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
69. ^ "Rapper Busta Rhymes considers judge's plea offer". Boston Herald. February 20, 2007.
70. "Rapper Busta Rhymes considers plea deal for misdemeanor assault with no jail time". Court TV. February 21, 2007. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008.
71. "Woo Hah! Judge's Got Busta All in Check!". Tmz.com. March 18, 2008. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
72. "Rapper Rhymes detained at airport". BBC. September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved September 25, 2008.
73. "Busta Rhymes, "Genesis" e l'accusa di plagio dagli italiani Acqua Fragile". la Repubblica (in Italian). November 9, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
74. Faremusic, Redazione (November 12, 2020). "Bernardo Lanzetti, leader della band Acqua Fragile, contro i rapper americani: si torna a parlare di plagio". FAREMUSIC (in Italian). Retrieved September 10, 2023.
75. "Busta Rhymes On Working With Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, His New Album & More | Drink Champs". YouTube. October 31, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
76. "Talib Kweli & Busta Rhymes Talk ELE: 2, J Dilla, Q-Tip, Kendrick, 5% & Chuck D | People's Party Full". YouTube. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
77. "21 Questions WithJas & TolisaTokiwa: Ski Mask The Slump God". YouTube. August 14, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
78. Krastz, Roger (April 19, 2018). "Ski Mask The Slump God Opens Up About 'Beware the Book of Eli' – XXL". XXL. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
79. Sanfiorenzo, Dimas (February 20, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar Talks About How Missy Elliott & Busta Rhymes Inspired His Music Videos". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
80. "Tyler, the Creator Accepts Cultural Influence Award at 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards". Pitchfork. October 6, 2021. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
81. Malhotra, Khushboo (July 10, 2021). "Doja Cat Is Taking Us to The World of Wonders On Planet Her – THP". The Honey POP. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022.
82. Abraham, Mya (May 25, 2022). "Doja Cat To Return To Rap Roots On New Album – VIBE.com". Vibe. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
83. Penrose, Nerisha (November 11, 2018). "Doja Cat Hot Pink Album Interview – Doja Cat on Busta Rhymes and Smino". Retrieved December 27, 2022.
84. "Doja Cat Talks 'Planet Her' & Top 5 Favorite Music Videos 🐱 MTV News". YouTube. June 11, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
85. "Missy Elliott and Ciara React to 1, 2 Step Turning 20 Ahead of Tour! (Exclusive)". April 13, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024 – via YouTube.
86. "Big Daddy Kane on Instagram: "Salute to my dude @bustarhymes And Congrats to my Brother @omarepps on his new movie release. #thedevilyouknow"". Instagram. March 30, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
87. "Def Jam: Fight for NY IMDB Page". IMDb. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
88. "Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
89. Don Sikorski (2007). Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops (documentary).

External links

• Busta Rhymes at AllMusic
• Busta Rhymes discography at Discogs
• Busta Rhymes at IMDb

• Biography
• Music
• United States

• 1972 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American male musicians
• 21st-century American male musicians
• 21st-century American rappers
• African-American film score composers
• African-American male actors
• African-American male rappers
• Alternative hip-hop musicians
• American expatriates in the United Kingdom
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• American male voice actors
• American music industry executives
• American people convicted of assault
• American rappers of Jamaican descent
• Aftermath Entertainment artists
• Cash Money Records artists
• East Coast hip-hop musicians
• Five percenters
• Hardcore hip-hop artists
• Interscope Records artists
• Male actors from Brooklyn
• Motown artists
• People from Uniondale, New York
• Progressive rap musicians
• Rappers from Brooklyn
• Republic Records artists
• Universal Motown Records artists