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.[5] 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 debut solo 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.
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),[6] and Steve Huey of AllMusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the 1990s.[7] In 2012, The Source placed him on its list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.[8] MTV has called him "one of hip-hop's greatest visual artists".[9]
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.[20] He went to Skerton Community High School while he was staying in the area.[21] 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."[20]
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."
– A&R Dante Ross, on the group's performance at Payday[22]
Leaders of the New School released their debut album, A Future Without a Past..., in June 1991 on Elektra Records.[24] Later that year, the group appeared on A Tribe Called Quest's critically acclaimed posse cut "Scenario".[25] 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.[26][27]
"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 released his debut solo album, The Coming.[28] His single "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" was a success, pushing the album into gold record status.[23] Later, he started work on his second album, When Disaster Strikes, which would not be released until September 1997.[23]
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.[31]
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.[32] Due to controversial content, the United Arab Emirates has banned the album.[33]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.[33] According to the National Media Council, the lyrics were considered to be offensive to Arabs and to Islam because it quoted the Quran.[33]
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.[33] 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.[33] DJ Saif of Dubai said "I don't play 'Arab Money' because it's disrespectful [to] Arabs. I don't think there is a ban on playing it in clubs, but many here don't play it anyway."[33]
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."[33] 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.[34] "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.[35] 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.[36]
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.[37] 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).[38]
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.[39] Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber featured Busta Rhymes on a song called "Drummer Boy" off Bieber's second studio album, Under the Mistletoe, released on November 1, 2011.[40] On November 11, 2011, a Heavy D tribute song titled "You Ain't Gotta Wait Till I'm Gone" was leaked.[41]
On November 16, 2011, it was announced that Busta Rhymes signed to Cash Money Records.[42]
He was later featured on YMCMB label mate Shannel's single "Last Time".[45] 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.[46]
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.[47] 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.[48]
He was featured on "Devil", featuring Neon Hitch and B.o.B, a song by Cash Cash. It was released in August 2015.[49] In July 2014, it was announced that Rhymes had amicably departed Cash Money Records due to creative differences.[50]
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".[51] 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.[52]
In 2021, Busta Rhymes released the 25th Anniversary Edition of his debut studio album, The Coming.[58]
In late 2023, his eleventh studio album, Blockbusta, which has many guest appearances, was released.[59]
Personal life
Busta Rhymes identifies as a member of the Five-Percent Nation.[60][61] He has six children: three sons (born in 1993, 1999, and 2001) and three daughters (born 1998, 1999, and 2006).[62][63][64]
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 [homosexuality] whatsoever." When asked if the hip hop culture would ever accept a homosexual rapper, Busta Rhymes then exited the interview.[65]
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.[66]
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.[67]
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.[68][69]
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.[69][70]
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.[71]
On September 25, 2008, Rhymes was temporarily refused entry to the UK due to "unresolved convictions".[72]
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".[73] After negotiations with Rhymes' publishers broke down, Lanzetti and Acqua Fragile opted to move forward with a lawsuit.[74]
On January 10, 2025, Rhymes was involved of assaulting one of his assistants, Dashiel Gables, after an argument due to a food delivery dispute near the corner of Jay and Front streets in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood.[75] The victim suffered injuries to his face with visible swelling.[76] Rhymes turned himself in to the police. He was arrested and charged with third degree assault and had given a desk appearance ticket, which requires him to make an appearance in criminal court for an arraignment. The investigation is still ongoing
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.[77]
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.[22]
^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.
^"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.
SP16 Stasiun LRT Sungai BesiStasiun Angkutan cepat Rute Sentul Timur-Sri PetalingKoordinat3°3′50″N 101°42′28″E / 3.06389°N 101.70778°E / 3.06389; 101.70778PemilikSyarikat Prasarana Negara (2002 hingga kini); diurus oleh RapidKL.JalurRute Sentul Timur-Sri PetalingJumlah peron2 peron tepiJumlah jalur2KonstruksiParkirAdaInformasi lainKode stasiun SP16 SejarahDibuka11 Juli 1998Operasi layanan Stasiun sebelumnya Rel RapidKL Sta...
Akademi Komunitas Industri Tekstil dan Produk Tesktil SurakartaNama lainAK-Tekstil SoloJenisPerguruan Tinggi NegeriDidirikan18 September 2015DirekturAhmad Wimbo HelviantoAlamatJl. Ki Hajar Dewantara, Jebres, Jebres, Kota Surakarta, Jawa Tengah, 57126, IndonesiaBahasaBahasa IndonesiaSitus webak-tekstilsolo.ac.id Akademi Komunitas Industri Tekstil dan Produk Tekstil Surakarta (disingkat AK-Tekstil Solo) adalah salah satu perguruan tinggi negeri di Indonesia yang berlokasi di Kota Surakarta, Jaw...
SitamunSebuah relief dari makam kuil Amenhotep II[1] disesuaikan untuk Sitamun, dipamerkan di Museum Petrie Arkeologi Mesir, London (UC 14373).LahirSitamunGelarPutri Raja, Istri Kerajaan AgungSuami/istriAmenhotep IIIOrang tuaAmenhotep III dan Tiye Sitamun (juga Sitamen, Satamun; skt. 1370 SM–tdk diketahui) merupakan seorang putri dan permaisuri Mesir Kuno selama dinasti ke-18. Keluarga Sitamun dianggap sebagai putri sulung Firaun Amenhotep III dan Istri Kerajaan Agungnya Tiye. Ia k...
Tala AsheTala Ashe pada 2017LahirTala Ashrafi24 Juli 1984 (umur 39)Tehran, IranPendidikanBoston University London Academy of Music and Dramatic ArtPekerjaanAktrisTahun aktif2008–sekarang Tala Ashrafi (Persia: طلا اشرفی; lahir 24 Juli 1984),[1] yang lebih dikenal secara profesional dengan nama Tala Ashe, adalah artis Iran-Amerika Serikat.[2] Ia dikenal karena perannya di serial televisi Smash, American Odyssey, dan As the World Turns, serta peranny seba...
Cycling race Cycling race 2018 E3 Harelbeke2018 UCI World Tour, race 10 of 37Race detailsDates23 March 2018Stages1Distance206.1 km (128.1 mi)Winning time5h 03' 34[1]Results Winner Niki Terpstra (NED) (Quick-Step Floors) Second Philippe Gilbert (BEL) (Quick-Step Floors) Third Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) (BMC Racing Team)← 2017 2019 → The 2018 E3 Harelbeke was a road cycling one-day race that took place on 23...
Month of 1973 1973 January February March April May June July August September October November December << November 1973 >> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 November 16, 1973: Final U.S. mission to Skylab space station launched with U.S. astronauts William Pogue (top), Gerald Carr (bottom) and Ed Gibson (not pictured) November 4, 1973: Netherlands becomes the first nation to inaugurate driverless Sunday...
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Jurong West Sports and Recreation Centre – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Jurong West Sports and Recreational Centre裕廊西体育场Full nameJurong West ActiveSG StadiumAddress20 Jurong...
2016 studio album by BirdyBeautiful LiesStudio album by BirdyReleased25 March 2016 (2016-03-25)Recorded2014–2015Studio RAK (London) Rokstone (London) State of the Ark (London) The Music Shed (London) Sarm (London) Genre Indie folk indie pop baroque pop Length52:49LabelAtlanticProducer Jim Abbiss Birdy Tim Bran Phil Cook Felix Joseph Roy Kerr Steve Mac Romans Al Shux TMS Birdy chronology Breathe(2013) Beautiful Lies(2016) Piano Sketches(2020) Singles from Beautiful Li...
Dutch football manager This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.Find sources: Gert Heerkes – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Gert H...
DC comics organization This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article possibly contains original research. needs to be combed through and compared with the comic for removal of interpretive or synthesized phrases Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (November 2012) (Lear...
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Afro-Vincentians – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Ethnic group Black VincentiansTotal populationApprox. 68,125Regions with significant populations Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Appro...
16th century book by Conrad Gessner Tiger and leopard, Book 1:Viviparous Quadrupeds Historia animalium (History of the Animals), published in Zurich in 1551–1558 and 1587, is an encyclopedic inventory of renaissance zoology by Conrad Gessner (1516–1565). Gessner was a medical doctor and professor at the Carolinum in Zürich, the precursor of the University of Zurich. The Historia animalium, after Aristotle's work of the same name, is the first modern zoological work that attempts to descr...
Agency of the executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico State Commission on ElectionsAgency overviewFormedDecember 20, 1977; 46 years ago (1977-12-20)JurisdictionExecutive branchHeadquartersSan Juan, Puerto RicoAgency executiveHon. Francisco Rosado Colomer, PresidentKey documentAct No. 4 of 1977Websiteceepur.org The Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections—Spanish: Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico (CEEPR or CEE-PUR)—is the government agency of the ...
1879 Liberian general election ← 1877 May 1879 1881 → Presidential election Nominee Anthony W. Gardiner Party TWP President before election Anthony W. Gardiner TWP Elected President Anthony W. Gardiner TWP Politics of Liberia Constitution 1847 Constitution 1986 Constitution Executive President Joseph Boakai Vice President Jeremiah Koung Cabinet Legislature Senate President Pro Tempore House of Representatives Speaker Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice: Sie-A-Ny...
Indian television soap opera Metti OliGenreSoap operaWritten byM. ThirumuruganC. U. MuthuselvanBaskar SakthiDirected byThirumuruganStarringDelhi KumarThirumuruganChetanKaveriGayathri ShastryBose VenkatSanjeevRindhyaTheme music composerDhinaOpening themeAmmi Ammi Ammi MithithuComposerSanjeev RatheenCountry of originIndiaOriginal languageTamilNo. of episodes811ProductionProducerS.SiddiqCinematographySevilo Raja Sarath K. ChandranEditorM. Jaya KumarCamera setupMulti-cameraRunning time34–37 min...
دينيس أليبيك (بالرومانية: Denis Alibec) معلومات شخصية الاسم الكامل دينيس أليبيك الميلاد 5 يناير 1991 (33 سنة)[1] مانغالايا الطول 1.87 م (6 قدم 1 1⁄2 بوصة) مركز اللعب مهاجم الجنسية رومانيا الديانة مسيحية أرثوذكسية[2] معلومات النادي النادي الحالي ف...