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Gale Contemporary Black Biography:

Busta Rhymes

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Busta Rhymes
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rap musician; actor

Personal Information

Born Trevor Smith, Jr., on May 20, 1972, in Brooklyn, NY; son of Trevor Sr. and Geraldine Smith; children: Tahiem (deceased) and T'ziah.

Career

Cofounded rap group Leaders of the New School and released Elektra Records debut, A Future Without a Past..., 1991; made guest appearances on recordings by A Tribe Called Quest, Boyz II Men, Craig Mack, Bounty Killer, and others, 1993-96; appeared on Smokin' Grooves concert tour, 1996; solo albums: The Coming, Elektra, 1996; When Disaster Strikes, Elektra, 1997; Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front), Elektra, 1998; Anarchy, Elektra, 2000; signed with J Records, 2001; film roles: Who's the Man, 1993; Higher Learning, 1995; The Rugrats Movie, 1998; Shaft, 2000; Finding Forrester, 2000; Narc, 2001; Halloween: The Homecoming, 2002.

Life's Work

Elektra executive Sylvia Rhone said of Busta Rhymes in Billboard, "You can never underestimate Busta; just when you think you've figured him out, he will surprise you even more." The unpredictable rapper first achieved success as a teenager in the group Leaders of the New School. But it was his 1996 solo debut, The Coming, and its lead single, "Woo hah!! Got You All in Check" that catapulted him to stardom. Rhymes has since released three more albums, commenced an acting career, and launched his own record and fashion companies.

Rhymes--born Trevor Smith to a Jamaican mother and U.S.-born father in Brooklyn, New York--moved with his family to the suburbs of Long Island during his adolescence. While his deep, booming voice came from his father, the rapper reported to the Los Angeles Times, "when it came down to discipline in my family, the true barker was Moms. That's where my real energetic side comes from." Only after he arrived in "Strong Island," as fellow natives and rap revolutionaries Public Enemy called the borough, did Rhymes began to dream of rhyming. "I was mad small," he recollected in Elektra Records press materials, "but I would start entering rap contests, lip synch contests, anything to show my skills." Fortunately, he claimed, hailing from Brooklyn stood him in good stead, since "Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens was where all the good hip hop was coming from at that time."

Found Mentor in Chuck D

Rhymes was still in junior high school when he hooked up with another rapper, Charlie Brown. The pair eventually caught the attention of Public Enemy leader Chuck D. as well as the group's producers, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee. Sadler and Shocklee--known in the rap world as The Bomb Squad--helped the young Rhymes and his friends to refine their approach. As Rhymes noted in his Elektra Records biography, "Eric used to repeat this phrase to remind us what to concentrate on: C.L.A.M.P., which stood for Concept-Lyrics-Attitude-Music and Performance. He used to say when you get that down to a science, then you'll be there."

Refining this blend took some time, but Rhymes, Charlie, and their friend Dinco D. worked hard on their unison raps and choreography. After adding Rhymes's cousin, Custmaster Milo, as a DJ, they found their identity as Leaders of the New School. With the assistance of Chuck D., the quartet landed a deal with Elektra in 1989. The group's debut album, A Future Without a Past..., appeared in 1991 and was hailed by Spin as "high-energy hip hop" that "recaptures some of the giddy joys of rap." Their 1993 follow-up, T.I.M.E., also enjoyed critical raves. The Source deemed it "a rarity in hip- hop: a sophomore album that's better than the debut," and singled out Rhymes's work for special praise. "Busta get[s] buttnaked and wild," the magazine proclaimed; "he growls, grunts, chants and basically continues to break all musical rules." According to Los Angeles Times writer Cheo Hodari Coker, "the group brought a lively energy to its shows and recordings by performing singsong routines in unison rather than the normal rap pattern of just one or two main voices. The music was accompanied by lively choreographed stomps." The group also appeared as guests on an album by "Godfather of Soul" James Brown.

Rhymes has cited as influences not only old-school funk master George Clinton and rock guitar icon Jimi Hendrix, but some other figures that are, if anything, even more animated. "Secret Squirrel, Tom and Jerry, Courageous Cat," he enumerated in Spin, adding some other cartoon favorites: "A lot of the old s--t, too--Popeye, Mighty Mouse. That s--t just stays on at my crib 24 hours [a day]." He was able to demonstrate the range of his own cartoonish funkateer persona after Leaders took a hiatus in 1993. He put in guest appearances with R&B hitmakers Boyz II Men, hip hop explorers A Tribe Called Quest, and many others. "The rapper has proved virtual nitroglycerin as a guest star," noted Spin writer Chris Norris.

Rhymes also lent his presence to several films, including the 1993 rap comedy Who's the Man and John Singleton's university drama Higher Learning (1995). "He was such a scene stealer, " Singleton told Newsweek of Rhymes's Higher Learning performance. "Busta could be standing there, doing nothing, and when he turns around it's pure energy."

Released Solo Album

Shortly after Leaders of the New School took a break, Rhymes--a member of the Five Percent sect of Islam--saw the birth of his son, T'ziah. He dedicated his album to the memory of another, now deceased, son, Tahiem, but has not discussed this loss in the press. He spent the next few years in Brooklyn experiencing what he described to Spin as "normal, middle-class, standard-living s--t like how I came up." By the time he'd completed his solo album, The Coming, T'ziah was three years old and--according to his proud papa--a delight. "That's the coolest age to be around kids," he told Spin. "They don't bicker, they're not looking for their moms, they just want to chill." It was the arrival of T'ziah, he insisted in the Los Angeles Times, that made the solo effort a necessity "I would never have done a solo record voluntarily," he claimed. "I love the group, and we're still gonna record albums. But now that I've had the chance to flourish and to blossom, I'm gonna capitalize on the best of both worlds."

Working with a variety of producers, Rhymes was able to expand his range on The Coming. "Usually when I'm rhyming," reads a quote from his Elektra biography, "I only get to rhyme 16 bars. Here I get to show other things. The record is energized on many different levels, including the Rhymes wild [s--t]." In addition to the massive "Woo hah!!," which was complemented by a frenetic, stylized video that earned heavy rotation on MTV, the album also features "It's a Party," a duet with female soul divas Zhane. Reviews of the album were mixed from a musical standpoint, but tended to celebrate Rhymes's vocal skills. Rolling Stone complained that "the mixes are simple, droopy and slow," but added that the rapper's "quavering rips and verbal acrobatics liven up the joint. He hurdles beats and measures in a single bound." Reviewer Eric Berman concluded, "Despite his musical shortcomings, Rhymes is a master MC and one of hip-hop's most jovial and vivid personalities, whose creativity on the mike may give rap a much needed shot in the arm." Coker, reviewing the disc for the Los Angeles Times, found it "short on deep themes but long on dazzling displays of rhyme skill." He cited the recording as proof "that there are still compelling hip-hop records to be made without dramatic narratives or weighty social politics."

Rhymes toured behind The Coming in an omnibus rap show that also boasted the Fugees, Cypress Hill, and A Tribe Called Quest. He promised a reunion with his LONS mates before long, but in the short time expressed nothing but gratitude. "Every time my voice is recorded," he told the Los Angeles Times, "I'm extremely happy. Hip-hop is paying my bills and feeding my family." Rather than cop an "arrogant attitude and mad face," he added, he wanted to emphasize his accessibility: "I want the whole world to feel like they can approach and embrace me."

Rhymes released his second solo album, When Disaster Strikes, in 1997. People Weekly called his sophomore effort "seriously great" and praised the single, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," for its "tightly controlled and surprisingly subdued stream of unconsciousness." The album earned multi-platinum sales status.

Headed Own Record Label

Rhymes stated his won record label, FlipMode Entertainment, in May of 1998. The FlipMode Squad, a group of which Rhymes was a member, released the label's first album, Imperial. Rhymes told Billboard that, although "being an artist is my first love," FlipMode Entertainment would allow him "to do things with music that I don't do myself, from alternative to the hottest R&B."

When Rugrats the Movie hit the big screen in November of 1998, Rhymes not only contributed to the animated film's soundtrack, but he also took on the role of Reptar Wagon. A month later, Rhymes's third album, Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front), was released. He told Billboard, "I had a lot of intense emotional experiences during the recording process, so I recorded it with those emotions in detail." One of Rhymes's chief concerns while making the record was the upcoming millennium. "In every holy scripture," Rhymes told Entertainment Weekly, "you find [references] to the significance of this time frame." In particular, Rhymes was worried about the Y2K computer bug. In preparation for possible disaster, Rhymes told Entertainment Weekly, "I'm gonna store up on some food, some land, some loot--in particular, gold and silver, because it's probably gonna go back to some trade [s--t]. I'm gonna be ready."

However, Rhymes's fascination with the possibility of armageddon in 2000 was nothing new to fans of his music. "I've always been thinking about time and the end of the century," Rhymes told Newsweek. "The first album was called The Coming. The second album was called When Disaster Strikes. Now after disaster strikes, it's an extreme level. An extinction level."

Two of the albums highlights--for both Rhymes and his listeners--stemmed from collaborations with Janet Jackson and Ozzy Osbourne. Jackson joined Rhymes on "What's It Gonna Be," and the video for the song received heavy air play on MTV. Rhymes worked with Osbourne on a remake of Osbourne's "Iron Man," which Rhymes called "This Means War." Rhymes had always admired the Osbourne's powerful vocals on that song. "The intensity, the effect," Rhymes told Imusic.com, "it's the same way I approach my [s--t]."

Overall, the album received positive reviews. Newsweek's Veronica Chambers noted, "He heralds doomsday with a danceable beat." Entertainment Weekly called it "a characteristically bombastic tour de force." Imusic.com noted that Rhymes "commands the listener's attention ... unleashing thought provoking verses one minute, and spitting out euphoric hailstones of hectic, teeth clenching rhymes the next."

Also in December of 1998, Rhymes found himself embroiled in legal problems when police discovered a loaded and unregistered gun in his Mercedes. The rapper was charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Rhymes's manager, Gerald Odom, who was also in the car at the time, was arrested for marijuana possession.

Launched Clothing Line

Joining the ranks of other hip-hop stars who have ventured into the fashion industry, Rhymes launched Bushi Designs in 1999. The company's name was derived from the Japanese for warrior--"bushido." Initially, the company produced a line of footwear, but this was soon followed by a line of men's clothes. A women's clothing line was added a year later. Rhymes, along with partner Rashib Boothe, designed all the clothing himself. "Hip-hop is a culture like ... any other," Rhymes told Billboard. "There's a dress code that goes with the spirit and cultural significance."

In the summer of 2000 Rhymes released Anarchy. "This album feels a little more extreme from a personal standpoint," Rhymes told Billboard. "... because I'm in a place now where I'm comfortable enough to express that level of my creative ability." The personal nature of Anarchy was evident in "How Much We Grew." This song chronicles Rhymes's life. "It looks back at the struggle that was so worth going through because of how rewarding it is today," Rhymes explained in Billboard. The album also featured a collaboration with Lenny Kravitz entitled "Make Noise."

Rhymes also returned to movie theaters in the summer of 2000, appearing alongside Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft. Rhymes played Rasaan, a character who helps Shaft. "I'm pretty much the guy Shaft can't be because he's a cop," he explained in Jet. "Shaft has to ... follow the legal procedure to solve crimes and deal with thugs. Rasaan can assist him in a very unorthodox street way." Also in 2000, Rhymes was featured in Finding Forrester, starring Sean Connery. The following year, Rhymes was busy filming Narc, an action-packed thriller which starred Jason Patrick and Ray Liotta. Rhymes also signed on to play the Cowardly Lion in a remake of The Wizard of Oz for Fox television. In addition, he completed several television commercials for Mountain Dew.

When Rhymes's contract with Elektra Records ended in 2001, he decided to sign with Clive Davis at J Records. "In every area of your life, you grow to a certain level," Rhymes told Billboard. "The bottom line is, I don't want to people to just be in Busta Rhymes' business. I want people to be in business with Busta Rhymes. I think J Records will be the machine that can do that." Rhymes's record label became an imprint of J Records.

A man of numerous talents, Busta Rhymes has set himself up to conquer the worlds of music, film, and fashion. Yet, despite his varied interests and abilities, one thing remained constant. Rhymes told Essence, "As long as I can represent what I am, which is hip-hop, in whatever genre of entertainment I'm doing, then that's as real as it's going to get with Busta Rhymes. Fake isn't even an option."

Works

Selected discography

  • (With Leaders of the New School)
  • A Future Without a Past..., Elektra, 1991.
  • James Brown, Universal James (appears on "Can't Get Any Harder"), Scotti Brothers, 1992.
  • T.I.M.E., Elektra, 1993.
  • (Solo)
  • The Coming, Elektra, 1996.
  • When Disaster Strikes, Elektra, 1997.
  • Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front), Elektra, 1998.
  • Anarchy, Elektra, 2000.
Selected filmography
  • Who's the Man, 1993.
  • Higher Learning, 1995.
  • The Rugrats Movie, 1998.
  • Shaft, 2000.
  • Finding Forrester, 2000.
  • Narc, 2001.
  • Halloween: The Homecoming, 2002.

Further Reading

Books

  • Contemporary Musicians, Vol. 18, Gale, 1997.
  • Contemporary Theatre, Film, and Television, Vol. 29, Gale, 2000.
Periodicals
  • Billboard, November 7, 1998; October 2, 1999; May 27, 2000; July 8, 2000; February 24, 2001.
  • Business Wire, September 7, 2001.
  • Entertainment Weekly, December 18, 1998.
  • Essence, November 2000.
  • Hollywood Reporter, January 29, 2001.
  • Jet, June 12, 2000.
  • Los Angeles Times, April 21, 1996; May 26, 1996; July 25, 1996.
  • Newsweek, November 23, 1998; December 14, 1998.
  • People Weekly, November 10, 1997; January 18, 1999.
  • Rolling Stone, May 2, 1996.
  • Source, November 1993.
  • Spin, July 1991; August 1996.
  • Vibe, September 1996.
Online
  • All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com.
  • IMusic, http://imusic.artistdirect.com/showcase/urban/busta.htm (September 20, 2001).
  • Internet Movie Database, http://us.imdb.com.
Other
  • Additional information was provided by Elektra Records publicity materials, 1996.

— Simon Glickman and Jennifer M. York

Gale Musician Profiles:

Busta Rhymes

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Rap musician

Without undue humility, Busta Rhymes told the Los Angeles Times, "There's no bounds to rap music, and there's no limits to what Busta Rhymes can express." The unpredictable rapper—who first achieved fame as a teenager in the group Leaders of the New School—leapt into the first rank of hip-hop with his 1996 solo debut, The Coming, and its lead single "Woo hah!! Got You All in Check." Busta's frantic delivery, explosive energy and outrageous attire cut through hip-hop's cool demeanor like a hot knife through butter. And unlike the gangsta-leaning MCs who dominated the first half of the 1990s, he expressed impatience with street credibility. "I don't want to hear about this issue of keeping it real no more," he asserted in a record company biography. "It's all hype. It's time we all saw through it." He later commented to Los Angeles Times writer Cheo Hodari Coker, "I don't just represent a 20-block radius known as my 'hood. I represent the universe."

Busta was born Trevor Smith to a Jamaican mother and U.S.-born father in Brooklyn, New York. He moved with his family to the suburbs of Long Island during his adolescence. While his deep, booming voice comes from his father, the rapper reported to Coker, "When it came down to discipline in my family, the true barker was Moms. That's where my real energetic side comes from." Only after he arrived in "Strong Island," as fellow natives and rappers Public Enemy called the borough, did Busta began to dream of rhyming. "I was mad small," he recollected in Elektra Records press materials, "but I would start entering rap contests, lip synch contests, anything to show my skills." Fortunately, he claimed, hailing from Brooklyn stood him in good stead, since "Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens was where all the good hip-hop was coming from at that time."

Busta was still in junior high school when he hooked up with another rapper, Charlie Brown. The pair eventually caught the attention of Public Enemy leader Chuck D., as well as the group's producers, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee. Sadler and Shocklee, known in the rap world as The Bomb Squad, helped the young Busta and his friends to refine their approach. As Busta noted in his bio, "Eric used to repeat this phrase to remind us what to concentrate on: C.L.A.M.P., which stood for Concept-Lyrics-Attitude-Music and Performance. He used to say when you get that down to a science, then you'll be there."

Refining this blend took some time, but Busta, Charlie, and their friend Dinco D. worked hard on their unison raps and choreography. After adding Busta's cousin Custmaster Milo as a DJ, they found their identity as Leaders of the New School (LONS). With the assistance of Chuck D., the quartet landed a deal with Elektra in 1989. The group's debut album, A Future Without a Past…, appeared in 1991 and was hailed by Spin magazine as "high-energy hip hop" that "recap- tures some of the giddy joys of rap." Their 1993 follow-up, T.I.M.E., also enjoyed critical raves. The hip-hop magazine The Source deemed it "a rarity in hip-hop: a sophomore album that's better than the debut," and singled out Busta's work for special praise. "Busta get[s] buttnaked and wild," the magazine proclaimed. "He growls, grunts, chants and basically continues to break all musical rules." According to Coker, "The group brought a lively energy to its shows and recordings by performing singsong routines in unison rather than the normal rap pattern of just one or two main voices. The music was accompanied by lively choreographed stomps." The group also appeared as guests on an album by "Godfather of Soul" James Brown.

Busta has cited as his influences not only old-school funk master George Clinton and rock guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, but some other figures that are, if anything, even more animated. "Secret Squirrel, Tom and Jerry, Courageous Cat," he enumerated in Spin, also adding other cartoon favorites such as Popeye and Mighty Mouse. He was able to demonstrate the range of his own cartoonish funkateer persona after Leaders took a hiatus in 1993. He put in guest appearances with R&B hitmakers Boyz II Men, hip-hop explorers A Tribe Called Quest, and many others. "The rapper has proved virtual nitroglycerin as a guest star," noted Spin writer Chris Norris. Busta also lent his presence to several films, including John Singleton's university drama Higher Learning and the rap comedy Who's the Man.

Shortly after LONS took a break, Busta—a member of the Five Percent sect of Islam—saw the birth of his son, T'ziah. He dedicated his album to the memory of another, now deceased, son, Tahiem Jr., but has not discussed this loss in the press. He spent the next few years in Brooklyn, experiencing what he described to Norris as "normal, middle-class, standard-living s-t like how I came up." By the time he'd completed his solo album, The Coming, T'ziah was three years old and, according to his proud papa, a delight. "That's the coolest age to be around kids," he told Norris. "They don't bicker, they're not looking for their moms, they just want to chill." It was the arrival of T'ziah, he insisted to Coker, that made his solo project possible. "I would never have done a solo record voluntarily," he claimed. "I love the group, and we're still gonna record albums. But now that I've had the chance to flourish and to blossom, I'm gonna capitalize on the best of both worlds."

Vocal Skills Recognized
Working with a variety of producers, Busta was able to expand his range on The Coming. In addition to the massive hit "Woo hah!!," which was complemented by a frenetic, stylized video that earned heavy rotation on MTV, the album featured "It's a Party," a duet with female soul diva Zhane. Reviews of the album were mixed from a musical standpoint, but tended to celebrate Busta's vocal skills. Rolling Stone magazine complained that "the mixes are simple, droopy and slow," but added that the rapper's "quavering rips and verbal acrobatics liven up the joint." The article concluded, "Despite his musical shortcomings, Busta Rhymes is a master MC and one of hip-hop's most jovial and vivid personalities, whose creativity on the mike may give rap a much needed shot in the arm." Coker found the album "short on deep themes but long on dazzling displays of rhyme skill." He cited the recording as proof "that there are still compelling hip-hop records to be made without dramatic narratives or weighty social politics."

Busta toured behind The Coming in an omnibus rap show that also boasted the Fugees, Cypress Hill, and A Tribe Called Quest. He promised a reunion with his LONS mates before long, but in the short term expressed nothing but gratitude. "Every time my voice is recorded," he told Coker, "I'm extremely happy. Hip-hop is paying my bills and feeding my family."

In 1998 Busta Rhymes issued his solo debut follow-up, When Disaster Strikes. The album fared well, reaching number three on the pop charts and number one on the rhythm and blues charts. A concept loosely "framed as a pre-millennium party spinning out of control, sort of like the dark side of Prince's ‘1999,’" according to All Music Guide critic Steve Huey, the album yielded several hit singles, including "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" and "Dangerous." Guest artists on the album included Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and Erykah Badu. Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) was released in 1998, and featured a guest appearance by Ozzy Osbourne on a remake of the Black Sabbath heavy metal chestnut "Iron Man." In 2000 Busta released Anarchy, which appeared to some critics as a sequel or second disc of material from Extinction Level Event. Whether this assessment was fair or not, such criticism must have stung, leading Busta to veer widely from his previous sound to the uncharted territory of 2001's Genesis. For this album he enlisted the resources of Kelis, Mary J. Blidge, and P. Diddy (nee Puff Daddy), as well as production assistance from Dr. Dre and Pete Rock.

It Ain't Safe No More, released in 2002, was another solid effort, featuring such critically acclaimed songs as "Call the Ambulance" and "What Up." Despite the positive feedback, the album failed to reach the Top 40 of the Billboard album charts, prompting Busta to switch labels for his next effort, The Big Bang, which mostly displayed the artist marking time until his next creative inspiration.

Selected discography
(With Leaders of the New School) A Future Without a Past…, Elektra, 1991.
James Brown, Universal James (appears on "Can't Get Any Harder"), Scotti Brothers, 1992.
T.I.M.E., Elektra, 1993.
The Coming, Elektra, 1996.
When Disaster Strikes, Elektra, 1997.
E.L.E.: Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front), 1998.
Anarchy, 2000.
Genesis, 2001.
It Ain't Safe No More, 2002.
The Big Bang, Aftermath, 2006.
Has also made guest appearances on recordings by Boyz II Men, A Tribe Called Quest, Craig Mack, Bounty Killer, and others.

Sources
Periodicals
Los Angeles Times, April 21, 1996; May 26, 1996; July 25, 1996.
Rolling Stone, May 2, 1996.
Source, November 1993.
Spin, July 1991; August 1996.
Vice, September 1996.

Online
All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (November 8, 2007).
Additional information for this profile was provided by Elektra Records publicity materials, 1996.
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Busta Rhymes

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  • Genres: Rap

Biography

The most idiosyncratic personality in rap and possessor of its most recognizable delivery, a halting, ragga-inspired style with incredible complexity, inventiveness, and humor, Busta Rhymes formed Leaders of the New School in 1990 and released two albums with the group before breaking out with a 1996 solo hit single, "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check."

Born in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, in 1972 of Jamaican heritage (a definite influence on his rapping style), Busta moved to Long Island in 1983 and, at Uniondale High School, met up with MCs Charlie Brown, Dinco D., and Cut Monitor Milo. Inspired by fellow Long Islanders Public Enemy and Eric B. & Rakim, the foursome united as Leaders of the New School and signed a deal with Elektra Records right out of the gate, when Busta was only 17 years old. Much respected in the hip-hop underground for their Afrocentric philosophy and tough rapping styles, Leaders of the New School debuted in 1991 with Future Without a Past... but released only one more album, 1993's T.I.M.E., before breaking up the following year.

Out on his own for the first time, Busta called on some friends, appearing on A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," the incredible remix of Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear" (also featuring Notorious B.I.G. and LL Cool J), as well as other projects with Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, and TLC. He also appeared in the 1995 John Singleton film Higher Learning and earned a solo contract with Elektra. Busta's first album, The Coming, proved a huge hit; the single "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check" hit the Top Ten and pushed the album into gold-record territory. His second album, When Disaster Strikes, debuted at number three in September 1997. Extinction Level Event followed a year later, and in mid-2000, Busta released Anarchy while appearing on the silver screen in a remake of the blaxploitation classic Shaft. 2002's It Ain't Safe No More and 2006's Aftermath-released The Big Bang followed. While shooting a video for a remix of the latter album's "Touch It," Busta's bodyguard was shot to death. Creative differences with Interscope kept his career on hold until 2009 when Back on My B.S. became his first album for Universal/Motown. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Busta Rhymes

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For the former American Football player, see Buster Rhymes.
Busta Rhymes
Background information
Birth name Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr.
Born (1972-05-20) May 20, 1972 (age 40)
Origin Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres Hip hop
Occupations Rapper, actor
Years active 1989–present
Labels Conglomerate, Cash Money
Associated acts Leaders of the New School, A Tribe Called Quest, Flipmode Squad, Spliff Star, Dr. Dre, N.O.R.E., The Notorious B.I.G., Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, DMX, Mystikal, Wu-Tang Clan, M.O.P.,

Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., (born May 20, 1972),[1] better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with lots of internal rhyme and half rhyme, and to date has received eleven Grammy nominations for his musical work. About.com included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007),[2] while Steve Huey of Allmusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the '90s.[3]

Contents

Early life

Busta was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to Jamaican parents Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith, Sr. in 1972. Smith attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, alongside Jay-Z, DMX and The Notorious B.I.G.[4][5][6][7] He went to Uniondale High School on Long Island, graduating in 1990.

Music Career

Leaders of the New School and rising popularity: 1990–1993

Hip-hop crew Leaders of the New School began recording in 1989 and released their debut album A Future Without a Past... in 1991 on Elektra Records. In early 1992 the group appeared on A Tribe Called Quest's posse cut "Scenario," in which Busta's climactic verse propelled him into the cultural consciousness.[8] In 1993, they released T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye). Soon after, however, internal problems arose because of Busta's increasing popularity, and the group broke up on the set of Yo! MTV Raps.

After LONS broke up, Busta Rhymes began making guest appearances on several hip-hop and R&B artists singles such as R&B group Boyz II Men, he appeared on the track "Intro Talk" on Mary J. Blige's landmark debut album, What's the 411?, he also appeared on the album jacket of fellow hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders, with a host of other fellow hip-hop pioneers. In 1993, he appeared in a cameo role in Yo! MTV Raps hosts Doctor Dré and Ed Lover's film, Who's the Man?, and in the HBO film, Strapped, and co-starred alongside Ice Cube and Omar Epps in the John Singleton film, Higher Learning (which was in post-production until it was released in 1995). The following year, he teamed up with Puff Daddy, LL Cool J, and future Flipmode Squad member, Rampage and former classmate The Notorious B.I.G., on a remix to Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear", soon after he would team up again with The Notorious B.I.G. among a plethora of rappers such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Coolio on the single, "The Points" which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 film, Panther.

The Coming and When Disaster Strikes: 1995–1997

In the summer of 1995, Busta Rhymes started work on his first album The Coming, and a month after recording the album, he released it in March of 1996. A month before the album was released, he broke out with a solo hit single, "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check". Later, he started work on his second album, When Disaster Strikes, which would not be released until September 1997. It produced the hit singles "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Fire It Up".

Extinction Level Event (Final World Front): 1998–1999

In 1998, Busta recorded Extinction Level Event (Final World Front). Its lead single, "Gimme Some More" — which sampled Bernard Herrmann's theme from Psycho — reached number 6 in the UK singles chart in January 1999. Busta enjoyed further transatlantic success in April when the single "What's It Gonna Be?!", featuring Janet Jackson, reached the US and UK Top 11. The album received prominent notice for featuring the fastest rapping Busta has ever performed, particularly on a song called "Iz They Wildin Wit Us?", featuring a guest appearance by Mystikal.[1]

J/Arista/BMG

Busta Rhymes performing in 2006
Anarchy & Genesis (2000-2001)

In 2000, Busta recorded his final album for Elektra, entitled Anarchy. After Busta signed to J Records, a label started by the then recently ousted Arista Records chief and founder Clive Davis, he released a greatest hits collection[citation needed] alongside a new album of original work. Continuing the Biblical theme of his previous albums, he titled his record Genesis. The album featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Kelis, and others. Genesis was powered by the hit single with Kelis, "What It Is", and his solo single released in November 2001, "Break Ya Neck". The final single was the summer smash "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II", which featured Pharrell and P. Diddy. Despite the success of the two singles, this album did not sell as well as previous releases.

It Aint Safe No More (2002-2004)

In 2002, Busta released his sixth studio album It Ain't Safe No More. The album was moderately successful, with a hit song featuring Mariah Carey and the Flipmode Squad called "I Know What You Want". Another hit song was "Make It Clap", featuring Spliff Starr. The remix of "Make It Clap" featured Sean Paul. After its release, he left J Records. In 2004, he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

Aftermath/Interscope

The Big Bang (2006)

His seventh studio album, The Big Bang, became the first #1 album of his career. The CD sold over 209,000 copies in its first week to earn the top spot on The Billboard Top 200.[9] The album also became his highest charting album in the UK, peaking at #19. Some of the album was leaked on the Internet, and as a result several songs were left off the album and new ones added. The Big Bang featured more production by Dr. Dre than Busta's previous releases, as well as appearances by Raekwon and Nas. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Touch It", "I Love My Bitch", featuring Kelis and Will.I.Am, "New York Shit", featuring Swizz Beatz and "In The Ghetto". Busta also had a stint opening for Mariah Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour. Also, Busta performed with Eminem on "Touch It Remix Part 5" and performed a verse on the aforementioned rapper's song, "I'll Hurt You". On July 17, 2008, Busta left Interscope/Aftermath due to a creative clash with Interscope head Jimmy Iovine.

Universal Motown

Back on My B.S. (2007-2009)

He also made a song featuring Linkin Park called "We Made It". It was later revealed that Busta inked a deal with Universal Motown, who released his eighth studio album, Back on My B.S., on May 19, 2009.[10] He also appeared on Asher Roth's debut album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling 56,000 copies, and was his first album to not receive an RIAA certification, selling 122,000 copies to date. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Arab Money", featuring Ron Browz, "Hustler's Anthem '09", featuring T-Pain and "Respect My Conglomerate". The song "World Go Round", featuring British singer Estelle, was released in France on April 6, 2009 due to the heavy rotation of a leaked version. The single was released in the UK on July 13, 2009. Due to controversial content, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the album. Back on My B.S. was released internationally, but because of one song, "Arab Money", it is not available to buy as a CD there (however, 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, and permission for distribution was therefore denied. Some DJs, artists and fans have lambasted the track, saying it portrayed Arabs in a stereotypical way. The first part out of three of the remix by Rhymes contains verses from the Quran. In November, when "Arab Money" was released as a single, DJ Dany Neville and the Iraqi rapper The Narcicyst responded by recorded a reply. Busta 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.[11] DJ Saif of Dubai said:

“ I don't play 'Arab Money' because it's disrespectful on Arabs. I don't think there is a ban on playing it in clubs, but many here don't play it anyway.[11] ”
2002

Emirati DJ DJ Bliss, refused to play the Busta Rhymes' single called Arab Money on Radio 1 in Dubai after it was banned in the UAE for offense to Arabs along with many other Dj's in the United Arab Emirates that also took a stand. 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.[11] ”

Conglomerate Records / Cash Money Records & Extinction Level Event 2 (2010-present)

Busta announced that he was working on his tenth studio album, alongside Canadian producer Boi-1da, entitled The Chemo. He says that his next project is 80 percent finished.[12] Busta has reportedly changed the title of his forthcoming Chemo album to Extinction.Level.Event.2 (E.L.E. 2).[13] Some new songs are being considered for the album, including "C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise) by Tiësto and Diplo and "Look at Me Now" alongside Chris Brown and Lil Wayne. The trend of album sequels continues with Busta adding another chapter to his 1998 opus E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. Busta's manager Chris Lighty sent out the message via Twitter. He said; "Extinction.Level.Event 2 ......prepare yourself." Like the first, E.L.E. 2 is inspired by movies of impending destruction on planet Earth, Lighty said; "From the Intro of the new Busta Album you're going to know you're in trouble and you just turned on 2012 the movie on warp speed,".

DJ Premier, in an August 6, 2010 interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio said Busta Rhymes has received over eight beats which he didn't want to use but Premier hoped his next beat would be chosen for inclusion on the album.[14] On DJ Premier's Live From Headqcourterz radio show Premier confirmed that one of his beats were to be included in E.L.E. 2. In 2010, Busta Rhymes formed his new label Conglomerate Records (With later on having rosters such as N.O.R.E., and Spliff Star). He was featured on C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise) by Tiësto and Diplo.

In 2011, Rhymes recorded "Look at Me Now" with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne on Brown's fourth album, F.A.M.E., the song has received favorable reviews regarding Rhymes guest verse on the song, and is his highest chart entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number six, while reaching number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming his first #1 on that chart. On September 7, 2011, Rhymes received six nominations for the BET Hip Hop Awards, held on October 11, 2011.

On May 1, 2011 Rhymes appeared on the launch show for MNET's Big Brother Africa 6: Amplified and performed some of his songs.

In 2011, Busta Rhymes performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos.[15]

Rhymes contributed to the 2011 Tech N9ne album "All 6's and 7's". The single "Worldwide Choppers" was released on May 31st, 2011.[16]

Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber will feature Busta on a song called "Drummer Boy" off Bieber's sophomore studio album, Under the Mistletoe, released on 1 November 2011.[17]

On November 11, 2011, a Heavy D tribute song titled "You Ain’t Gotta Wait Till I’m Gone" was leaked.[18]

On November 16, 2011, it was announced that Busta Rhymes and Mystikal signed to Cash Money Records.[19] On June 08, 2010, way before he was signed by Birdman, he released "Stop the Party (Iron Man)" which featured Swizz Beatz. For his debut single on the Cash Money label and his Conglomerate Records, he reunites with Chris Brown to make the aggressive single known as Why Stop Now.

A song with Twista, titled "Can You Keep Up" was leaked.

Acting Career

Busta has appeared in a number of films (including Shaft, The Rugrats Movie, Halloween: Resurrection, and Higher Learning) and TV shows (including Cosby, The Boondocks, and The Steve Harvey Show).[20][21][22][23][24]

Personal life

Busta has three children with his ex-girlfriend, Joanne Wood: T'Ziah (born 1993), T'Khi (born 1999), and Trillian (born 2000).

Religion

On September 2, 2007, a video was uploaded on Liveleak.com about Rhymes having converted to Islam.[25] He himself has said that he lives his life by Islam, stating he is Muslim and loves Allah.

Legal issues

On August 20, 2006, he was 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.[26]

On October 24, 2006, he 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.[27][28]

On February 20, 2007, Busta refused a plea deal offered by the prosecutors office for the assault of his former driver, Edward Hatchett. The deal would have entailed six months in jail 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 March 18, 2008 a judge in New York City sentenced Busta to three years' probation, 10 days' community service, $1250 in fines (plus court costs), and to enroll in a drunken driving program.[28][29][30][31]

On September 25, 2008, he was temporarily refused entry to the United Kingdom due to "unresolved convictions".[32]

On October 14, 2009, a Brooklyn judge ordered Busta to pay a concert goer $75,000 in compensation for an assault which occurred in 2003.[33]

Discography

Main article: Busta Rhymes discography

Awards and nominations

Busta Rhymes has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards during his 16-year solo career.


Grammy Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1997 "Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
1998 "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
1999 "Dangerous" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
2000 "Gimme Some More" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
2000 "What's It Gonna Be?" Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Nominated
2000 E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front Best Rap Album Nominated
2001 "Fire" Best Music Video, Short Form Nominated
2003 "Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2" Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Nominated
2007 "Touch It" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
2012 "Look At Me Now" Best Rap Performance Nominated
2012 "Look At Me Now" Best Rap Song Nominated

Busta Rhymes has been nominated for 10 MTV Video Music Awards during his 16-year solo career, but has yet to win one.

MTV Video Music Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1996 "Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check" Best Breakthrough Video Nominated
1998 "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" Best Rap Video Nominated
1998 "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" Best Male Video Nominated
1998 "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" Best Breakthrough Video Nominated
1999 "What's It Gonna Be?" Best Hip-Hop Video Nominated
1999 "Gimme Some More" Best Breakthrough Video Nominated
2002 "Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2" Best Hip-Hop Video Nominated
2003 "I Know What You Want" Best Hip-Hop Video Nominated
2006 "Touch It" Best Rap Video Nominated
2006 "Touch It" Best Male Video Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Bush, John (1972-05-20). "allmusic Biography". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p61282/biography. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  2. ^ "Top 50 MCs of Our Time: 1987 - 2007 - 50 Greatest Emcees of Our Time". Rap.about.com. 2012-01-26. http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_3.htm. Retrieved 2012-03-30. 
  3. ^ Huey, Steve (2000-06-20). "Anarchy - Busta Rhymes". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/anarchy-r486345/review. Retrieved 2012-03-30. 
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ "Busta Rhymes Biography". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Busta-Rhymes.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  6. ^ Century, Douglas (January 26, 2002). "Rhymes and reason". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2002/jan/26/weekend7.weekend2. Retrieved April 27, 2010. 
  7. ^ "Mom of star rapper Busta Rhymes loses 145 pounds, shows there's hope for others fighting obesity". Jet. 2004. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_21_106/ai_n7580052/. 
  8. ^ Young, Kevin. Unwrapping the Message. Bookforum. Accessed November 16, 2010.
  9. ^ "All Music - The Big Bang". http://www.allmusic.com/album/r834513/charts-awards. 
  10. ^ Exclusive: Busta Rhymes Signs with Universal Motown. Rap-up.com.'.' Retrieved September 17, 2008.
  11. ^ a b c "Busta Rhymes album banned over track that quotes Quran - The National Newspaper". Thenational.ae. 2009-05-28. http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090529/NATIONAL/705289848/1010. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  12. ^ "Busta Rhymes Brings Chemo To Hip Hop | Busta Rhymes". Rap Basement. 2009-09-02. http://www.rapbasement.com/busta-rhymes/090209-busta-rhymes-says-hes-80-percent-done-with-new-the-chemo-album.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  13. ^ "Busta Rhymes Changes Title Of New Album | Busta Rhymes". Rap Basement. 2010-05-10. http://www.rapbasement.com/busta-rhymes/051010-busta-rhymes-changes-title-of-new-album-from-chemo-to-extinction-level-event-2-watch-here.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  14. ^ "DJ Premier talks of Busta Rhymes on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio Aug 6th 2010". Conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com. 2010-08-07. http://conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com/entry/index/2010-08-07T11_24_08-07_00. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  15. ^ "Video: 2011 Gathering Of The Juggalos Infomercial". Ilpvideo.com. 2011-06-18. http://ilpvideo.com/video.php?v=MjQ5NjA. Retrieved 2011-10-30. 
  16. ^ ""Worldwide Choppers" single on iTunes". http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/worldwide-choppers-feat-d/id438708422. Retrieved 12 April 2012. 
  17. ^ "Justin Bieber Unwraps ‘Mistletoe’ Tracklisting with Mariah Carey, Usher, & Busta Rhymes". Rap-Up.com. http://www.rap-up.com/2011/10/05/justin-bieber-unwraps-mistletoe-tracklisting-with-mariah-carey-usher-busta-rhymes/. Retrieved 2011-10-30. 
  18. ^ "You Ain't Gotta Wait Til I'm Gone (Heavy D Tribute)". HipHopDX.com. 2011-11-11. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/singles/id.17612/title.busta-rhymes-you-aint-gotta-wait-til-im-gone-heavy-d-tribute. Retrieved 2011-11-11. 
  19. ^ "New Music: Busta Rhymes x Chris Brown 'Why Stop Now'". RapRadar.com. 2011-11-16. http://rapradar.com/2011/11/16/new-music-busta-rhymes-x-chris-brown-why-stop-now/. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  20. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1426758/busta-rhymes-expands-film-resume-with-shaft-madonna-projects.jhtml
  21. ^ http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2004/4/28/o-busta-where-art-thou-in/
  22. ^ http://www.bet.com/topics/b/busta-rhymes.html
  23. ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,322706,00.html
  24. ^ http://bossip.com/100124/busta-rhymes-would-gladly-trade-rap-for-tv-career
  25. ^ "Busta Rhymes Converts to Islam". liveleak.com. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c68_1188723453&c=1. Retrieved 2007-09-02. 
  26. ^ P-I staff, news services (2006-08-21). "People in the News: Busta Rhymes busted". Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Hearst Corporation). http://www.seattlepi.com/people/281942_people21.html. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 
  27. ^ Hartocollis, Anemona (October 25, 2006). "Rappers Come and Go, Serving Justice and Their Fans". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/25/nyregion/25rap.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin. Retrieved April 27, 2010. 
  28. ^ a b "Rapper Busta Rhymes considers judge’s plea offer". Boston Herald. February 20, 2007. http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=183987. [dead link]
  29. ^ "Rapper Busta Rhymes considers plea deal for misdemeanor assault with no jail time". Court TV. February 21, 2007. http://www.courttv.com/people/2007/0220/busta_rhymes_ap.html. 
  30. ^ Gregorian, Dareh (February 21, 2007). "Rhymes Could 'Beat' The Rap". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/02212007/news/regionalnews/rhymes_could_beat_the_rap_regionalnews_dareh_gregorian.htm. 
  31. ^ Woo Hah! Judge's Got Busta All in Check! - TMZ.com - Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors
  32. ^ "Rapper Rhymes detained at airport". BBC. September 25, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7635992.stm. Retrieved 2008-09-25. 
  33. ^ Demarche, Edmund; Sanderson, Bill (December 4, 2009). "Busta fined 75G for fan assault". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/busta_fined_for_fan_assault_hzaq1jj4lxauqfulTytkuI. 

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