Born to parents Geraldine Green (1947) and Trevor George Smith Sr, and he has a younger brother, Paul Smith. His parents divorced when he 10 years old. Busta’s time during the year of 1983 was that of change, his parents got divorced and his way of thinking was altered, during that year he also changed his religious beliefs and re-named himself ‘Born Justice God Allah’ because of the supreme sorts of names that he now believed in and looked up to. He discovered hip hop music through listening to the Zulu Beats Radio Show, something influenced him from that show and three years later he would form a group. Busta also went to school in the United Kingdom, where he lived in Blackpool, Preston and Morecambe. Ended up graduating from George Westinghouse High School in downtown Brooklyn.
As a youngster he played basketball, football and soccer.
His Panamanian baby-sitter, Aunt Mitzi, made him listen to all the rap radio stations. So, He would sit there at 2 in the morning rapping when he was supposed to be sleeping. I just couldn't be too loud or Mitzi's poodle would start dancing around and barking. One night, the poodle barked and Mitzi took my radio away. So he said, "I don't need that radio. I'll write my own rap songs." Busta Rhymes later became part of a B-Boy crew with mainly latinos, a couple of white kids, and Busta, the only black one. When he was about 10 years old after he moved from Brooklyn to Long Island, where he became a member of the crew when it was a big contest happening which the leader of the crew, Johnny Juice watched. Busta just came up to him like, "Are you Johnny Juice?" and Johnny answered like "Yeah." and he said he wanted to be down with this crew. He started poppin' and Johnny said he was dope so he said "We're about to do this contest" and they wanted to put him down with them, but he didn't know the routines. But they put him down anyways and they lost the contest because they didn't know where to put him in the routine. The next contest they had was more of a battle, for the crown of best b-boys in Long Island and they had their crew there and they won. Busta destroyed these other guys, when he was poppin. Johnny Juice says "even if you listen to his rhymes now, you can tell by the way he rhymes and the way he moves around he's really dope on the popping shit".
Before his leap to stardom, Rhymes, was a rambunctious middle-class kid from Long Island who wrote "rap poetry" and dropped out of high school to pursue a music career. "I really thought he'd be a dancer," says his mother, Geraldine Green. "At family cookouts he would win all the dance contests. He was always a showman." He reminds his worst job: “I used to work as a stock boy at a department store called Cheap John’s,” he says. “I knew that I couldn’t really wrap my head around doing that kind of work. Even if your heart is not in something, your mind has to at least be able to be willing to do it. So, I took the job and I worked for about two weeks, and then I quit.” Why?
“They just had me doing too much. I had to line up the roach sprays on the shelves and make sure they were all in order, facing the same way, with the logos facing the front. The dishwashing liquids, the detergents, the boxes that they came in when they came from the actual shipping companies that they were manufactured at. After I lined them up on the shelves, I had to cut up the cardboard boxes, fold them up neatly and tie them up so that they could do the recycling thing with them. After a couple paper cuts too many, and hands that were calloused and ashy and bruised, I said ‘this is definitely not the thing for me to continue to be doing.’”
Busta adds, “I used that as inspiration to go into the studio all the time when I had a free moment. After work, during my lunch break, traveling back and forth to work … to just apply myself creatively, and the opportunity finally came one day when I was downtown.” At 17, Rhymes landed a six-figure record deal.
LONS signing with Elektra
His first name as a rapper was Chill-o-ski, but he thought it was a corny name, and Chuck D from Public Enemy gave him a new name, Busta Rhymes. He got the name from an american football player from the eighties, George "Buster" Rhymes, and people always asked him to "Bust-a-rhyme", so the choice was easy. In the end of the eighties he met Charlie Brown at Turtlehook Middle School and they formed Leaders of the New School with Dinco "The rhyme scientist" D and Milo In De Dance (aka The Cut Monitor). They were on Rush Management. They was signed to Elektra Records December 12th 1989. First Recorded Appearance: “Mt. Airy Groove” from the Rubaiyat compilation, Elektra 1990. A&R Dante Ross heard about Leaders of the New School from Hank Shocklee [Bomb Squad] and Chuck D [Public Enemy] and them.He says "I knew they were one of their burgeoning groups and I also knew they didn't have a record deal. I heard they were performing and I went to check them out. I had just got my A&R gig at Elektra. I went there, saw them perform, grabbed them right after the performance and told them they had a record deal if they wanted one. LONS released 2 albums, "A future without a past" in 1991, and "T.I.M.E." in 1993. In 1992 Busta's girl was pregnant, but the baby died right after he was born, and Busta had big personal problems after that, but he got great support from his group members. In 93 they where divided because of ego in the group.
A couple of other things that made him well known before his solo career was a couple of cameo performances, among them A Tribe Called Quest's remix of "Scenario" with Leaders Of The New School, and the "Flava in ya ear remix" with Craig Mack and Rampage.
It took Busta three years before he released an album for Elektra, in 1996 he released "The Coming" with the hits "Woo hah! Got you all in check" featuring Rampage and "It's a party" featuring Zhane. while recording his debut album, he left the studio to check on his new SUV. He'd recently purchased the Toyota Land Cruiser, a giant vehicle that gives the impression of driving on an elevated track, for $40,000. Rhymes took the elevator down and came out on Broadway, in lower Manhattan, at 11:30 p.m. His ride was gone. Furious, he marched back inside and closed the door in the recording booth. "There was nothing I could do at that point, so I just vented that angry energy into three songs," he says. Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check, one of the tracks he completed by morning, went on to become a street anthem and crossover hit, his first ever.
There was a short gap between the release of Busta’s first album and his second album, but it came sooner than people imagined it to. Busta was sceptical about bootleggers copying the new album so for reviewing purposes he only sent out album samplers. In 1997 he released his second album, "When Disaster Strikes", and after that, his popularity exploded. 1998 became a very good year for Busta, he started his own clothing line, BUSHI designs, and released his third album "Extinction Level Event (The final world front)" and Flipmode Squad's debut "The Imperial". Flipmode Squad at that point included Busta Rhymes, Rah Digga, Spliff Star, Rampage, Baby Sham & Lord Have Mercy.
1999 became a year with problems for Busta, he had to visit the courthouse a couple of times because of child support, and police stopped his car and found an unregistered gun. He lost the case about child support, and he got a 5 year probation for the other case. Now Elektra started to shut him down with less studio time and promotion for his next album. Busta didn't like that, and took his squad over to J Records in 2001 after his fourth release in 2000, "Anarchy".
J Records
His first album at J was "Genesis", with the hits "What it is" featuring Kelis, "Break ya neck" & "Pass the courvoiser part 2" featuring Pharrell and P. Diddy. Now he is CEO for Flipmode Records. In november 2002 he released his most fervent album so far, "It Ain't Safe No More" with the singles "Make it clap" featuring Spliff Star, and a remix of it featuring Spliff Star and Sean Paul. Other achievements in 2002 was the movie roles he had in "Halloween: Resurrection" and "Narc". In 2003 his SUV was shot up with 6 bullets while he was in the Violator offices, that happened just a month after a couple of people shot inside their offices. The collaboration with Mariah Carey & Flipmode Squad named "I know what you want" on "It ain't safe no more" became Busta's biggest hit so far.
Aftermath
In February 2004, Flipmode Squad joined Aftermath Records, New members was added to the squad: M. Dollars, Labba and former Blackstreet Chauncey Black joined them. In March he got a six month probation sentence after pleading no contest to a charge that he assaulted a woman during a concert in Fall River, Massachusetts, in December 2002.
In November 2005 the first official single off the album "Touch it" was released to radio. The video premiered in December. He is now the father of four children (born in 93, 99, 00 and 02). In February, while making the second video for "The Big Bang"- the "Touch it remix" ft. Mary J. Blige, Missy, Rah Digga, Lloyd Banks, Papoose and DMX, one of his bodyguards, Israel Ramirez, who recently started working security for Busta as his jewelry handler, was shot and killed shortly after midnight outside of the Kiss The Cactus Production studio in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, NY. According to eyewitnesses, the shooting was a result of an argument that began inside the studio and continued outside.
The Aftermath chief Dr. Dre said before the release of The Big Bang that ”All of sudden I’m hearing people in the streets talking about hos Busta’s back. In my mind, he never left, and that’s why I wanted to fuck with in the first place. He’s got that drive, and he never stops trying to top himself. Anybody who knows Busta knows that he’s always gonna come with heat." His third video from "The Big Bang" was released 10th May, "I love my bitch". The video features actress Gabrielle Union and the Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am, who produced the song, but Kelis who is featured on the song, was not in the video. The single also features Kelis, but she's not featured in the video. Also changed is his appearance, as he has cut off his trademark dreadlocks as part of a personal renewal. "Eight years of court appearances later and I was awarded custody of my children," he explained. "My hair was remindful of the unnecessary rocks in my career and life. So it was time to shed the locks... I've got my career and family right." "The Big Bang" was released 13th June. The fourth video was released in July, "New York shit" and the fitth video came out in August, "In the ghetto". The album was certified Gold in that month too. This month he was also charged with an assault after the Amsterjam Music Festival on Randalls Island, and he was ticketed after police saw him talking on his mobile while driving past a Manhattan police station.
On January 3rd 2007 he turned himself in to police custody after he allegedly attacking someone on Boxing Day. Lt. John Grimpel said a man told police that Rhymes, had punched and kicked him repeatedly after an argument over money. On May 3rd was arrested on a drunk driving charge by police in New York City. Officers stopped Rhymes at about 12:40 a.m. because the sport utility vehicle he was driving had overly tinted windows, officers then smelled alcohol on the rapper's breath and he was subsequently arrested. was released on $7,500 bail, set by Judge Tanya Kennedy. After a 8th May court appearance, he was free to drive. Rhymes' lawyer said a judge ruled against a prosecution motion to suspend the rapper's license following the driving-while-intoxicated arrest. He also turned down a plea deal that day that would have sent him to jail for one year, the Manhattan district attorney's office said.
Bus appeared in a Super Bowl finale commercial for Pepsi Max Diet in February. Busta Rhymes pleaded guilty on 23rd January to assault, two driving infractions and weapons possession, avoiding a trial and the yearlong prison sentence recommended by prosecutors. But Judge Larry Stevens disagreed with prosecutors that Rhymes deserved time behind bars. Instead, he sentenced him to three years' probation and 10 days of community service for beating a fan who reportedly spat on his car in August 2006, and then assaulting his driver, Larry Hackett, that December. Rhymes was also fined $1,250 for driving with a suspended license in 2006 and driving while intoxicated in 2007. "I just want to say that I'm very grateful to the judge, I'm very grateful to the system. I believe in the system. It hasn't failed me personally yet," Rhymes, dressed in a crisp black pinstripe suit, said outside the courtroom.
"I'm just glad that all of this is finally behind me and I can go back to doing what I do best - making great music and great films and being a people person," he said.
His 8th solo album "Blessed" was set for a release in July 2008. First he called it "When Hell Freeze Over" then he changed it to "Back On My B.S.", a title Pharrell helped him come up with, last it was changed to "Blessed" in April 08. Rhymes was added to Projekt Revolution 2008 (summer tour), He was joining Linkin Park, Chris Cornell, The Bravery, and Ashes Divide on the main stage. After the first week of touring he had to leave the tour because of business matters; Late July he left Interscope, because they couldn't agree with Busta how to handle the final version of the album.
Motown
In September 08 he his new deal was announced, with Motown/Universal. He then re-titled his album to "Back On My B.S." The first single was released in October 2008, called "Arab Money" featuring Ron Browz. 2 remix videos with different guests were later releases in February 09. The second single, "Hustler's Anthem 09" was released in Febuary too. The third single's video "Respect My Conglomerate" was released in March. "Back On My B.S." was released May 19th 09, and entered the Billboard chart at #5, after a lot of delays; 1st July 08, 9th Dec. 08, 10th Feb. 09, 24th March 09). In June, the video for "If you don't know" was released. The video for "World Go Round" will be released soon.
Back On My B.S. Intro / Wheel of Fortune
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey ya'll niggas thought I wasn't nice
With the second tune and shit
He he he he he oh shit
Ayo Dj Scratch
I hope you ready to march niggas
Hut two three four
Back with the gangsta of rap, retort
I hope somebody quickly call up a doctor
Go get a medic
Cause somebody 'bout get finally resected
Oh shit nigga goin' insane, muthafucka
'Bout to bloodshed ya cell membrane
Shit the propane bitch the fine cocaine
Lil' nigga you touch the shit
That ya can't contain I
Fill'em with octane, light another fire nigga
'Till I'm high killa, ignite
Another flame ah, sorry I dig his talent
Well tie ya little lame look
Ok it don't matter
Cause I'm the one to blame I'm
Startin' to act strange
Facin' every challange shit, incredible hope
Lyrical amalgam bitch, oh my gosh, oh my gosh
I'm a band and oh ring
Everything like El DeBarge
(Oooh ooooh and I like it I like it)
And so I said and so I said
Excuse me dear - My gosh you look nice
Put ya money on her - better double the price
But let's get it niggas and jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
And let's jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
All my niggas jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
My ladies jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
I'm a take off my jacket now
You see I'm back on my bull shit
You tired lil' niggas go in line, watch how
I vibe on mine, I'm shifting the climate
Quiet and if you wan' test what I'm on bitch
I wish you niggas try it, uhh uh uhh
I mentioned that I'm back to cause the riot
(hot drops) , and I come to supply it
Hu hu you niggas on a
Diet, you can't stop it, then I drop
Ya know ya can't deny it
My home boy you know that I'm a crook
And I'm a try it
While I'm counting this money and I hide it
I'm taking it back, puttin' ya
Hands in my eyes, can't see
You get to puttin' yo eyes on me, look
Look how I drop shit
I got hit, I won't quit
And bet you see I'm back in a cockpit
I'm coming back like I'm moving the crooks
Everybody gather around
And get ya to singin' the hook
(Oooh ooooh and I like it I like it)
And so I said and so I said
Excuse me dear - My gosh you look nice
Put ya money on her - better double the price
But let's get it niggas and jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
And let's jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
All my niggas jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
My ladies jump
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
Pretty good for a sound check nigga
The lyrics to Busta Rhymes's song "Brooklyn On My Back" convey a sense of confidence and assertiveness. Busta proclaims that people may have underestimated his skills as a rapper, but he is ready to prove them wrong. He addresses his DJ, DJ Scratch, acknowledging his support and asking if this is the way he wants Busta to set it.
Busta then goes on to assert his dominance in the rap game, using powerful and aggressive language. He compares himself to a gangsta of rap, threatening anyone who crosses him. He talks about causing chaos and igniting fires, emphasizing his talent and the uniqueness of his style. He even references the popular R&B artist, El DeBarge, suggesting that he has the ability to influence and impact everything around him.
The second part of the song shifts to a more celebratory tone, urging everyone to join in and jump behind the wheel of fortune. Busta encourages his audience, both men and women, to embrace the energy and excitement he brings. He boasts about his return and the money he's making, asserting his position as a powerful figure in the rap industry.
In summary, "Brooklyn On My Back" is a declaration of Busta Rhymes's talent, confidence, and dominance in the rap game. He showcases his unique style and asserts his ability to create chaos and influence those around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey ya'll niggas thought I wasn't nice
You all underestimated my talent and skill
With the second tune and shit
Now I'm back with another hit
Ayo Dj Scratch
Hey, Dj Scratch
Th-this how you want me to set it homie
This is how you want me to perform, my friend
I hope you ready to march niggas
Get ready for a powerful and impactful performance
Hut two three four
Get in formation and follow my lead
Back with the gangsta of rap, retort
I'm returning as the hardcore rap artist with a fierce response
I hope somebody quickly call up a doctor
I'm about to blow your mind, someone better call a doctor
Go get a medic
You're gonna need medical assistance
Cause somebody 'bout get finally resected
Because someone is about to face the consequences of their actions
Oh shit nigga goin' insane, muthafucka
I'm going crazy, motherfucker
'Bout to bloodshed ya cell membrane
I'm about to destroy you mentally
Shit the propane bitch the fine cocaine
I'm bringing explosive energy and addictive rhymes
Lil' nigga you touch the shit
You can't handle the intensity
That ya can't contain I
It's beyond your capacity to control
Fill'em with octane, light another fire nigga
I'm fueling the fire within me, ready to ignite
'Till I'm high killa, ignite
Until I reach my peak and shine
Another flame ah, sorry I dig his talent
I'm sorry for appreciating his skills
Well tie ya little lame look
Mocking those who doubt me
Ok it don't matter
It doesn't bother me
Cause I'm the one to blame I'm
Because I'm the cause of the excitement
Startin' to act strange
I'm behaving in an unusual manner
Facin' every challenge shit, incredible hope
I'm confronting every obstacle with extraordinary confidence
Lyrical amalgam bitch, oh my gosh, oh my gosh
I'm a combination of impressive wordplay and expression of amazement
I'm a band and oh ring
I'm like a talented musical band with a flawless performance
Everything like El DeBarge
Just like El DeBarge, I excel in everything
And so I said and so I said
This is what I said, and I repeat it
Excuse me dear - My gosh you look nice
I can't help but admire your stunning appearance
Put ya money on her - better double the price
Invest in her because she's worth much more than you think
But let's get it niggas and jump
Now let's get ready and take action
(Behind the wheel of fortune) HEY
(In control of our destiny) Hey
All my niggas jump
All my friends, let's join in
My ladies jump
My female friends, let's jump together
I'm a take off my jacket now
I'm preparing for a serious and intense performance
You see I'm back on my bull shit
I'm back to my old ways, delivering raw and authentic lyrics
You tired lil' niggas go in line, watch how
You young and exhausted artists can take a step back and witness my greatness
I vibe on mine, I'm shifting the climate
I create my own unique style and influence the music scene
Quiet and if you wan' test what I'm on bitch
Stay silent or if you dare to challenge me
I wish you niggas try it, uhh uh uhh
I dare you to try and compete with me
I mentioned that I'm back to cause the riot
I already stated that I'm here to create chaos and excitement
(hot drops) , and I come to supply it
(Hot beats) and I'm here to deliver it
Hu hu you niggas on a
You all are behind and
Diet, you can't stop it, then I drop
You can't prevent it, and then I release
Ya know ya can't deny it
You know you can't ignore it
My home boy you know that I'm a crook
My friend, you know I'm a master in this game
And I'm a try it
And I'm going to attempt it
While I'm counting this money and I hide it
While I'm busy counting my earnings and keeping it hidden
I'm taking it back, puttin' ya
I'm reclaiming my position and making you
Hands in my eyes, can't see
Unable to see my success
You get to puttin' yo eyes on me, look
Now you're paying attention to me
Look how I drop shit
See how I release amazing tracks
I got hit, I won't quit
I faced challenges, but I won't give up
And bet you see I'm back in a cockpit
And now you can witness my comeback in full control
I'm coming back like I'm moving the crooks
I'm returning with force, just like a skilled criminal
Everybody gather around
Everyone come together
And get ya to singin' the hook
And start singing along to the catchy chorus
Pretty good for a sound check nigga
This performance is already impressive and it's just a sound check
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind