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.
Bleed The Same Blood
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yeah!) And we beat on the same drum
(Yeah!) It's not about where ya at
(Yeah!) It's about where you come from
And I'mma keep on thuggin' 'til the day I die!
(Yeah!) Oh yeah (Yeah!)
(Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!)
Ran up in Atlantic, told 'em let me go
Smack my A&R and grabbed him by his throat
Playin' with my life'll get you yellow-taped
Runnin' in and out of church like I'm the yellow Ma$e
All-black fleet like when Obama get in
Missiles aimed at yo' building like Osama livin'
"Fuck 'em all" is what I'm screamin' from that Mase' seat
(How About Some Hardcore) like it's '93
Think deep, feel the pain in my homie's face
And only then you'll understand why my homies bang
Strapped up, this is us, fuck a deal nigga
Gun boys be like "Maino is a real nigga"
Yeah, me and Bust bleed the same blood
Handcuffed to the bus, we the same thugs
Never fear, just know that I'mma ride for ya
All black baby welcome to my mafia
(Yeah!) We all bleed the same blood
(Yeah!) And we beat on the same drum
(Yeah!) It's not about where ya at
(Yeah!) It's about where you come from
And I'mma keep on thuggin' 'til the day I die!
(Yeah!) Oh yeah (Yeah!)
(Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!)
I gotta tell somebody yeah
I'm passionate about gettin' this money
Handlin' those that be plottin' on takin' it from me
Some of these niggas forgot I be makin' it funny
We're spendin' like my fingers rotten then paper cut bloody
In case you ain't knowin' we back dominatin' the country
Until I make these niggas black with the strength of a monkey
Balenciaga boss, bitch address me as Mister
Eat salmons and tortellini down at the Bella Vista
We move in silence bitch you better whisper
And sizzle the street with the heat until it hella blister
So much bottles, got 'em for every drinker
So much head I be callin' mami a heavy thinker
Victorious like a nigga conquered another nation
Buyin' bottles and drinkin' to drown the sufferation
Could give a fuck about your plan, watch how I handle that
If it ain't YMCMB or Conglomerate, cancel that!
(Yeah!) We all bleed the same blood
(Yeah!) And we beat on the same drum
(Yeah!) It's not about where ya at
(Yeah!) It's about where you come from
And I'mma keep on thuggin' 'til the day I die!
(Yeah!) Oh yeah (Yeah!)
(Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!)
I gotta tell somebody, yeah
So inspirin' when a nigga doubt
Look around and see how niggas try to count me out
Only if niggas stepped in my shoes and took a walk
And thought of shit I sacrificed I wouldn't have to talk
And I'm like a bitch's blouse on a clothesline
And treatin' how I stumbled on another goldmine
While embracin' what God be havin' for me
You can never stop what is destined, I hope you're happy for me
The lyrics for Busta Rhymes Feat. Maino & Anthony Hamilton's song "Bleed The Same Blood" tell a story of unity, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles while embracing the commonalities that connect people. Busta Rhymes opens the track with the words, "We all bleed the same blood," emphasizing that regardless of race or background, people share a fundamental similarity. He continues to reference unity by saying, "And we beat on the same drum," suggesting that despite our differences, we all share a collective rhythm that unites us.
Maino then takes over in the second verse, telling a story of struggle and hardship, stating that "Only then you'll understand why my homies bang." Maino highlights the harsh realities of his upbringing and how it has shaped his life. Despite facing hardship and being feared by many, Maino still sees hope and unity, stating that "me and Bust bleed the same blood." In the final verse, Busta Rhymes continues his message of perseverance, triumph over adversity, and staying true to oneself.
Overall, "Bleed The Same Blood" celebrates the shared human experience, despite differences in race or socio-economic status. It is a song about unity in the face of adversity, and it highlights the strength and perseverance required to overcome life's obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
(Yeah!) We all bleed the same blood
No matter who we are or where we're from, we're all human beings with the same blood flowing through our veins.
(Yeah!) And we beat on the same drum
We all march to the same beat, trying to make it through life the best way we know how.
(Yeah!) It's not about where ya at
Success is not determined by where you are in life, but rather how far you've come from where you started.
(Yeah!) It's about where you come from
Our upbringing and experiences shape us into the people we are today, and it's important to acknowledge and honor that.
And I'mma keep on thuggin' 'til the day I die!
Despite the struggles and obstacles we may face, we'll keep pushing forward and never give up on what we believe in.
(Yeah!) Oh yeah (Yeah!)
A confirmation of the previous statements, an agreement in the sentiment expressed.
(Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!)
An expression of excitement and energy for the upcoming lyrics.
Unstoppable, yo, Maino!
Maino is a force to be reckoned with, unstoppable in his pursuits.
Ran up in Atlantic, told 'em let me go
Maino is not afraid to demand what he deserves from those he works with or for.
Smack my A&R and grabbed him by his throat
Maino is willing to use physical force to protect his interests and ensure he gets what he wants.
Playin' with my life'll get you yellow-taped
Maino takes his life and safety seriously, and those who threaten them will face consequences.
Runnin' in and out of church like I'm the yellow Ma$e
Maino is always on the move, similar to the rapper Ma$e who was known for running in and out of church.
All-black fleet like when Obama get in
Maino has a fleet of cars, all black, similar to when President Obama was inaugurated and his motorcade was all black.
Missiles aimed at yo' building like Osama livin'
Maino is armed and dangerous, his enemies would be wise not to underestimate him.
"Fuck 'em all" is what I'm screamin' from that Mase' seat
Maino has a rebellious attitude, and this lyric echoes Ma$e's similarly anti-authoritarian song "Feel So Good".
(How About Some Hardcore) like it's '93
Maino is harkening back to the golden age of hardcore rap, similar to KRS-One's song "The Return of the Boom Bap".
Think deep, feel the pain in my homie's face
Maino has a deep empathy for his friends and loved ones, and their struggles affect him personally.
And only then you'll understand why my homies bang
Only by understanding the hardships and struggles that Maino and his friends have faced will you understand why they are involved in gang activity.
Strapped up, this is us, fuck a deal nigga
Maino and his gang are armed and ready for anything, and they value loyalty to each other over any record deal or financial gain.
Gun boys be like "Maino is a real nigga"
Maino is respected by others in the gang culture for his authenticity and fearlessness.
Yeah, me and Bust bleed the same blood
Maino and Busta Rhymes, despite their different backgrounds, share the common bond of being human.
Handcuffed to the bus, we the same thugs
Both Maino and Busta Rhymes have faced legal trouble and been in police custody, and they share a bond over those experiences.
Never fear, just know that I'mma ride for ya
Maino is loyal to his friends and will do whatever it takes to protect them, even if it means risking his own safety.
All black baby welcome to my mafia
Maino's gang is like a family, and he welcomes those who share their values and are willing to fight for each other.
I'm passionate about gettin' this money
Maino is driven to make money and will do whatever it takes to achieve financial success.
Handlin' those that be plottin' on takin' it from me
Maino is aware of those who would try to take advantage of him or steal from him, and he's prepared to deal with them accordingly.
Some of these niggas forgot I be makin' it funny
Maino has a sense of humor and can be lighthearted, but don't mistake that for weakness or a lack of seriousness.
We're spendin' like my fingers rotten then paper cut bloody
Maino and his crew are spending money recklessly, as if it's burning a hole in their pockets.
In case you ain't knowin' we back dominatin' the country
Maino is confident that his gang is taking over and making their presence known in the rap game.
Until I make these niggas black with the strength of a monkey
Maino's influence and power will be so strong that other rappers will be "black" with envy and fear, similar to the connotations of black magic.
Balenciaga boss, bitch address me as Mister
Maino is a boss in the luxury brand game, and demands to be addressed with respect.
Eat salmons and tortellini down at the Bella Vista
Maino is living the high life, dining on expensive and delicious cuisine at a fancy restaurant.
We move in silence bitch you better whisper
Maino and his crew keep their moves and plans secret, and it's best not to make too much noise or attract too much attention.
And sizzle the street with the heat until it hella blister
Maino and his crew are causing chaos and violence in the streets, and they're not afraid to use guns or other weapons to make their point.
So much bottles, got 'em for every drinker
Maino and his crew are living the high life, with expensive champagne flowing freely.
So much head I be callin' mami a heavy thinker
Maino has so many women throwing themselves at him that it's become routine, and even derogatory in the way he talks about them.
Victorious like a nigga conquered another nation
Maino is proud and confident like a conqueror who has vanquished his enemies on the battlefield.
Buyin' bottles and drinkin' to drown the sufferation
Maino and his crew are using alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with the pain and hardship they've experienced.
Could give a fuck about your plan, watch how I handle that
Maino doesn't care about anyone else's plans or strategies, he'll do things his own way and show them how it's done.
If it ain't YMCMB or Conglomerate, cancel that!
Maino is only interested in working with certain groups or labels, and the rest can be ignored or dismissed outright.
So inspirin' when a nigga doubt
Maino finds it motivating and inspiring when people doubt his abilities or chances of success.
Look around and see how niggas try to count me out
Maino is aware that some people don't believe in him, but he's determined to prove them all wrong.
Only if niggas stepped in my shoes and took a walk
Maino feels that people would have a better understanding of his struggles and challenges if they experienced them firsthand.
And thought of shit I sacrificed I wouldn't have to talk
Maino has made many sacrifices to get where he is today, and he shouldn't have to explain himself or his decisions to anyone.
And I'm like a bitch's blouse on a clothesline
Maino is confident and cocky, like a woman's shirt hanging out to dry in the breeze.
And treatin' how I stumbled on another goldmine
Maino looks at each new opportunity as a chance to strike gold, and he's not afraid to take risks to make it happen.
While embracin' what God be havin' for me
Maino is grateful for everything he has, and trusts that God has a plan for his life.
You can never stop what is destined, I hope you're happy for me
Maino believes that his success and destiny are inevitable, and he hopes that others can be happy for him rather than jealous or resentful.
Contributed by Natalie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@acjayc
This song is Soooo underrated!!!
@jmdiaz6018
The best song out of Mainos whole catalog
@drewuchiha4929
Haven’t heard this song in a loooong time
@jmdiaz6018
Maino is SUPER IN POCKET on this joint.
He sounds just kept running with this style and spund
@mphophantshang9087
Underrated
@nizzotheartist
dope
@gugulethuperseveranceskosa623
@bustarhymes - VIDEO 🙏