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.
Decision
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I made a decision, despite all the things that we go through
I'm going to take more time with you, and be a friend indeed
I made a decision, that everything will be alright
Going to stay strong and keep it tight, I'll be there indeed
Let me talk to you, when it feels like the sun ain't shining bright enough
It's like the devil's trying to work to give ?
It's good to have a friend, with another perspective to show you
Someone you know that knows you, and gives you motivation
Someone that you can go to, and vent your frustration
We always talk about our peeps, how we be everywhere
When you need 'em the most, are they really ever there?
See, every thing be all good when we be havin' fun
The difference is really needing a friend than having one
It's good when your peoples are there to help your problems
And help you smile about it while finding a way to solve it
Look at hear, let me keep it at 100 and let me tell ya
How you hold me down is something I genuinely value
I got a clearer view, and being that you're always here for me I'll be here for you
[Chorus]
Well, how you been baby? But I'm sayin'
Even though we probably link up every now and then
With minimal convo, look it's real good to see you friend
Something that we allow that I don't even have to mention
Is whether or not you got me, that's something that I never question
Sometimes I feel that the people that I love don't appreciate me
And some hate to see the shit I've been going through lately
See you was here, when it started to haywire
You're still here, walking with me going through the fire
And I really love you for it, I know you all relate too
On everything that I believe and I appreciate it you
And just for that, it don't matter you can put that on my name
The way you rep me, let me be there just for you the same
Sometimes the pressure and the pain, it be wearin' me out
But I thank you for just bein' there and for hearin' me out
I got a clearer view, I thank God that you're here for me and I'm here for you
[Chorus]
I, look in your eye, and I see the pain in it
Life's a game, maybe the game did it
I know I changed, they say the fame did it
Life's changed, maybe the game did it
Two friends, now in two different places
And the mister catchin' planes, and you catching cases
Friendship, we never based it on position
No matter the game, we both shared the same vision
Decisions to split us in the place that life seemed to hit us
I would come to town and never get up, with you
Around then, things weren't so simple
I had my own issues that I was trying to get through
Outside chatter, messing with our mental
On the chase of ? trust, you can't forget to
It's the real friends, that you've got to tend to
No matter how far, just know that I'm with you
[Chorus]
I made a decision
The lyrics to Busta Rhymes's song Decision embody the theme of friendship and the importance of having someone to lean on during difficult times. The chorus emphasizes that the artist has made a decision to be there for his friend no matter what they are going through. The first verse follows up with the idea that even when our blessings are abundant, we still experience tough situations, which is when having someone to confide in becomes a significant source of comfort. The artist highlights that a friend's perspective can be invaluable when trying to navigate through difficult experiences. The second verse focuses on the bond between the two friends, acknowledging the highs and lows they have experienced together. The artist thanks his friend for always being there, recognizing that their constant presence has been a source of strength.
These lyrics highlight the importance of having someone who can provide a supportive ear and perspective during challenging times. The artist emphasizes that having a friend to confide in and share frustrations with can make all the difference when navigating life's ups and downs. The song's message sends a reminder to listeners that friendships require work, but they are worth investing in as they can provide support during life's toughest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
I made a decision, despite all the things that we go through
I have decided that despite any troubles we face, I will prioritize spending more time and being a true friend to you.
I'm going to take more time with you, and be a friend indeed
My decision is to dedicate more of my time to you, and genuinely act as a supportive and reliable friend.
I made a decision, that everything will be alright
My choice is to believe and trust that everything will work out in the end, and I will remain strong and determined.
Going to stay strong and keep it tight, I'll be there indeed
With my mind set on this decision, I will continue to stay strong and supportive, and be there for you whenever you need me.
Let me talk to you, when it feels like the sun ain't shining bright enough
When you are feeling down and things seem bleak, let me be there to talk to you and provide some comfort.
It's like the devil's trying to work to give ?
It feels as though the negative forces of the world are trying to bring you down and bring negativity into your life.
And though I'm blessed, I still gotta handle of things I go through
Despite feeling fortunate and blessed in many ways, I still have my own struggles and challenges to face in life.
It's good to have a friend, with another perspective to show you
Having a friend who can provide a different outlook and perspective can be extremely valuable and helpful.
Someone you know that knows you, and gives you motivation
It's great to have someone close to you who understands you and can offer encouragement and inspiration when you need it most.
Someone that you can go to, and vent your frustration
It's important to have a trusted friend who you can confide in and share your hardships and frustrations with.
We always talk about our peeps, how we be everywhere
We often talk about our friends and how they are always around us, but...
When you need 'em the most, are they really ever there?
...the real test of friendship is whether they are there for us in our times of greatest need.
See, every thing be all good when we be havin' fun
Friendship can be easy and enjoyable when we are just having fun together and not encountering difficult circumstances.
The difference is really needing a friend than having one
But true friendship is shown when we really need our friends and they step up to be there for us in our time of need.
It's good when your peoples are there to help your problems
Having friends who are willing to help us with our problems can be a great relief and source of support.
And help you smile about it while finding a way to solve it
Good friends will try to not only help us solve our problems but also provide some levity and positivity to make the experience less overwhelming.
Look at hear, let me keep it at 100 and let me tell ya
Listen to me closely, because what I am about to say is 100% true and sincere.
How you hold me down is something I genuinely value
The way you support and encourage me means a lot to me and is sincerely appreciated.
I got a clearer view, and being that you're always here for me I'll be here for you
I now have a better perspective, and because you have always been there for me, I pledge to be here for you too.
Well, how you been baby? But I'm sayin'
Let's catch up and chat, but there's something else I want to express too.
Even though we probably link up every now and then
While we do see each other occasionally,
With minimal convo, look it's real good to see you friend
we don't always have deep conversations, but I do appreciate seeing you and our friendship.
Something that we allow that I don't even have to mention
There is an unspoken understanding between us that goes without saying.
Is whether or not you got me, that's something that I never question
I never doubt whether you are there for me and have my back.
Sometimes I feel that the people that I love don't appreciate me
At times, I feel unappreciated by those closest to me.
And some hate to see the shit I've been going through lately
Some seem to resent and dislike the difficulties and challenges I have been facing recently.
See you was here, when it started to haywire
But you were here for me from the beginning, during the worst of it all,
You're still here, walking with me going through the fire
and you continue to be here, walking with me through the fire and hardship.
And I really love you for it, I know you all relate too
I genuinely love and appreciate you for being there during this tough time, and I'm sure others can relate to that sentiment as well.
On everything that I believe and I appreciate it you
I swear on everything I believe in that I truly appreciate you and everything you do for me.
And just for that, it don't matter you can put that on my name
I am so thankful to you that you could swear on my name that I will always be here for you too.
The way you rep me, let me be there just for you the same
You have always represented me and backed me up, and I pledge to be there for you in the same way.
Sometimes the pressure and the pain, it be wearin' me out
At times, the stress and pain can really wear me out and be overwhelming.
But I thank you for just bein' there and for hearin' me out
However, I am so grateful that you are always there for me to talk to and confide in about any problems or challenges I might be facing.
I, look in your eye, and I see the pain in it
When I look into your eyes, I can see the pain and hardship you are experiencing.
Life's a game, maybe the game did it
Life can feel like a game that is causing us pain and hardship.
I know I changed, they say the fame did it
Others have said that I have changed due to my fame and success.
Life's changed, maybe the game did it
Life has changed for us over time, and we wonder if it's due to the challenges we've faced in the game of life.
Two friends, now in two different places
We, two friends, are in two different stages of our lives now.
And the mister catchin' planes, and you catching cases
I'm catching flights and enjoying my success, but you are dealing with legal troubles and facing hardships.
Friendship, we never based it on position
Our friendship has never been based on our respective positions in life.
No matter the game, we both shared the same vision
No matter what the game of life throws at us, we share a common vision and understanding.
Decisions to split us in the place that life seemed to hit us
Despite our shared vision, we have had to make tough decisions that have caused distance between us due to life's challenges.
I would come to town and never get up, with you
I would visit you but never leave your side when we were younger.
Around then, things weren't so simple
But our lives were far less complicated and challenging back then.
I had my own issues that I was trying to get through
Even back then, I had my own troubles and challenges that I was trying to deal with.
Outside chatter, messing with our mental
The outside noise and opinions were beginning to affect our state of mind and thinking.
On the chase of ? trust, you can't forget to
As we chase after success and trust, we must not forget to...
It's the real friends, that you've got to tend to
... prioritize and focus on the real friends who are always there for us no matter what.
No matter how far, just know that I'm with you
No matter the distance or time apart, know that I am always here for you and will never truly leave your side.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ARMOND DAVIS, DENAUN M PORTER, LONNIE LYNN, TREVOR SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Neel
beautiful song gets me every time. A perfect combination of rap and soul.
Rahki Hayes
Yes!!!
MyNamesCody
One of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Never knew Busta had it in him.
BlessedT G
It is Nov. 2019 and I only heard this on Busta's Pandora Channel. I feel cheated and I could have been loving this for years. I cannot stop listening to this. It is relevant now and better than so much out there today. Bravo!
Albert Ward
This shit hit your soul 2021
Kyle McHugh
Been playing nonstop. Major props to Busta Rhymes for this. really hits home
AggresiveChicken
Really didn't expect Busta to have a song like this! Amazing
LeonardoPLK
Busta got a song for everything
Tarese Harris
this track is the epitome of my life from the beginning to the end. their lyrics are captivating all of our truth and issues. O GOD what happen to HIP-HOP
Jason Wolfe
This was not that long ago. Fell off quick but I think it will be back.