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.
Hot Sh** Makin Ya Bounce
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my niggas in the place
Need to bounce around just bounce around
Make ya bounce around
All my bitches in the place
Need to bounce around make ya bounce around
I'll make ya bounce around
Shake yo titties and yo ass and bounce around
C'mon
Yeah nigga this shit here be the boss of me
None of y'all niggas is ready
Run go see the pharmacy
Prepare for the coming of
Another grand larceny pardon me
You niggas ain't even a little hard to me
Shit I spit'll slice you all
Up in yo main artery
For the simple fact we didn't grow together
You ain't a part of me
Makin niggas ride my long star singin the es
Open orifices they gon' go
Cop another fortresses
Meet a couple Delorises
Travel when we on the low
Whippin them ford tauruses ay yo yo yo yo YO
Now I be Busta Ryhmes multimedia
Latest edition added to
The street encyclopedia
(Meaning) keep your eyes on
Greedy niggas gettin greedier
(Meaning) keep your eyes on
Meaty asses gettin meatier
Worldwide publication bring tribulation
To all whack niggas I smash yo' dedication
My purpose is to purchase
And really hurt this
Bring alla my niggas amongst
The wealthy merchants
Gently we conquer the spot until it's empty
Present me and my niggas with arsenal aplenty
Break fools, send you to school
Follow the rules violate my tools
Lay you in your own blood pool
But for now I drop jewels
On the mentally strong
With shit to say we don't allow niggas
To say up in a song
Aiyyo, aiyyo, hot shit makin ya bounce
One two (two) ride around in large amounts
One two (two) high offa half an ounce
One two (two) , one two (two)
One two (two) , hot shit makin ya bounce
One two (two) ride around in large amounts
One two (two) we high offa half an ounce
One two (two) , one two (two)
Caliente, wearing Ferdio Valente
Shorty whippin in a Mit'subishi Viamonte
Smell the roses, overdoses
Givin niggas they diagnosis
I got the answer for niggas
Who need they prognosis
Shit for alla y'all niggas to
Smell up in your noses
Hocus pocus, introduce me to the hostess
I was dyin'a stroke uh play strip poker
In the limo as I directed the limo chauffer
Told the nigga to spin over by the club copa
Watchin shorty lay as she spread
On the limo sofa
She asked the chauffer to stop
For a frappachino mocha
Then she let me blaze it while I
Still had my gun in my holster still bonin
Word I love the way shorty moanin
Zonin, word is born niggas is wide open
Yo, have a little fun all in between time
And now we focus on the money
Shit all in the meantime
Word to mother- I work
Hard to keep microphonin
And alert niggas to shit like
When the devil started clonin
What nigga? yeah
We bowlin and shit is rollin
Little shitty-ass niggas should run and
Go clean ya colon
Any human that be assumin I check my
Nigga ruben for the ice cuban
Assist him in my Lincoln Ave boomin
Whats the issue? I come to get you
May the force be with you
Bang your head, rupture your brain tissue
I unravel shit faster than sound travel
Battle any amphibian or live mammal
Don't fret from sunrise to sunset
Make a nigga bounce quick and I
Ain't even grabbed my gun yet
I ain't done yet before I
Go to my permanent home
Make sure you put 'One Of
The Illest' on my tombstone
Aiyyo, aiyyo, hot shit makin ya bounce
One two (two) ride around in large amounts
One two (two) high offa half an ounce
One two (two) , one two (two)
One two (two) hot shit makin ya bounce
One two (two) ride around in large amounts
One two (two) we high offa half an ounce
One two (two) , one two (two)
One two (two) , one two (two)
One two (two) , one two (two)
One two (two) , one two (two) one two (two)
The lyrics of Busta Rhymes's "Bounce" are focused on boasting, warning rivals, and celebrating the good life. The track opens with a call to everyone to start bouncing, male and female alike. Busta then jumps in with swift rhymes that declare him the "boss" and taunt his haters. He warns that the coming of a grand larceny is nigh and that no one will be ready for it. The lyrics are complicated and political, touching on greed, violence, and world issues.
Busta's attention then shifts to the materialistic aspects of fame as he acknowledges his worldly possessions and experiences. He brags about his wealth - the Ford Tauruses, Delorises, and limo chauffers. The lyrics also touch on casual sex, with shorty asked to pull over in the limo and take a Frappachino Mocha break. He ends the song by warning rivals to fear him and offering a final warning that he will always be remembered as one of the illest.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
An energetic introduction to the song
Just bounce around
Encouraging his audience to dance and move to the music
All my niggas in the place need to bounce around
Asking his male fans to get up and dance
Make ya bounce around, I'll make ya bounce around
Promising to provide a beat that will keep everyone moving
All my bitches in the place need to bounce around
Asking his female fans to also get up and dance
Shake yo titties and yo ass and bounce around
Encouraging his female fans to dance in a provocative way
Yeah nigga this shit here be the boss of me
Referring to his own music as being the highest form of authority
None of you all niggas is ready run go see the pharmacy
Implying that his music is of such high quality, that it could cause listeners to become addicted
Prepare for the coming of another grand larceny
Promising to steal the show and dominate the music industry once again
Pardon me, you niggas ain't even a little hard to me
Expressing confidence in himself and dismissing other rappers as not being strong enough to compete with him
Shit I spit'll slice you all up in yo main artery
Boasting that his lyrics are so powerful that they could cause physical damage
For the simple fact we didn't grow together, you ain't a part of me
Explaining that he doesn't feel a connection with other rappers because they did not come up in the music industry together
Makin' niggas ride my long star singin' the choruses
Saying that his music is so popular that it makes people want to sing along with him
Open offices they gon' go cop another fortresses
Implying that through his music, he has become wealthy enough to buy many properties and possessions
Meet a couple Delorises
Casually mentioning that he has met many attractive women
Travel when we on the low whippin' them Ford Tauruses
Describing traveling around in Ford Tauruses with his crew
Now I be Busta Ryhmes multimedia
Referring to himself as a multimedia artist
Latest edition added to the street encyclopedia
Boasting that he is now considered an important and influential part of urban culture
Keep your eyes on greedy niggas gettin' greedier
Warning his fans to be careful of people who are only out for themselves
Keep your eyes on meaty asses gettin' meatier
Playfully encouraging his fans to pay attention to women with curvy bodies
Worldwide publication bring tribulation
Acknowledging that his music has the power to create controversy and criticism around the world
To all wack niggas I smash your dedication
Promising to destroy other rappers who he considers to be of low quality
My purpose is to purchase and really hurt this
Expressing his dedication to making music and achieving success in the industry
Bring all of my niggas amongst the wealthy merchants
Promising to bring his crew along with him as he becomes more successful
Gently we conquer the spot until it's empty
Describing his style of taking over the music industry in a gradual and methodical way
Present me and my niggas with arsenal aplenty
Saying that he and his crew are well-equipped with the tools and resources they need to be successful
Break fools, send you to school, follow the rules
Boasting that he is tough enough to intimidate other rappers and force them to follow his example
Violate my tools, lay you in your own blood pool
Threatening other rappers who would try to steal his style or lyrics
But for now I drop jewels on the mentally strong
Saying that he is sharing his knowledge and wisdom with those who are intelligent and capable
With shit to say we don't allow niggas to say up in a song
Explaining that he is saying things in his music that other rappers would be too afraid to say
Caliente, wearing Serdio Valente
Saying that he is dressed well and looking attractive
Shorty whippin' in a Mitsubishi Viamonte
Describing a woman who is driving a fancy car
Smell the roses, overdoses, givin' niggas they diagnoses
Referencing drug use and suggesting that he is giving other rappers a reality check
I got the answer for niggas who need they prognosis
Saying that he has the solution for other rappers who need help or guidance
Shit for all of you all niggas to smell up in your noses
Suggesting that his lyrics are so powerful that they can be smelled
Hocus pocus, introduce me to the hostess
Using a playful rhyme to describe an encounter with a woman he finds attractive
I was dyin' a stroke uh play strip poker
Describing a sexual encounter he had with a woman
In the limo as I directed the limo chauffer
Implying that he is wealthy enough to have a personal driver
Told the nigga to spin over by the Club Copa
Telling his driver to take him to a nightclub by that name
Watchin' shorty lay as she spread on the limo sofa
Describing sexual activity with a woman in his limousine
She asked the chauffer to stop for a Frappachino Mocha
Describing a moment of intimacy between him and the woman he is with
Then she let me blaze it while I still had my gun in my holster
Suggesting that he is so cool and calm that he can smoke a cigarette while carrying a gun
Still bonin', word I love the way shorty moanin'
Continuing to describe sexual activity with the woman he is with
Zonin', word is born niggas is wide open
Implying that other rappers are jealous of his lifestyle and success
Yo, have a little fun all in between time
Encouraging his fans to enjoy life while working hard and pursuing success
And now we focus on the money shit all in the meantime
Saying that he is currently focused on making money and achieving success
Word to mother, I work hard to keep microphonin'
Saying that he is dedicated to making music, and works hard to perfect his craft
And alert niggas to shit like when the devil started clonin'
Claiming that he is aware of the evils in the world, and is warning his fans to be aware as well
What nigga? Yeah, we bowlin' and shit is rollin'
Using playful language to describe his success and lifestyle
Little shitty-ass niggas should run and go clean ya colon
Threatening other rappers who he considers to be inferior
Any human that be assumin'
Saying that anyone who assumes things about him is probably wrong
I check my nigga Ruben for the ice cuban
Saying that he is keeping an eye on his friend Ruben, who may be wearing expensive jewelry
Assist him in my Lincoln Ave boomin'
Saying that he is helping his friend Ruben become successful using his own methods
What's the issue? I come to get you
Threatening other rappers who may have a problem with him or his music
May the force be with you
A play on words from the Star Wars movie franchise, wishing his fans good luck and success
Bang your head, rupture your brain tissue
Suggesting that his music is so powerful that it can cause physical reactions in his listeners
I unravel shit faster than sound travel
Saying that he is clever and talented enough to solve problems quickly and efficiently
Battle any amphibian or live mammal
Suggesting that he is a skilled rapper who can compete with anyone
Don't fret from sunrise to sunset
Encouraging his fans to have a positive attitude and not worry too much
Make a nigga bounce quick and I ain't even grabbed my gun yet
Saying that his music is powerful enough to get people excited and dancing without using violence
I ain't done yet before I go to my permanent home
Expressing that he is planning to make more music and continue his career
Make sure you put one of the illest on my tombstone
Saying that he wants to be remembered as one of the best rappers of all time
One two ride around in large amounts
Repeating a phrase from earlier in the song, which encourages listeners to have fun and dance
One two high offa half an ounce
Referencing drug use and partying
One two, one two
Making a rhythmic noise, possibly to encourage the audience to clap or stomp along
Caliente, wearing Serdio Valente
Repeating a line from earlier in the song
One two hot shit makin' ya bounce
Repeating a phrase from earlier in the song, which encourages listeners to have fun and dance
One two ride around in large amounts
Repeating a phrase from earlier in the song, which encourages listeners to have fun and dance
One two we high offa half an ounce
Referencing drug use and partying
One two, one two, one two, one two
Making a rhythmic noise, possibly to encourage the audience to clap or stomp along
One two, one two, one two, one two
Making a rhythmic noise, possibly to encourage the audience to clap or stomp along
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind