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.
Live to Regret
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While we hit you with another one of them old phenomenal shits
Nineteen ninety six that nigga comes through with another one of them fucking ill ones
Busta Rhymes in the place to be Flipmode Squad
y'all motherfuckers keep it right here
You know how it's going down son
Blow the spot up one shot
Yo check it out
Aeiyo son I get busy each and every day
Freaky different shit make you bounce around your way
So many niggas just fade away
Talking shit on mics with nothing to say
When I display freaky bump shit you want to say
Hit you off, make you and your peoples want to stay
Yo, who be that nigga that be coming through?
That's me
I'll take the mics just overview
Ha, who, ha
Tell me just what you want to do
Hit with more shit that make you feel brand new
Steady solid gold posting like Marilyn Macu
Suckers suffocating till their faces turn blue
You don't have a clue, of the proper number of my crew
How we shoot the spit-shine on niggas like a pair of shoes
Any time you want to set it off
I'ma make sure that you all live to regret it
Chorus:
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo
Huh! Yo!
I be the absolute wicked and that's your first warning
When you start falling, my name you will be calling
Who's that?
You wake up to every single morning, that's me
Busta Rhymes with the loudest talking
Living to regret what they did to you, stay talking
Talking shit you better watch how you be walking
Coming through so that you all can really see
Rhyme after me, bring you back to reality
Ha, check your self nigga
Just count from one to three
Then I hit you off with another new stylee
A-hee, A-hee-hee
Dedicated to MC's
Break you off something with so much new ferocity
So hot, I will burn off your calories
Chase you all down like I was your worst enemy
Better believe this nigga set it
Fuck around and I'ma make sure that you all live to regret it
Chorus:
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
Yo, yo, yo, yo
I be that nigga that you can't see
Breaking shit down in all actuality
All y'all niggas who misbehave
Better count your blessings or make your grave
Uh, this goes out to all the ones who talk trash
Bring the noise nigga, we will bust your ass
If you really want to set it off
I'ma make sure that you all live to regret it
Chorus:
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
Don't you do something that will catch up with you
Watch your back before you die
Don't you do something that you live to regret
Or feel the heat so bad baby
(Repeat to fade with chanting in background)
The song "Live to Regret" by Busta Rhymes is a warning to those who talk trash and misbehave. He starts off by introducing himself as the one who gets busy every day and makes people bounce around. He then calls out those who talk on the mic with nothing to say and boasts about how his freaky bump shit makes people want to stay. Busta asserts his dominance and warns any rival MCs that he will make sure they all live to regret it if they try to set it off with him.
The chorus is a reminder not to do anything that will catch up with you and cause regret. The song is full of energy and aggression, with Busta's quick-paced flow and the strong beats driving the message home. He is not afraid to call out those who think they can talk trash without consequences and makes it clear that he will not back down. The repeated chanting in the background adds to the intensity of the song.
Overall, "Live to Regret" is a powerful warning to those who underestimate Busta Rhymes and his crew. He is confident and in control, and he will not tolerate any disrespect or threats. The song is a classic example of Busta's unique style, and it showcases his ability to dominate any beat and leave a lasting impression on his listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha Ha Ha Uh Yeah Yeah
Busta Rhymes laughs while hyping up the crowd.
While we hit you with another one of them old phenomenal shits
Busta Rhymes is introducing another great song.
Nineteen ninety six that nigga comes through with another one of them fucking ill ones
This song is from 1996 and is one of Busta Rhymes' best.
Busta Rhymes in the place to be Flipmode Squad
Busta Rhymes is part of Flipmode Squad.
y'all motherfuckers keep it right here
The crowd is told to keep the energy up.
You know how it's going down son
The audience is familiar with the energy and excitement of a Busta Rhymes concert.
Blow the spot up one shot
Busta Rhymes wants to leave a lasting impact on the audience.
Yo check it out
Busta Rhymes is getting ready to start his song.
Aeiyo son I get busy each and every day
Busta Rhymes is always busy making music.
Freaky different shit make you bounce around your way
Busta Rhymes' music is unique and gets people dancing.
So many niggas just fade away
Many rappers lose relevance over time.
Talking shit on mics with nothing to say
Some rappers talk without substance in their music.
When I display freaky bump shit you want to say
When Busta Rhymes performs, people can't help but be impressed.
Hit you off, make you and your peoples want to stay
Busta Rhymes' music keeps the crowd entertained and wanting more.
Yo, who be that nigga that be coming through?
Busta Rhymes is asking who is the best rapper.
That's me
Busta Rhymes is the best rapper.
I'll take the mics just overview
Busta Rhymes will perform better than anyone else.
Ha, who, ha
Busta Rhymes is chuckling at his own lines.
Tell me just what you want to do
Busta Rhymes is asking the crowd what they want.
Hit with more shit that make you feel brand new
Busta Rhymes' music is always fresh and exciting.
Steady solid gold posting like Marilyn Macu
Busta Rhymes' music is valuable and timeless, like Marilyn Monroe.
Suckers suffocating till their faces turn blue
Busta Rhymes' competition cannot keep up and are losing air.
You don't have a clue, of the proper number of my crew
Busta Rhymes' crew is too powerful for others to understand.
How we shoot the spit-shine on niggas like a pair of shoes
Busta Rhymes and his crew outshine their competition.
Any time you want to set it off
Anyone who wants to compete with Busta Rhymes is welcomed to try.
I'ma make sure that you all live to regret it
Busta Rhymes is confident he will win and leave his competition regretting their decision.
Chorus: Don't you do something that will catch up with you Watch your back before you die Don't you do something that you live to regret Or feel the heat so bad baby Don't you do something that will catch up with you Watch your back before you die Don't you do something that you live to regret Or feel the heat so bad baby
The chorus warns others to be careful not to make decisions that they will regret.
Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo Huh! Yo!
Busta Rhymes is getting the crowd pumped up again.
I be the absolute wicked and that's your first warning
Busta Rhymes is the most wicked rapper and the competition should be scared.
When you start falling, my name you will be calling
Busta Rhymes is confident he will win and his competition will be crying for help.
Who's that?
Busta Rhymes is asking who is the best rapper.
You wake up to every single morning, that's me
Busta Rhymes is the best rapper to wake up to.
Busta Rhymes with the loudest talking
Busta Rhymes' voice is the loudest and most powerful.
Living to regret what they did to you, stay talking
Busta Rhymes will not tolerate disrespect and will leave the competition regretting their actions.
Talking shit you better watch how you be walking
People who talk poorly of Busta Rhymes should be careful when they walk around him.
Coming through so that you all can really see
Busta Rhymes wants to show the competition that he is the best rapper.
Rhyme after me, bring you back to reality
Busta Rhymes' music is so good that it will bring you back to reality.
Ha, check your self nigga
Busta Rhymes is telling his competition to check themselves.
Just count from one to three
Busta Rhymes' competition needs to count themselves out.
Then I hit you off with another new stylee
Busta Rhymes' music is always introducing new styles and sounds.
A-hee, A-hee-hee
Busta Rhymes is laughing at his own lines again.
Dedicated to MC's
This song is dedicated to all MCs and rappers.
Break you off something with so much new ferocity
Busta Rhymes' music is powerful and intense.
So hot, I will burn off your calories
Busta Rhymes' music is so energetic that it will burn off calories.
Chase you all down like I was your worst enemy
Busta Rhymes' competition is being chased down like an enemy.
Better believe this nigga set it
Busta Rhymes is confident he is the best rapper.
Fuck around and I'ma make sure that you all live to regret it
Busta Rhymes' competition should not mess with him, or they will regret it.
Chorus: Don't you do something that will catch up with you Watch your back before you die Don't you do something that you live to regret Or feel the heat so bad baby Don't you do something that will catch up with you Watch your back before you die Don't you do something that you live to regret Or feel the heat so bad baby
The chorus is repeated to once again warn others to be careful.
(Repeat to fade with chanting in background)
The song ends with a repeating chorus and chanting in the background.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREA GILBERT, BUSTA RHYMES, DAVE HALL, DAVE M L HALL, GEORGE SPIVEY, GEORGE L. SPIVEY, NICHOLE GILBERT, NICHOLE L. GILBERT, NICOLE GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind