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.
Till It's Gone
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Till it's gone!
Hey yo yo yo yo
It was the first shine on the day of my birth I entered the earth blind,
Funerabole to everything I would first find,
Condition of beating nigga's having the wurst mind,
Becoming weak like we scavengers of the wurst kind,
That's kinda big aspirations for a nigga that's just kinda got on his first grind,
But it's alright cause I'm blowing hold on my first shine,
Kinda gas quicker than spas ready to burst mine,
And though it seems like obstacles come at the wurst time,
Going from being successful to committing the wurst crime,
So quick like a bitch massaging ya whole dick and busting up,
And it's over sabotaging ya own shit,
We always good when we get it and then abuse and regret it,
Cause it's quick as we get it we fucking lose it,
That's what my mother used to tell me.
[Chorus]
Seeing a flash that could take it from you like hocus-spocus,
So count your blessings and baby I hope you stay in focus,
Wide awake like I'm drinking cappuccino mucus,
Taking on more stress and get to be come and smoke us,
Hhhee, like the shit that the setup straight provoc us,
And fall ripped them to the shit till it's light full and choke it,
A promise you find truth when you done digging it out,
Stop the shiffering nigga I think I'd just figured it out,
You see we thug visicily and mentally soft keep lies to yourself,
So that your worth and value is lost,
Sometime the feeling of the city is wrong,
Why we appriciet them all nnow tupac & biggie is gone,
Somehow I'm seeing it clear I would have rather this value,
Them so much as both of these nigga's is here yeah,
We always good when we get it and then abuse and regret it,
Cause it's quick as we get it we fucking lose it, listen
[Chorus]
Yo that's what my mother used to always tell me,
Extend your hand for the worry and blessing if they need you,
Never take life fore granted and bite the hand that feeds you,
Be causios how you treath people and how the people feel you,
Respect niggas or else the karmarus is coming to kill you,
You got it good baby just get your shit together,
Before you lose it and it's over and gone forever,
Dressed for the stormy weather feel the songs,
For everyone is personal like I was just writing myself a letter,
A lot of niggas is wilding and calling a name with disrespect,
Cashing and blighting and trowing salt in the game I'm saying,
I'm dealing with logic I hope you ain't thinking I'm rude,
Lets stop ruin the greatest thing that's been given us food,
Cloth and a shelter when its cold whe be staying warm,
Imaging if they just take the music and rap was gone,
We always good when we get it and then abuse it,
I wont let it cause precious and I ain't ready to lose it, listen
The song "Till It's Gone" by Busta Rhymes explores the idea of valuing the things we have in life before they disappear. The song focuses on the message that we should appreciate the blessings we have and not take them for granted. Busta Rhymes reminds us that we often forget the importance of the things we have, and we don't realize their value until they are gone.
In the first verse, Busta describes his journey and how he's worked hard to earn everything he has. Despite the obstacles he has faced, he continues to work hard and appreciate his successes. However, he also recognizes how quickly things can fall apart and how easily we can sabotage our own lives. He emphasizes that it's important to hold on tight to the things we have because we never know when they might disappear.
The second verse is a reminder to be grateful for what we have and to treat people with respect. Busta also references the deaths of Tupac and Biggie and points out that sometimes we don't realize the value of something until it's gone. He believes that we should be cautious with how we treat one another and not take things for granted. The song serves as a reminder to be thankful for what we have and not to take it for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Till it's gone!
The main message of the song is to appreciate what we have because we can lose it at any moment.
It was the first shine on the day of my birth I entered the earth blind,
The artist is reflecting on his birth and the beginning of his journey through life.
Funerabole to everything I would first find,
The artist is saying that he was vulnerable and inexperienced when he started out.
Condition of beating nigga's having the wurst mind,
The artist is talking about how people can be negative and bring others down.
Becoming weak like we scavengers of the wurst kind,
The artist is comparing people who are negative and bring others down to scavengers.
From having nothing to plot and making the earth mine, making the earth mine,
The artist is talking about how he went from having nothing to working hard to achieve success.
That's kinda big aspirations for a nigga that's just kinda got on his first grind,
The artist recognizes that his goals are big but he is still new to the game.
But it's alright cause I'm blowing hold on my first shine,
The artist is confident in his abilities and success at the beginning of his career.
Kinda gas quicker than spas ready to burst mine,
The artist is saying that his success is like gas that can quickly run out, leaving him feeling empty.
And though it seems like obstacles come at the wurst time,
The artist is recognizing that obstacles and challenges often come at inconvenient and difficult times.
Going from being successful to committing the wurst crime,
The artist is acknowledging that success can be temporary and even lead to negative consequences if one is not careful.
So quick like a bitch massaging ya whole dick and busting up,
The artist is using a sexual metaphor to say that success can come and go very quickly.
And it's over sabotaging ya own shit,
The artist is saying that sometimes we can ruin our own success and opportunities.
We always good when we get it and then abuse and regret it,
The artist is saying that we often take things for granted and only realize their value when they are gone.
Cause it's quick as we get it we fucking lose it,
The artist is emphasizing how quickly success and opportunities can disappear.
Seeing a flash that could take it from you like hocus-spocus,
The artist is saying that success can disappear as quickly as a magic trick.
So count your blessings and baby I hope you stay in focus,
The artist is encouraging listeners to appreciate what they have and to stay focused.
Wide awake like I'm drinking cappuccino mucus,
The artist is using a metaphor to convey that he is alert and aware of his surroundings.
Taking on more stress and get to be come and smoke us,
The artist is recognizing that stress can be overwhelming and harmful.
Hhhee, like the shit that the setup straight provoc us,
The artist is saying that sometimes life can be difficult and provoking.
And fall ripped them to the shit till it's light full and choke it,
The artist is describing how the difficulties of life can weigh heavily on a person.
A promise you find truth when you done digging it out,
The artist believes that the truth can be found by reflecting and digging deep.
Stop the shiffering nigga I think I'd just figured it out,
The artist is saying that he has come to a realization and wants others to stop being uncertain.
You see we thug visicily and mentally soft keep lies to yourself,
The artist is saying that people often put on a tough exterior when they are really fragile.
So that your worth and value is lost,
The artist is saying that people who hide their true feelings can ultimately lose their sense of self-worth.
Sometime the feeling of the city is wrong,
The artist is saying that sometimes the environment we are in can have a negative impact on our lives.
Why we appriciet them all nnow tupac & biggie is gone,
The artist is reflecting on the loss of two legendary musicians and how they were underappreciated during their time alive.
Somehow I'm seeing it clear I would have rather this value,
The artist is saying that he wishes the value of these musicians had been recognized when they were alive.
Them so much as both of these nigga's is here yeah,
The artist is saying that he would rather have the two musicians still alive and celebrated than appreciated only after their deaths.
You got it good baby just get your shit together,
The artist is encouraging listeners to appreciate what they have and to get their life in order.
Before you lose it and it's over and gone forever,
The artist is warning listeners that they can lose what they have at any time.
Dressed for the stormy weather feel the songs,
The artist is saying that we should prepare for and be ready for challenges in life.
For everyone is personal like I was just writing myself a letter,
The artist is saying that the messages in his lyrics are personal to him and give him insight into his own life.
A lot of niggas is wilding and calling a name with disrespect,
The artist is criticizing those who disrespect others and act recklessly.
Cashing and blighting and trowing salt in the game I'm saying,
The artist is criticizing those who bring negativity and disrespect to the music industry.
I'm dealing with logic I hope you ain't thinking I'm rude,
The artist is saying that he is being logical and truthful, even if it may be perceived as rude.
Lets stop ruin the greatest thing that's been given us food,
The artist is saying that we should appreciate and not ruin the gift of music.
Cloth and a shelter when its cold whe be staying warm,
The artist is saying that the basic needs of human beings (shelter, clothing) are important and should be appreciated.
Imaging if they just take the music and rap was gone,
The artist is saying that without music and rap, life would be incomplete and empty.
I wont let it cause precious and I ain't ready to lose it, listen
The artist is emphasizing the importance of not losing what we have and appreciating the value of our lives and opportunities.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: D HARRIS, JERRY J. ROSS, KENNETH GAMBLE, TREVOR SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind