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.
Touch It
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it (Aiyyo swizz I don't think they ready for this shit)
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it (Hey yo let me take they ass back to the club real quick)
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
(Get low bus!) who be the king of the sound? (Uh huh)
Busta bus back to just put a lock on a town (uh huh)
Lot of my bitches be coming from miles around
See they be cummin' (uh!) cause they know how the God get down (turn it up!!)
Now you know who holding the throne so gimme the crown (huh)
Niggas saluting and trying to give me a pound (come on)
I don't really fuck with you niggas, you niggas is clown
Making the bitches stripping throw they shit on the ground
(Get low bus!) now that's the way that it goes (uh huh)
When we up in the spot the shit be flooded with hos (come on)
See we a make it hot, the chicks will come out their clothes
That's when you get it (huh) mami already know I suppose (turn it up!!)
Shorty wildin' and shorty open she beasting it out
For the record (huh) just a second I'm freaking it out (come on)
While she trying to touch see I was peeping it out
She turned around and was trying to put my dick in her mouth I let her
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
(Get low bus!) and as we started, got me ringing her bell (uh huh)
When I come I be doing it and doing it well (uh huh)
Then I beat up the coochie and be making it swell
Trying to hide the smell of the sex, spraying on the Chanel (turn it up!)
Then they try to walk with a strut so no one could tell
How a nigga got in they butt, made everything jail
Now the tickle wild like a nut, she blowing my cell (come on)
Can't get enough of the kid I put her under my spell
(Get low bus!) it's crowded mami move it along (uh huh)
If you know you 'bout it then get to removing your thong (uh huh)
To the whip in back of the truck that's where you belong
After the yac, see the type of raunchy shit they be on (turn it up!!)
Street niggas respect it because my movement is strong (come on)
'Cause we consistently reppin see my money is long
All my bitches is with me see how they singin' the song
Plus how we give you the stick and we be dicki'n along, I let her
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
(Get low bus!) the God of the block, see that I'm back (uh huh)
Every single time that I drop, the shit is a wrap (uh huh)
For the niggas hating the kid I'm close to strap
'Cause all these bitches wanna come talk to sit on my lap (turn it up!)
Every time I give you bang shit to knock in your whip
Nigga always do his thing bitch locking the strip (come on)
Lot of mami's is dancing and they shaking they hips
After that they get low and put the thing on their lips, I let 'em
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
The lyrics of Busta Rhymes’s song Touch It can be interpreted in various ways. The repetitive use of the phrases “Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it” and “Turn it, leave it, stop, format it” emphasizes the theme of ownership and control. The verse also mentions crowd control, where Busta Rhymes claims to be the king of sound with a lock on the town. The song talks about the power he possesses and how he makes women 'get low' and strip to his music. The lyrics mention the sexual connotations of the song where he describes his encounter with women, where he tries to 'hide the smell of the sex' and how he 'let(s) her touch it'.
The lyrics also highlight the dominance of men over women. Busta Rhyme's tone depicts women as mere objects of sexual experiences who are expected to follow the orders given by men. He objectifies women with his use of profanity and sexual metaphors where he describes his experience with the woman he encounters. The song accentuates the notion of masculinity and highlights the lack of power of women.
Line by Line Meaning
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it
This line is describing the dance moves or gestures to be performed by the audience. It encourages the audience to touch, bring, pay attention to and watch the performance.
Turn it, leave it, stop, format it
This line denotes the process of using a device or system, where one can turn it on, leave it for some time, stop it and format it. It relates to the rhythm of the song and gives instructions for the dance moves.
(Aiyyo swizz I don't think they ready for this shit)
This line is a declaration by Busta Rhymes to Swizz Beatz that the audience is not ready for the kind of music he is about to unleash.
(Hey yo let me take they ass back to the club real quick)
The artist is requesting permission to take the audience back to the club where they can have more fun and party harder.
(Get low bus!) who be the king of the sound? (Uh huh)
This line is asking the question of who is the king of the music genre. The artist uses the name "bus" as an abbreviation for Busta Rhymes, and expects the audience to respond positively.
(Busta bus back to just put a lock on a town (uh huh))
This line is describing how Busta Rhymes has made a name for himself in the music industry that nobody can compete with and has established his dominance all over the town.
(Lot of my bitches be coming from miles around)
This line is expressing how women travel a long distance to meet Busta Rhymes because they love the way he performs on stage.
(See they be cummin' (uh!) cause they know how the God get down (turn it up!!))
This line portrays how excited the women are to see Busta Rhymes perform, as they know he has the ability to rock the stage and make them dance to his music.
(Now you know who holding the throne so gimme the crown (huh))
This line is indicating that Busta Rhymes is the king of the music genre and is asking to be crowned for his triumph.
(Niggas saluting and trying to give me a pound (come on))
This line is expressing how the other artists are respecting Busta Rhymes and want to show their admiration by saluting and giving him a pound.
(I don't really fuck with you niggas, you niggas is clown)
This line shows how Busta Rhymes does not associate himself with those artists who do not take music seriously and do not have the talent to shine in the industry.
(Making the bitches stripping throw they shit on the ground)
This line describes how women are compelled to take off their clothes and throw them on the ground while dancing to Busta Rhymes's music. It portrays the artist's ability to captivate the audience.
(Now that's the way that it goes (uh huh))
This line affirms that this is how things should work, and it is only natural to have people going wild and stripping to the music.
(When we up in the spot the shit be flooded with hos (come on))
This line is expressing how when they are up on stage, the club is filled with women dancing to their music. It is like they have created a ripple effect that has brought the women flocking to the stage.
(See we a make it hot, the chicks will come out their clothes)
This line shows how Busta Rhymes and his crew are masters at creating an alluring atmosphere with their music, where the women are encouraged to take off their clothes while dancing.
(That's when you get it (huh) mami already know I suppose (turn it up!!))
This line is referring to how the women already know the drill when they come up on stage, and they know what to do - take off their clothes and dance to Busta Rhymes's music.
(Shorty wildin' and shorty open she beasting it out)
This line is talking about a girl who is wild and open-minded, as she is really into the music, and is dancing her heart out. She's a beast on the stage.
(For the record (huh) just a second I'm freaking it out (come on))
This line is expressing how the artist is taking a moment to freak out while performing and giving it his all on stage.
(While she trying to touch see I was peeping it out)
This line is explaining how the female performer is trying to touch Busta Rhymes while he is singing. But he is just peeping at her and enjoying the vibe of the moment.
(She turned around and was trying to put my dick in her mouth I let her)
This line is describing how the female performer tried to put Busta Rhymes's penis in her mouth while performing. He allows her to do it, as he is enjoying the moment.
(And as we started, got me ringing her bell (uh huh))
This line is expressing how the female performer is getting really excited and is making Busta Rhymes cum just by dancing and singing on stage.
(When I come I be doing it and doing it well (uh huh))
This line is describing how skilled Busta Rhymes is while performing, as he is able to make the female performer cum just by singing and dancing on stage.
(Then I beat up the coochie and be making it swell)
This line is referring to Busta Rhymes's ability to pleasure a woman's vagina during sex. He is asserting his sexual prowess.
(Trying to hide the smell of the sex, spraying on the Chanel (turn it up!))
This line is describing how the artist is trying to cover the smell of the sex by spraying some Chanel perfume on himself. It is notable how this line reflects the hip-hop cultural trend of boasting about brands and luxury.
(Then they try to walk with a strut so no one could tell)
This line is describing how after sex, women try to walk with a strut so nobody could tell what they have just done. It is an expression of the confidence and pride after a great sexual experience.
(How a nigga got in they butt, made everything jail)
This line refers to how the artist was able to penetrate the woman's anus during sex, and how intense the sexual experience was for the woman.
(Now the tickle wild like a nut, she blowing my cell (come on))
This line is describing how the female performer is willing to do anything to please Busta Rhymes after experiencing a great sexual experience. She is blowing his cellphone, in a sign of slavishness and obedience.
(Can't get enough of the kid I put her under my spell)
This line is showing how women are addicted to the sexual expertise of Busta Rhymes, and he has complete control over them.
(It's crowded mami move it along (uh huh))
This line is asking the females to move to the front of the stage so they can dance and perform. The stage is crowded, and everyone wants to see.
(If you know you 'bout it then get to removing your thong (uh huh))
This line is encouraging the females to take off their thongs or G-strings, if they are confident and feel sexy enough to continue performing without them. It shows the sexually charged nature of the song.
(To the whip in back of the truck that's where you belong)
This line is instructing the females to move to the back of the truck and continue to dance and perform, as the stage is too crowded.
(After the yac, see the type of raunchy shit they be on (turn it up!!))
This line is expressing how after drinking alcohol, people tend to let loose and do raunchier things. This is a call to the audience to raise the volume and get wild.
(Street niggas respect it because my movement is strong (come on))
This line is expressing how tough and respected Busta Rhymes is in the streets, and it is due to his ability to create an amazing musical experience that everyone can enjoy.
('Cause we consistently reppin see my money is long)
This line is asserting how Busta Rhymes has been consistent in being one of the top musicians in the industry, and has made a lot of money through his music.
(All my bitches is with me see how they singin' the song)
This line is showing how all the women are singing the song because they love Busta Rhymes. This line also emphasizes how women are key stakeholders in the music industry.
(Plus how we give you the stick and we be dicki'n along, I let her)
This line is referencing how Busta Rhymes and his crew are giving the audience what they want - a musically-charged experience that is equal parts fun and sexual. Busta Rhymes also describes how he had sex with a female performer while onstage.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Thomas Bangalter, Guy Manuel Christo, Kaseem Dean, Trevor Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GarrettWatts
Jesus this hits so good
@WhatsUpNai
Everywhere I see you Garrett I’m surprised
@passionwaldon2005
Yes Jesus was involved in this remix.
@idrisali891
The words are MashaAllah MashaAllah
@rocklee1603
Fax
@chanianunn8616
Wtf does Garrett know about this?🤣❤️
@Bryan-bl5vi
Busta really assembled his own Avengers
@sevencitybella83
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Poisenivy5
Ha that's good!
@JVMack
Definitely earned that Lifetime Achievement Award Amazing Job Busta