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.
Where My Niggas At
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here we come, 'bout to bust and explode
Flipmode, Busta Bus (what?)
Nine-seven (come on, what), hot shit (haha)
Check it out
Hit you with no delayin', so what you sayin', yo? (Uh)
Silly with my nine milli, what the deally, yo? (What?)
Wild up in the club like we wild in the studio (uh)
You don't wanna violate, nigga, really and truly, yo (what?)
My main thug nigga named Julio he moody, yo (what?)
Type of nigga that'll slap you with the tool-io (bah)
Bitch nigga scared to death, act fruity, yo (uh)
Fuck that, look at shorty, she a little cutie, yo (yeah)
The way she shake it make me wanna get all in the booty, yo (woo)
Top mistresses, bangin' bitches in videos (huh?)
Whylin with my freak like we up in the freak shows (yes)
Hit you with the shit, make you feel it all in your toes (yeah)
Hot shit, got all you niggas in wet clothes (it get cold)
Stylin' my metaphors when I formulate my flows (uh)
If you don't know you fuckin' with lyrical player pros, like that
Do you really wanna party with me?
Let me see just what you got for me (come on)
Put all your hands where my eyes can see (put 'em up, yo)
Straight buckwhylin' in the place to be (whylin')
If you really wanna party with me (Flipmode)
Let me see just what you got for me (come on)
Put all your hands where my eyes can see (put 'em up)
Straight buckwildin in the place to be (yeah)
If you really wanna party with me
In God We Trust (what?)
Yo, it's a must that you heard of us, yo, we murderous (uh)
A lot of niggas is wondering and they curious (what?)
How me and my niggas do it, it's so mysterious (magical)
Furious, all of my niggas is serious (uh)
Shook niggas be walkin around fearin' us (what?)
Front nigga, like you don't wanna be hearin' us (nope)
Gotta listen to how radio be playin' us (ah)
Thirty time a day shit'll make you delirious (what?)
Damagin' everything all up in your areas (yeah)
Yo, it's funny how all the chickens be always serving us (uh)
All up in between they ass where they wanna carry us (uh)
Hit you good then I hit 'em off with the alias (what?)
Various, chickens, they wanna marry us (ah)
Yo, it's Flipmode, my nigga, you know we 'bout to bust (uh)
Seven figure money the label preparin' us
Bite the dust, instead of you makin' a fuss (fuss)
Niggas know better 'cause there ain't no comparin' us (nope)
Mad at us, niggas is never, we fabulous (yeah)
Hit my people off with the flow that be marvelous (ha)
Oh shit, my whole clique victorious (yeah)
Takin' no prisoners, niggas is straight up warriors (what?)
While you feelin' that I know you be feelin' so glorious (huh)
Then I blitz and reminisce on my nigga Notorious (what?)
Do you really wanna party with me? (Like that, like that-tha-that-that)
Let me see just what you got for me (that that that, tha-that-that-that)
Put all your hands where my eyes can see
Straight buckwildin in the place to be
If you really wanna party with me
Let me see just what you got for me
Put all your hands where my eyes can see (Flipmode)
Straight buckwildin in the place to be
If you really wanna party with me
In Busta Rhymes's song "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," Busta introduces his crew Flipmode and announces that they are about to explode with their rhymes. He announces that it’s 1997 and what he's about to spit is hot shit. He hits the listeners with his flow right away with a message that he does not waste time and gets the job done. Busta makes it clear that he's serious about his craft, and he does not play. He also talks about his favorite gun and how he is wild on the mic like he is in the club.
Busta mentions his thug-friend, Julio, who has a moody attitude and carries a tool-io (gun) which he might use to slap someone. He also talks about how he and his gang wild out with women in videos like freak shows. Busta mentions he is a lyrical player, and this is no joke.
The chorus of the song asks the fans to put their hands up where the rapper could see to show their energy and excitement about being at his concert. Busta continues by flaunting their skills and how their music is deadly and mysterious, causing people to fear them. They are furious and serious about their craft, and nobody can compare to them. In the end, he pays homage to Notorious B.I.G, a fellow rapper who passed away.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah yeah, Flipmode
Introducing the rap group Flipmode Records
Here we come, 'bout to bust and explode
We are about to break onto the scene in a big way
Flipmode, Busta Bus (what?)
Another reference to the rap group and their leader, Busta Rhymes
Nine-seven (come on, what), hot shit (haha)
A reference to the year the song was released (1997) and how popular it was
Check it out
Get ready for what's about to come
Hit you with no delayin', so what you sayin', yo? (Uh)
We're not wasting any time, so what are you saying?
Silly with my nine milli, what the deally, yo? (What?)
I'm not afraid to use my gun if necessary, what's your deal?
When I be on the mic, yes, I do my duty, yo (ha)
I take my job as a rapper seriously and deliver quality performances
Wild up in the club like we wild in the studio (uh)
We bring the same energy to our live shows as we do in the recording studio
You don't wanna violate, nigga, really and truly, yo (what?)
Don't mess with us or there will be consequences
My main thug nigga named Julio he moody, yo (what?)
Referring to a friend who is tough and unpredictable
Type of nigga that'll slap you with the tool-io (bah)
He's not afraid to get physical with someone who crosses him
Bitch nigga scared to death, act fruity, yo (uh)
Weak people act scared and sometimes try to act tough to compensate
Fuck that, look at shorty, she a little cutie, yo (yeah)
Referring to an attractive woman
The way she shake it make me wanna get all in the booty, yo (woo)
Her dancing is so attractive that it's tempting to pursue her
Top mistresses, bangin' bitches in videos (huh?)
Referring to music videos and sexual content in them
Whylin with my freak like we up in the freak shows (yes)
Acting wild and crazy with a partner, like one would at a circus freakshow
Hit you with the shit, make you feel it all in your toes (yeah)
My music is powerful and impactful
Hot shit, got all you niggas in wet clothes (it get cold)
My music is so good that it's worth getting soaked in the rain to hear it
Stylin' my metaphors when I formulate my flows (uh)
Giving attention to the details and poetic language in my lyrics
If you don't know you fuckin' with lyrical player pros, like that
If you're not aware, you're messing with experienced and skilled rappers
Do you really wanna party with me?
Asking the listener if they're up for a good time
Let me see just what you got for me (come on)
Show me what you can bring to the party
Put all your hands where my eyes can see (put 'em up, yo)
Raise your hands in the air and show me your enthusiasm
Straight buckwhylin' in the place to be (whylin')
Acting wild and crazy in the party's location
In God We Trust (what?)
Referencing a phrase found on US currency
Yo, it's a must that you heard of us, yo, we murderous (uh)
We're well-known and have a dangerous reputation
A lot of niggas is wondering and they curious (what?)
People are curious about the success and power of the group
How me and my niggas do it, it's so mysterious (magical)
Our approach to music is unique and special
Furious, all of my niggas is serious (uh)
We take our craft seriously and are passionate about it
Shook niggas be walkin around fearin' us (what?)
Scared people avoid us because of our reputation
Front nigga, like you don't wanna be hearin' us (nope)
Pretending to not be interested in our music, but still being aware of it
Gotta listen to how radio be playin' us (ah)
Our music is so popular that it gets heavy radio play
Thirty time a day shit'll make you delirious (what?)
Hearing our music repeatedly can make you feel crazy
Damagin' everything all up in your areas (yeah)
Our popularity has a negative impact on local areas
Yo, it's funny how all the chickens be always serving us (uh)
Women are always attracted to us and wanting to please us
All up in between they ass where they wanna carry us (uh)
Women are willing to do anything for us, even be physically intimate
Hit you good then I hit 'em off with the alias (what?)
Using a fake name to avoid getting caught doing something
Various, chickens, they wanna marry us (ah)
Women are so enamored with us that they want to marry us
Yo, it's Flipmode, my nigga, you know we 'bout to bust (uh)
Introducing the group again and promising a big performance
Seven figure money the label preparin' us
Record label is investing heavily in the group's success
Bite the dust, instead of you makin' a fuss (fuss)
Don't complain, just accept that we're on top
Niggas know better 'cause there ain't no comparin' us (nope)
We're so unique and successful that we can't be compared to anyone else
Mad at us, niggas is never, we fabulous (yeah)
People can't be angry at us because we're too great
Hit my people off with the flow that be marvelous (ha)
Sharing our great music with our fans
Oh shit, my whole clique victorious (yeah)
The whole group is successful and talented
Takin' no prisoners, niggas is straight up warriors (what?)
We're fearless and aggressive in our approach to music
While you feelin' that I know you be feelin' so glorious (huh)
Listeners are enjoying our music and we know they feel good
Then I blitz and reminisce on my nigga Notorious (what?)
Paying tribute to the late rapper Notorious B.I.G
Do you really wanna party with me? (Like that, like that-tha-that-that)
Repeating the previous question and adding a catchy phrase for emphasis
Let me see just what you got for me (that that that, tha-that-that-that)
Asking again for the listener to show their enthusiasm
Put all your hands where my eyes can see
Raising hands to show support and energy
Straight buckwildin in the place to be
Acting wild and crazy in the party's location
If you really wanna party with me
Reiterating the invitation to have a good time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Seals, Trevor Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gregnice25
I HAD THIS SHIT ON CD....COULDN'T FIND IT FOR AWHILE BUT NOW IT'S HERE....THANKS FOR UPLOADING IT...
Rosalia Lugo
Snatch and grab song of the year
🤣🤣🤣👁❤🎼 LGB!
Young22M
Does anybody got this mixtape?
Andrew Elkhoury
Bethoven/Shakespeare vibes.
Chris Henley
Sheeeeeeeeiiiiit
JaYZoN
2021