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.
Wild For the Night
Busta Rhymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Speak up
The word on the street is the Rampage return
Uh (yeah)
Hah, one time, two times, three times (no doubt), four times
All my real live soldiers, throw your hands up
All my real live women, throw your hands up
All my real live players, throw your hands up
It's like this y'all
The heavyweight Brooklyn bomber that can't rest
Love success, I'm gettin' money progress
Travellin' for free from state to state
That's how I get my idea to create
I live motivate, I keep on movin', it's been proven
I make def jams like Rick Rubin
I stay on my tippy-toes, wreckin' shows, you too slow
You can't peep my ill flow, hit this Burning Zone
Keep low like an Eskimo
F the people, still carry my fo-fo, open the do'
It's the real outlaw, from Flatbush to South Shore
Givin' you more, and more
I just came home from tour
It's my time to burn to explore
I'm comin' through the floor with the X
I'm fully gassed to the max, movin' stacks, no fakin' jacks
I'm the baddest man on the wax
Messin' around with my Squad, you get taxed
Shittin' Ex-Lax, on hot tracks, I can't relax
Breakin' backs with my NFL quarterbacks
Flipmode deep, we bring good things to light
Put down your gun, and light
I'm in it to win it
Plus I'm wildin' for the night
All my muthafuckas in the place to be
You feel right, throw your hands up
We gettin' wild for da night
Niggas in the place, if you wanna fight
Serious, let's get busy 'cause we
Wild for da night
My Flipmode niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
Niggas in New York gettin'
Wild for da night
My niggas in the west gettin'
Wild for da night
People in the world gettin'
Wild for da night
My niggas uptown, yo, throw your hands up, in the place
If you feel right, we gettin'
Wild for da night
Throw your hands up, you gettin'
Wild for da night
Niggas 'cross the land gettin'
Wild for da night
My niggas downtown, we gettin'
Wild for da night
Yo, I'm top billin', makin' a killin'
Flippin' scripts like Terry McMillan
I can't help the way I'm feelin'
Caps is peelin', drugs is dealin'
My thug niggas keep illin'
Rampage is higher than the ceiling
Mad appealing brothers who dealin' from Brownsville, and
I'm ready and willing, I'm playin' lock and chase
You can get my black race
Bet I, hesitates, I'm movin' cash like Chase
You about to get laced, fifteen across your face
You at the wrong place, you at the wrong time
You didn't use your third vision mind, you sippin' wine
Your vision is blind, no, you can't see the victory
You in the street, it's gettin' deep
You rolled up with the wrong peeps, you're the black sheep
You up on Tapscott when your little brother got shot (bang)
It's gettin' hot now you back around the way
With the same clothes, plus your bum hoes that you chose
They gave up your whereabouts, where you hang out
Who you hang with, now you gotta get your dome split
You wildin' for da night (wildin' for the night)
All my muthafuckas all across the land
We feelin' right, 'cause you know we gettin'
Wild for da night
All my niggas across the sea, and the earth
Yes, you know we comin' through, we gettin'
Wild for da night
My Flipmode niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
My outta state niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
My cross country niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
You know we gettin'
Wild for da night
You know we gettin'
Wild for da night
Throw your hands in the air if you wanna fight
Feel right, 'cause you know we gettin'
Wild for da night
Yes, I'm gettin' down in the place to be
Flipmode squad, yo, we gettin'
Wild for da night
My Rampage nigga gettin'
Wild for da night
All of my real live niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
My sexy ass bitches gettin'
Wild for da night
All my people across the land and sea
Feel right, 'cause you know we gettin'
Wild for da night
Throw up your fist and feel right, 'cause it's time to fight
Muthafucka, we gettin'
Wild for da night
War time niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
Freaky muthafuckas gettin'
Wild for da night
All my buckshot-gun-in-the-air
Muthafuckas in the place, you know, we gettin'
Wild for da night
My Flipmode niggas gettin'
Wild for da night
Oh yeah, that's right muthafuckas
And as we continue on with y'all muthafuckas out there
We gonna bust ya out on ya head constantly
Flipmode Squad bringin' it back to back consecutive shit
The lyrics to Busta Rhymes's song "Wild For the Night" depict a sense of unity and celebration among real, loyal individuals. The opening lines introducing "Richard of Flatbush" indicate the singer's authority and presence. They then proceed to call out different groups of people, urging them to throw their hands up and join together. The repetition of "throw your hands up" emphasizes the call for unity and solidarity. The singer refers to themselves as the "Brooklyn bomber" and expresses their drive for success and progress. They boast about their ability to travel freely and gain inspiration from different places, allowing them to create and motivate others. The singer also highlights their skill and talent in rap, comparing themselves to legendary producer Rick Rubin. They emphasize their energetic performance style and warn others that they cannot keep up. The singer asserts their reputation as a formidable force, comparing themselves to an outlaw and warning that anyone who messes with their crew will face consequences. They describe their intense determination and focus, using sports references to convey their competitive nature. The final lines call for peace and acknowledge that while the singer is wild for the night, they are also ready to bring consecutive hits and captivate their audience.
Line by Line Meaning
It's I, sire, Richard of Flatbush
I am Richard of Flatbush, announcing my presence and asserting my authority
Speak up
Raise your voice and make yourself heard
The word on the street is the Rampage return
There is news circulating that Rampage is making a comeback
Hah, one time, two times, three times (no doubt), four times
Repeatedly emphasizing and confirming the actions or statements
All my real live soldiers, throw your hands up
All the true and loyal warriors, show your support
All my real live women, throw your hands up
All the genuine women, express your enthusiasm
All my real strong hustlers, throw your hands up
All the determined and hardworking hustlers, demonstrate your dedication
All my real live players, throw your hands up
All the authentic and skilled players, show your skills
It's like this y'all
Let me explain it to you all in this manner
The heavyweight Brooklyn bomber that can't rest
I'm a powerful force from Brooklyn that never stops
Love success, I'm gettin' money progress
I strive for success and continuously make progress in my financial endeavors
Travellin' for free from state to state
I am fortunate to travel without cost across different states
That's how I get my idea to create
These experiences inspire and fuel my creativity
I live motivate, I keep on movin', it's been proven
I live a motivated life and constantly keep moving forward, which has been proven successful
I make def jams like Rick Rubin
I produce impactful and remarkable music like Rick Rubin does
I stay on my tippy-toes, wreckin' shows, you too slow
I am always alert and energetic, dominating performances while others lag behind
You can't peep my ill flow, hit this Burning Zone
You cannot comprehend or match my incredible flow, experience this intense vibe
Keep low like an Eskimo
Stay under the radar and remain discreet, just like an Eskimo in their ice shelter
F the people, still carry my fo-fo, open the do'
Disregard others' opinions while still carrying my gun, ready to take action when necessary
It's the real outlaw, from Flatbush to South Shore
I am the true rebel, representing both Flatbush and South Shore
Givin' you more, and more
Continuously delivering more content and entertainment
I just came home from tour
I recently returned from a concert tour
It's my time to burn to explore
Now is the moment for me to shine and explore new possibilities
I'm comin' through the floor with the X
I am making a grand entrance with the utmost intensity
I'm fully gassed to the max, movin' stacks, no fakin' jacks
I am completely fueled up, full of energy, and making significant financial gains without any deception
I'm the baddest man on the wax
I am the most skilled and dominant artist in the music industry
Messin' around with my Squad, you get taxed
If you meddle with my crew, you will face consequences and financial burdens
Shittin' Ex-Lax, on hot tracks, I can't relax
I effortlessly deliver outstanding performances on impressive beats, not allowing myself to relax
Breakin' backs with my NFL quarterbacks
I am causing significant impact and success alongside my highly skilled associates
Flipmode deep, we bring good things to light
My crew, Flipmode, runs deep, and together we bring positive, enlightening experiences
Put down your gun, and light
Instead of violence, let's come together and have a good time
I'm in it to win it
I am fully committed to achieving victory
Plus I'm wildin' for the night
Additionally, I am exhibiting wild, uninhibited behavior for the duration of the night
All my muthafuckas in the place to be
All my people in this location
You feel right, throw your hands up
If you're feeling good, raise your hands in the air
We gettin' wild for da night
We are engaging in wild, energetic behavior for the entire night
Niggas in the place, if you wanna fight
Those who are looking for a confrontation
Serious, let's get busy 'cause we
Let's get serious and active because we
My Flipmode niggas gettin'
My crew, Flipmode, is becoming
Niggas in New York gettin'
People in New York are becoming
My niggas in the west gettin'
My people in the western region are becoming
People in the world gettin'
People all around the world are becoming
My niggas uptown, yo, throw your hands up, in the place
My people from uptown, raise your hands in this location
If you feel right, we gettin'
If you're in a positive state of mind, we are becoming
Throw your hands up, you gettin'
Raise your hands, you are becoming
Niggas 'cross the land gettin'
People all across the land are becoming
My niggas downtown, we gettin'
My people from downtown are becoming
Yo, I'm top billin', makin' a killin'
I am at the peak, making a significant profit
Flippin' scripts like Terry McMillan
Changing the game and script just like Terry McMillan does
I can't help the way I'm feelin'
I cannot control my emotions and passion
Caps is peelin', drugs is dealin'
Bullets are flying, drugs are being sold
My thug niggas keep illin'
My tough individuals keep causing trouble
Rampage is higher than the ceiling
Rampage's status or influence is sky-high
Mad appealing brothers who dealin' from Brownsville, and
Highly attractive individuals who are involved in illegal activities in Brownsville, and
I'm ready and willing, I'm playin' lock and chase
I am prepared and eager, engaging in a game of pursuit and evasion
You can get my black race
You can experience the full intensity and energy of my African American community
Bet I, hesitates, I'm movin' cash like Chase
Don't doubt it, I don't hesitate, I handle money swiftly like Chase Bank
You about to get laced, fifteen across your face
You are about to get hit hard, receiving fifteen punches across your face
You at the wrong place, you at the wrong time
You made a mistake being in this location at this specific moment
You didn't use your third vision mind, you sippin' wine
You failed to tap into your intuition and instead chose to indulge in alcohol
Your vision is blind, no, you can't see the victory
Your perspective is limited, preventing you from recognizing the potential victory
You in the street, it's gettin' deep
You find yourself in a dangerous situation in the streets
You rolled up with the wrong peeps, you're the black sheep
You associated with the wrong people, making you the outcast in this situation
You up on Tapscott when your little brother got shot (bang)
You were present on Tapscott Avenue when your younger sibling got shot suddenly
It's gettin' hot now you back around the way
The situation is escalating, now that you have returned to your neighborhood
With the same clothes, plus your bum hoes that you chose
Wearing the same attire, and with the addition of the low-quality women you selected
They gave up your whereabouts, where you hang out
They revealed your location and the places you frequent
Who you hang with, now you gotta get your dome split
Your associates, who you spend time with, have put you in harm's way and now you need to face the consequences
You wildin' for da night (wildin' for the night)
You are engaging in reckless and uninhibited behavior for the duration of the night
Oh yeah, that's right muthafuckas
Oh yes, that's correct, you motherfuckers
And as we continue on with y'all muthafuckas out there
As we proceed forward with all you motherfuckers out there
We gonna bust ya out on ya head constantly
We will consistently overpower and overwhelm you
Flipmode Squad bringin' it back to back consecutive shit
Flipmode Squad is delivering successive and consecutive high-quality content
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Marlon King, Roger Mcnair, Trevor Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zshakur
One of the ILLEST piano breaks EVER!
@mrpoetry6264
Exactly
@panayotismilonas3472
L
@mime87illbeats
Fax
@dylanpayet972
ok with ice cream ... wu-tang
@WassupWassup420
zulema
@abizzle100
This beat never gets old
@JP47471
i love how the beat is sad/downtrodden, but the words are all lit and hype
@jeremywinters1797
NEVER
@georgeoganesyan9512
@@JP47471it gives it that bittersweet salmon with lemon taste you got it right son