Busta Rhymes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes performing in 2022
Born	Trevor George Smith Jr. (1972-05-20) May 20, 1972 (age 53) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Trevor Taheim Smith
Education	Uniondale High School
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter record producer actor record executive businessman
Years active	1986–present
Children	6
Relatives	Rampage (cousin)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Hempstead, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop East Coast hip hop progressive rap
Instruments	Vocals samplers drums
Labels	Empire Conglomerate Epic Violator Republic Cash Money Young Money Universal Motown Interscope Aftermath J Elektra

Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known as Busta Rhymes, is a famous American rapper and actor. He got his stage name from Chuck D of the group Public Enemy. Chuck D named him after a football player called George "Buster" Rhymes. Busta Rhymes has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards. This makes him one of the artists with the most nominations without a win.

Busta Rhymes was a founding member of the group Leaders of the New School. This group became well-known when they opened shows for Public Enemy. He became even more famous after appearing on A Tribe Called Quest's song "Scenario". After Leaders of the New School broke up, Busta Rhymes became a popular solo artist. He appeared on many songs by other artists. His first solo album, The Coming, came out in 1996. This album reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. It was also certified platinum, meaning it sold over a million copies. He earned a Grammy nomination for this album.

He has released eleven solo albums in total. His most recent album, Blockbusta, was released in 2023. Busta Rhymes has many hit songs. These include "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check", "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See", "Gimme Some More", and "I Know What You Want". He also started his own record label called Conglomerate. It was first known as Flipmode Entertainment. Many music experts consider him one of the best rappers of his time. MTV has even called him "one of hip-hop's greatest visual artists".

Early Life and School Days

Busta Rhymes was born Trevor George Smith Jr. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, on May 20, 1972. His parents, Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith Sr., were both from Jamaica. When he was 12, his family moved to Uniondale, New York.

For a short time, Busta Rhymes went to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn. Future famous rappers Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter also attended this school. He also went to Samuel J. Tilden High School. He graduated from Uniondale High School in Long Island in 1991.

Busta also spent time in Britain in the early 1980s. He lived with his aunt in Morecambe for two summers. While there, he went to Skerton Community High School. He shared that he and his younger brother, Paul, even got jobs breakdancing in clubs as minors. Their cousins would help them. They were known as TJ and Paul.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Leaders of the New School (1986–1995)

In 1986, Trevor Smith Jr. teamed up with Charlie Brown and Dinco D to form the East Coast hip hop group Leaders of the New School. Busta's cousin, Cut Monitor Milo, became the group's DJ and sometimes rapped. Their big break came when they opened shows for the hip hop group Public Enemy. Public Enemy's Chuck D gave Busta Rhymes his stage name.

Leaders of the New School started recording in late 1990. They released their first album, A Future Without a Past..., in June 1991. Later that year, the group was featured on A Tribe Called Quest's popular song "Scenario". In 1993, they released their second album, T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye). Busta Rhymes became very popular because of his unique rapping style. His Jamaican heritage also influenced his music and image. However, the group eventually broke up due to his growing fame.

By the summer of 1992, Busta Rhymes began appearing on songs by many other artists. He worked with Big Daddy Kane, The Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, and KRS-One. He also appeared on albums by Mary J. Blige and TLC. In 1993, he had a small role in the movie Who's the Man? with his group members. He also appeared in the film Strapped and later in Higher Learning with Ice Cube.

Busta Rhymes continued to make guest appearances in 1994. He was on the song "Oh My God" with A Tribe Called Quest. He also joined Puff Daddy, LL Cool J, and The Notorious B.I.G. on a remix of Craig Mack's song "Flava in Ya Ear". He explained that he did these guest appearances to earn money for his child. He started working on his first solo album in late 1995.

Solo Success and Hit Albums (1996–1999)

In the summer of 1995, Busta Rhymes started recording his first solo album, The Coming. He released it in March 1996. Before the album came out, his hit single "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" became very popular. After this success, he began working on his second album, When Disaster Strikes, which was released in September 1997. This album included hit songs like "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Fire It Up".

In 1998, Busta Rhymes recorded Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front. The first single from this album, "Gimme Some More", became a top 10 hit in the UK. In April, his song "What's It Gonna Be?!", featuring Janet Jackson, was a hit in both the US and UK. This album was known for Busta Rhymes' very fast rapping, especially on the song "Iz They Wildin Wit Us?". The Flipmode Squad, his group, also released their own album that year.

New Labels and More Hits (2000–2004)

Busta Rhymes in 2002

In 2000, Busta Rhymes released his last album with Elektra Records, called Anarchy. He then signed with J Records, a new label started by Clive Davis. He released a collection of his greatest hits and a new album of original songs. Following the theme of his earlier albums, he named his new record Genesis. This album featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, and Kelis. The album had hit singles like "What It Is" with Kelis and "Break Ya Neck". Another popular song was "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II", featuring Pharrell and P. Diddy.

In 2002, Busta Rhymes released his sixth studio album, It Ain't Safe No More. This album had a successful song called "I Know What You Want", which featured Mariah Carey and the Flipmode Squad. Another hit was "Make It Clap", featuring Spliff Star. After this album, Busta Rhymes left J Records. In 2004, he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, which is part of Interscope Records. Because he changed labels, a planned Flipmode album was cancelled. Busta Rhymes was also a character in the 2004 video game Def Jam: Fight For NY.

Chart-Topping Albums and Collaborations (2005–2009)

Busta Rhymes performing in 2006

His seventh studio album, The Big Bang, was his first album to reach No. 1 on the charts. It sold over 209,000 copies in its first week and topped the US Billboard 200. This album also became his highest-charting album in the UK, reaching No. 19. Some songs from the album were leaked online before release. Because of this, some songs were removed, and new ones were added. The Big Bang included music produced by Dr. Dre and Swizz Beatz. It also featured appearances by Raekwon and Nas.

In 2007, Busta Rhymes released "We Made It" with Linkin Park. He also created a song called "Where's My Money" for the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. It was later announced that Busta signed with Universal Motown. He released his eighth studio album, Back on My B.S., on May 19, 2009. This album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The singles "Arab Money" and "Respect My Conglomerate" supported the album. Busta Rhymes also appeared on Asher Roth's album Asleep in the Bread Aisle.

The song "Arab Money" caused some discussion when it was released in 2008. Some people in the Middle East found the song offensive. Busta Rhymes later apologized for any offense caused. The song's producer, Ron Browz, explained that "Arab money" was street slang. He said it meant having a lot of money, like having "Oprah money." He added that he grew up around Arabs and Muslims in Harlem and respected their culture.

Busta Rhymes in 2005

New Music and TV Appearances (2010–Present)

In September 2009, Busta Rhymes announced he was working on his ninth album. He later changed the title to Extinction Level Event 2, making it a sequel to his 1998 album. In 2010, Busta Rhymes started his new label, The Conglomerate Entertainment. He was also featured on "C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise)" by Tiësto and Diplo.

In 2011, Rhymes recorded "Look at Me Now" with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne. This song became a big hit, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was his first No. 1 song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. He also received six nominations for the BET Hip Hop Awards. Busta Rhymes performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos and on Big Brother Africa 6: Amplified. He also contributed to Tech N9ne's album All 6's and 7's on the song "Worldwide Choppers". Justin Bieber featured Busta Rhymes on his song "Drummer Boy" in 2011.

On November 16, 2011, Busta Rhymes signed with Cash Money Records. His first single with Cash Money was "Why Stop Now", again with Chris Brown. In 2012, he worked with Jodie Connor on her single "Take You There". His ninth studio album, Year of the Dragon, was released for free on Google Play in August 2012. It featured artists like Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. He also released a music video for "Doin' It Again" as a tribute to his manager, Chris Lighty.

In 2014, Busta Rhymes announced he had left Cash Money Records. He released "Thank You", a song featuring Q-Tip, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne. He was also featured on "Devil" by Cash Cash in 2015.

Busta Rhymes at Out4Fame Festival 2015 in Germany

In 2016, there was a fun movement to name a small island in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, after Busta Rhymes. People called it Busta Rhymes Island because it had "rope-swinging, blueberries, and ... stuff Busta would enjoy." However, the official board could not name it after him because they don't name places after living people.

Busta Rhymes was also featured on The Hamilton Mixtape. He sang a remix of "My Shot" with Black Thought and Joell Ortiz. They performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2018, he released a new single called "Get It", featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland. He also appeared on season 4 of The Masked Singer in 2020 as the "Dragon."

On October 30, 2020, Busta released his album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. This album featured many famous artists like Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige. In 2021, he released a special 25th Anniversary Edition of his first album, The Coming. His eleventh studio album, Blockbusta, came out in late 2023.

Personal Life

Busta Rhymes is a member of the Five-Percent Nation. He has six children: three sons (born in 1993, 1999, and 2001) and three daughters (born 1998, 1999, and 2006).

Musical Influences

When Busta Rhymes was a teenager, his favorite rapper was LL Cool J. LL Cool J was the reason Busta Rhymes started writing his own raps.

He was also inspired by American singer and producer George Clinton. Busta Rhymes admired Clinton for being "over the top and outlandish" in his performances. Clinton also taught him a lot about the music industry.

Legacy and Impact

Busta Rhymes' music has influenced many other artists. These include Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat. Fellow rapper Big Daddy Kane has said that Busta Rhymes has one of the best "flows" (the rhythm and style of rapping) in hip hop.

Discography

Studio albums

• The Coming (1996)
• When Disaster Strikes... (1997)
• Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front (1998)
• Anarchy (2000)
• Genesis (2001)
• It Ain't Safe No More... (2002)
• The Big Bang (2006)
• Back on My B.S. (2009)
• Year of the Dragon (2012)
• Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (2020)
• Blockbusta (2023)

Collaborative albums

• A Future Without a Past... (1991) (as part of the Leaders of the New School)
• T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) (1993) (as part of the Leaders of the New School)
• The Imperial (1998) (as part of the Flipmode Squad)

Filmography

Movies Busta Rhymes Has Been In

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	Who's the Man?	Jawaan
	Strapped	Buster	TV movie
1995	Higher Learning	"Dreads"
1998	The Rugrats Movie	Reptar Wagon (voice)
2000	Shaft	Rasaan
	Finding Forrester	Terrell Wallace
2002	Narc	Darnell "Big D Love" Beery
	Halloween: Resurrection	Freddie Harris
2004	Full Clip	Joshua Pope
2009	Breaking Point	Al Bowen
2011	The Unforgiven	"Lick" Wilson
2015	Club Life	Himself
2016	King of the Dancehall	Allestar "All Star Toasta"
2024	Piece by Piece	Himself (voice)
2025	The Naked Gun		Post-production

TV Shows Busta Rhymes Has Appeared In

Video Games Busta Rhymes Has Been In

Documentaries Busta Rhymes Has Been In

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Busta Rhymes para niños

• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart
• List of number-one U.S. dance hits
• List of songs recorded by Busta Rhymes