Busta Rhymes Island facts for kids
 Busta Rhymes Island
Location in Massachusetts
Busta Rhymes Island
Location in the United States
The location of Busta Rhymes Island in Massachusetts
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| Etymology | Named after Busta Rhymes |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Shrewsbury, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°17′03″N 71°44′22″W / 42.2841441°N 71.7393413°W |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Mill Pond, Shrewsbury |
| Area | 149 m2 (1,600 sq ft) |
| Length | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Width | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
Busta Rhymes Island is a small, unnamed island in a place called Mill Pond. It is located in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, in the United States of America. The island is about 40 by 40 feet (12 m × 12 m) in size. It got its unofficial name from the famous rapper Busta Rhymes.
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Why Busta Rhymes Island?
A local resident named Kevin O'Brien started taking care of this island. He spent time there and wanted to give it a special name. O'Brien thought the island was a fun place with "rope-swinging" and "blueberries." He felt it was the kind of spot that Busta Rhymes would enjoy. That's why he suggested calling it Busta Rhymes Island.
Trying to Make the Name Official
Kevin O'Brien tried to get the name "Busta Rhymes Island" officially recognized. He sent his idea to the United States Board on Geographic Names. This is a government group that decides official names for places in the U.S.
Rules for Naming Places
The Board on Geographic Names has certain rules. One rule says that if you want to name a place after a person, that person must have passed away at least five years ago. Since Busta Rhymes is still alive, the Board could not approve the name based on this rule.
Other Ways to Get the Name Recognized
Even though the official name was refused, Kevin O'Brien didn't give up. He has tried other ways to make the name popular.
- He is trying to get the name adopted because people in the local area use it often.
- He even added the name "Busta Rhymes Island" to Google Maps.
- A special request, called a petition, has also been created. This petition asks the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to formally accept the name.
Featured in Media
The story of Busta Rhymes Island and the effort to name it officially has become quite famous.
- The island was the main topic of an episode of a popular podcast called 99% Invisible. This podcast talks about design and architecture, including how places get their names.
- The island is also mentioned in a book called "The 99% Invisible City." It is used as an example of an "informal geonym." This is a fancy way of saying a place name that people use, even if it's not officially recognized.
