Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes And Chris Brown: A Budding Bromance?

22 Dec 2011 10:41:52 EST

Busta says new collabo with Breezy, 'Why Stop Now, ' was 'organic.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Matt Elias

Could Busta Rhymes and Chris Brown be developing a long-lasting chemistry? The pair, along with Lil Wayne and the Dungeon Dragon, ruled airwaves in 2011 with their collaborative hit, "Look at Me Now," and now they're hoping for similar results with Busta's new single "Why Stop Now."

Though the title may suggest that the two singles are somehow related, Busta insists that his latest song with Breezy wasn't as methodically put together as people may think.

"I wasn't actually trying to capture the energy of ['Look at Me Now'] and bring it into this project," the newly signed Cash Money MC told MTV News while on the song's video set. "I just think that for me, especially at this stage in my career, I only do records with people that I respect."

The Diplo and Afrojack-produced "Look at Me Now" peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Songs Chart and was voted #9 on MTV's Best Songs of 2011 list. The Colin Tilley-directed video remained among the year's best, receiving multiple nominations at the 2011 VMAs. Not a bad track to build a blueprint off of.

The bass-rattling "Why Stop Now," which was produced by Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph, is reminiscent of "Look at Me Now," mostly because it features the same type of speed-rapping by Bus. But rather than a retread of a tried-and-true formula, Busta says the new collaboration came about much more organically. "It was just fortunate that I had something that worked well for what we do to be able to have another collab with him," he said. "If I didn't have that record, then we wouldn't be doing this video and we wouldn't have had another song out together.

"I'm just about making sure that the music ultimately speaks in the most organic way possible," he continued. "It doesn't just seem like something that we threw together to try and capitalize off of a momentum that was there."

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Busta Rhymes 'Fortunate' To Be Part Of Cash Money

16 Dec 2011 17:40:12 EST

'They know how to let artists be artists,' Busta tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Matt Elias

Busta Rhymes most certainly respects the Cash Money conglomerate.

Some scratched their heads when the Dungeon Dragon announced last month that he had signed with Cash Money Records. Critics couldn't fathom why the East Coast rap vet would ink with Birdman's Southern-based, youth-driven label, but for Busta, the deal makes perfect sense.

"It's real fortunate to be able to have a 20-year career run and partner up with the most powerful record company in the business 20 years later," Busta told MTV News on Tuesday from the set of his Hype Williams-directed "Why Stop Now" video.

Bussa Bus began his career in 1991 as a member of the four-man Long Island, New York, group Leaders of the New School but went solo after the crew disbanded in 1993. The gravel-voiced speed rapper has since dropped eight solo albums and given hip-hop a number of memorable party anthems. Not only were "Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check," "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2" huge radio hits, each song also had high-priced, creative music videos attached to them. Combining his hitmaking ability and strong visuals has made Busta one of rap's greatest and most unique artists.

The veteran continued to dominate this past year thanks to his scene-stealing verse on Chris Brown's Grammy-nominated smash "Look at Me Now" and his guest spot on Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV. At this point in his career, he was looking for a home that would continue to fuel his fire.

"They understand. They know how to nurture the music, they know how to let artists be artists, they know how to let you reach your fullest capability creatively," Busta said of Cash Money.

Back in 1997, Lil Wayne was an oft-overlooked kid rapper, but he has steadily grown into a bankable soloist and the mega musical star he is now. Busta factored in Weezy's trajectory when deciding on where he should sign. "Wayne is a perfect example. He reached his apex a little while ago, and he just continues to grow," Busta said.

It isn't just Tunechi, though. While officially signed to Young Money, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Twist and Tyga all fall under the Cash Money umbrella. With a stable of successful artists, why wouldn't Busta want to join the YMCMB team? "It feels good to see that," he said of the label's success. "It feels good to be a part of that."

What do you think of Busta joining Cash Money? Let us know in the comments!

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Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes Recalls LONS' 'Yo! MTV Raps' Breakup

28 Nov 2011 19:46:49 EST

'I'll never forget that day,' Busta says of his group's 1993 split on set of classic MTV show, which returns Sunday on MTV2.
By Rob Markman, with additional reporting by Rahman Bugg

"Yo! MTV Raps" meant so much to so many people. More than just a weekly video show, "Yo!" brought fans into the then-undocumented worlds of their favorite rap stars.

" 'Yo! MTV Raps,' just in a nutshell, gave everybody an opportunity to look at artists as real people," Busta Rhymes told MTV News of the groundbreaking series, which will make a return on Sunday on MTV2 at 12 a.m. ET. "You saw us when we were upset, you saw us when we were happy, you saw us when we were beefin', you saw us when we were celebrating some sh--."

For Busta, who started his career as a member of the 1990s Long Island, New York, rap quartet Leaders of the New School, "Yo! MTV Raps" documented one of the most pivotal moments in his career. "Leaders of the New School broke up on 'Yo! MTV Raps,' with Fab Five Freddy hosting it," Busta recalled. "I'll never forget that day."

It was 1993 and LONS had just released their second album, T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye), which was anchored by their #1 Billboard Hot Rap Single "What's Next." Still, despite their growth as a group, Busta Rhymes and member Charlie Brown began collaborating with other acts as soloists. Bus had already delivered a scene-stealing verse on A Tribe Called Quest's 1991 "Scenario" and appeared on Heavy D's "A Bunch of N---as" with a then-unknown Notorious B.I.G. Brown had opened up doors for himself as well, also appearing on "Scenario" and Funkmaster Flex's "Nuttin' but Flavor" with Ol' Dirty Bastard and Biz Markie.

"Me and C. Brown, we ain't really dig each other for a long time," Busta said, citing a silent competition between him and his former bandmate.

During the 1993 episode of "Yo!" all the members introduced themselves for the camera, shouting out Leaders in the same breath — all except Brown. "Just lounging, getting to know myself and what my capabilities are and what I'm gonna do in life," he said.

"The cameras is rolling and we're looking at each other like, what the f--- this n---a talkin' about," Busta recalled. "We're steppin' to Brown beefin' like, 'What is this?' [And he's like,] 'I don't wanna be in the group no more.' "

Busta Rhymes went on to release his solo debut The Coming in 1996 and has enjoyed one of the most storied careers in hip-hop. On November 17, the Dungeon Dragon announced his latest deal with Cash Money Records and Google Music, but despite all of his highlights, the LONS split ultimately made Busta who he is today.

"That was just a big moment. That was a defining moment for me," he said.

Watch "MTV2 Presents: Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts" on December 4 at 12 a.m. ET, immediately after the "2011 Sucker Free Awards."

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Birdman Won't Try To Change Busta Rhymes Musically

22 Nov 2011 20:13:20 EST

'We like to let an artist be an artist and we support what they want to do,' Cash Money Records boss MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Travis Laurendine

Busta Rhymes made headlines when he inked with Birdman's Cash Money Records last week, but don't expect Baby to try and change up the Dungeon Dragon.

Nope, the #1 Stunna wants Bussa Bus to just be himself.

"Whatever they bring to the table, whatever their vision is, [my role is] just to back it up and let them be the artist that they want to be and we support what they want to do," Birdman told MTV News of recent CMR recruits Busta and Mystikal.

The new deal links Busta Rhymes' Conglomerate label with Cash Money and Google Music. "It's just amazing to see that they understood what Busta Rhymes means to the music, what Busta Rhymes means to the culture, what Busta Rhymes means to the embodiment of authentic hip-hop," the fire-spitting MC told MTV News when we spoke to him last week.

"We never was [the type] to try to tell no [artist] how to do music, that's not what we're about. We like to let an artist be an artist and we support what they want to do," Birdman told us while out in New Orleans handing out Thanksgiving turkeys to the local community on Friday.

Bus began his career in 1991 as one-fourth of the rap quartet Leaders of the New School, but after the group disbanded he kicked off his solo career in 1996. Now a 20-year rap vet, Busta is responsible for a number of solo hits, including "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check," "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Touch It," as well as scene-stealing cameos on A Tribe Called Quest's 1992 posse-cut "Scenario" and, more recently, Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now."

Some skeptics have questioned how Rhymes, a New York veteran, will blend with Birdman's Southern record label. Throughout the years, however, Busta has collaborated with the label's flagship artist Lil Wayne on Weezy's own Tha Carter III and IV, as well as Busta's 2009 single "Respect My Conglomerate." Bus also appears on YMCMB member Lil Twist's new single "Turnt Up," so chemistry shouldn't be a question.

Busta's latest single, "Why Stop Now," reunites the rap speed demon with Brown on a record that sounds like a continuation of this year's "Look at Me Now."

What do you think of Busta signing to Cash Money? Tell us in the comments.

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Justin Bieber's Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes Collabos Hit The Net

28 Oct 2011 09:43:44 EDT

Teen star's Under the Mistletoe tracks 'All I Want for Christmas' and 'Little Drummer Boy' drop in advance of album's release.
By Jocelyn Vena

Hey Beliebers, you can celebrate the holidays early this year! Just days before he officially releases Under the Mistletoe, Justin Bieber is gifting fans with the early release of two high-profile duets off the November 1 album.

First off, his highly anticipated Mariah Carey collabo, an updated mix of her Christmas classic "All I Want for Christmas," made its way online. The song, posted on Rap-Up.com, opens with Bieber and Carey exchanging vocal runs. Mariah's verse, which sounds very much like the original, goes first. Then Bieber, singing in a deeper register than usual, joins in for the second verse.

The sound of Carey's original track is pretty much all there, with Bieber adding some new shine on the always-glittering holiday standard. "Mariah Carey is doing it with me! It's incredible. So excited," he told MTV News recently. "We wanted Mariah from the beginning, but we kind of thought it was really hard, so we didn't really push the idea. But she's on my label, so we reached out to some people, she got in contact with us, and Randy Jackson was actually at the studio with us, and I was like, 'Yo, you think you can help get Mariah on the Christmas album?' And he was like, 'I'm actually going to see her in New York on Monday,' and I was like 'Yo, go do that!' "

On Bieber's collaboration with Busta Rhymes on the classic "Little Drummer Boy," which was posted on Hitfix.com, the boys threw some club beats and synths over the old-school Christmas track. The song gets a bit of an edge when Bieber, a skilled drummer himself, appears as his rapper alter ego Shawty Mane.

He raps lines like "Yeah, I'm on the drum/ I'm on the snare drum/ Yeah, I'm on the beat/ 'Cause the beat goes dum/ I only spare heat 'cause I'm playing for the son/ Playing for king/ Playing for the title/ I'm surprised you didn't hear it in the Bible," while also singing the traditional lyrics from the song in between verses.

Busta comes in halfway through the song, spitting family-friendly lines in his signature rapid-fire style. "Bieber hit me back and said let's make it hot up in the winter," he raps. "I said, cool/ You know I'm gonna deliver/ Let's collaborate and make the holiday a little bigger."

"If you really think about it, it's genius, because it's rapping on a Christmas album ... and, like, I'm rapping on it. And then it's singing," he explained. "It's cool. [Busta's] got, like, a percussive voice to him [and] the beat was so crazy. I'm actually playing drums on that song, playing the snare."

The album will also include appearances by Usher, Boyz II Men and the Band Perry, as well as a number of songs featuring Bieber all on his own, including the album's lead single, "Mistletoe."

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Styles P Breaks Down The Meaning Of 'MC'

28 Sep 2011 19:57:29 EDT

'It's my job to say something,' rapper tells 'RapFix Live' of his responsibility as 'Master of Ceremonies.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Styles P takes the title of MC very seriously. On his upcoming album Master of Ceremonies, the Ghost expands the acronym to exemplify what it means to be a rapper of the highest caliber. The LOX rhyme spitter broke it all down with Sway on Wednesday's "RapFix Live."

"I named it Master of Ceremonies because I'm an MC and I felt like I'm gonna bring something to the table that a lot of people forgot about — a lost art," Styles told Sway of his album, which drops October 4.

In the beginning, it was the DJ who was the star in hip-hop. During the early house parties and park jams, the MC's main function was to toast to the DJ using witty and rhyming wordplay. As hip-hop evolved, it was the MC or the rapper who emerged as the musical star. For Styles P, his MC influences included Rakim, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and the seldom-celebrated New Jersey rapper Chill Rob G. So when it came time for him to grab the mic, Styles took the title very seriously.

"It's my job to say something. At the end of the day, I have to say something," Peniro said, citing rap's current lyrical deficiency as motivation for his first solo album in four years.

The Yonkers lyricist even joked that after announcing his Master of Ceremonies album title on Twitter, one fan thought he was down with the Illuminati — a powerful, cult-like sect that conspiracy theorists accuse artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West of being involved with. "I laughed, but I was sad at the same time," Styles said, "because to them, a master of ceremonies sounded like some Illuminati term and I was like, 'Nah I'm an MC.' Do your history — this is where we come from."

Styles, who is a self-described "fan of lyrics," invited other MCs to be a part of his album. Not only do Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes appear on Master of Ceremonies' lead single "Harsh," other well-regarded spitters like Jadakiss, Sheek Louch and Lloyd Banks are represented as well.

"In hip-hop, I think a lot of us forgot about MC and what MCing is," he said. Luckily Styles P is about to give us a reminder.

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Busta Rhymes Phone Call Leads To Kendrick Lamar Remix

08 Sep 2011 06:53:15 EDT

'He just called my phone one day ... like, 'Yo, God, I love what you doin', son,' ' Kendrick tells Sway on 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

When it comes to rap cameos, there are few greater guest stars than Busta Rhymes. Ever since his scene-stealing verse on A Tribe Called Quest's 1992 posse cut "Scenario," Bussa Bus has famously appeared on Diddy's "Victory," DJ Khaled's "Welcome to my Hood (Remix)" and Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now."

Next, the Dungeon Dragon will appear on a remix of Kendrick Lamar's "Rigamortus" from his Section.80 LP. On September 1, Lamar let the cat out of the bag when he performed in New York and previewed Busta's verse for the sold-out crowd.

On Wednesday's (September 7) "RapFix Live," the West Coast upstart told Sway how the collaboration came to be. "He called my phone," Lamar revealed. "I never even met dude ever in life. He just called my phone one day, I'm in a studio session like, 'Yo, God, I love what you doin', son.' "

At that moment, Lamar seized the opportunity, suggesting that the Native Tongue rapper appear on a remix to his pre-existing jam. "That's a legend in my eyes, somebody I looked up to for years. All the way back from the Genesis album," Lamar said. "Yeah, I was a fan of Busta, so when I got that call ... I always had that record in mind for him to do, that's the crazy situation, 'Rigamortus.' He sent it back two days later."

Lamar hasn't yet released the song but promised that it will drop in the coming weeks. He was also very clear about one thing: "Oh, he killed me," he said of Busta's performance on the remix. "That's Busta, though."

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Busta Rhymes 'Honored' To Be On Tha Carter IV

31 Aug 2011 16:51:23 EDT

'I was the last voice to be heard on the album,' Busta Rhymes tells MTV News of Lil Wayne's latest.
By Rob Markman

LOS ANGELES — With all his versatility, Lil Wayne puts his range on display on Tha Carter IV. Songs like the acoustic-R&B "How to Love" and the John Legend-laced "So Special" show Weezy's penchant for crafting female-friendly radio hits, while tracks like "6 Foot 7 Foot" and "John" revolve around Tunechi's rap roots. The album's "Intro," "Interlude" and "Outro" also celebrate rapping for rapping's sake.

On the "Intro," Wayne raps solo over a pounding, bottom-heavy beat supplied by newcomer Willy Will. Halfway through the album, Missouri MC Tech N9ne and Outkast spitter Andre 3000 appear atop the same instrumental on the C4 "Interlude." Finally, on the LP's "Outro," Bun B, Nas, Shyne and Busta Rhymes take their turns over that beat. As standalone cuts, the three tracks feature some pretty aggressive rap bars, but we couldn't help but notice that if Wayne were to string them together into one track, it might have been one of rap's most star-studded posse cuts.

"I actually close out Tha Carter IV. I'm the last voice you hear on Tha Carter IV," Busta Rhymes pointed out to MTV News on the 2011 VMA black carpet. "It's special because I didn't know that's what [Wayne] was gonna do with it."

With his rapid-fire verse, Busta boasts of his "uncompetewitable" rhyme style before toasting to Weezy by rhyming, "OK, enough of that, now I'm out the door/ Tunechi, thanks for giving us a whole 'nother classic with Tha Carter IV."

"When we did the joint, he didn't really tell us how he was gonna put it together. All I knew was that when it was done, it was me, Bun B, Nas and Shyne, and I was the last voice to be heard on the album, so I feel honored for that," Busta said.

Although he had yet to hear the completed version of C4, Bussa Bus was excited for his friend and frequent collaborator, Wayne. "I didn't really get to hear it in its entirety yet, but I hope that everybody understands that that man put his foot in this album," he said. "From what I did hear, being in the studio with him, he goin' ape sh-- on it."

Share your reviews of Tha Carter IV in the comments below!

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VMA Performer Chris Brown A 'Champ,' Busta Rhymes Says

28 Aug 2011 15:28:59 EDT

'Look at Me Now' collaborator Rhymes won't say whether he'll join CB onstage at the VMAs.
By Rob Markman

Look at Chris Brown now. While the singer and prolific performer dominated headlines for years, the focus hasn't always been solely on his music. But as we inch closer to the 2011 Video Music Awards, Busta Rhymes expects big things from his buddy.

"You know, for Chris especially, this is probably his first run where the obstacles aren't like they have been for him over the last couple of years, so he really got something to get off his chest," Busta Rhymes told MTV News on the red carpet of the BMI Urban Awards on Friday night in Los Angeles. "I think people have been seeing that with just his whole success run this year."

Two years after his assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, Brown has turned attention back to his musical accomplishments in 2011. He has flooded the charts with a number of singles from his F.A.M.E. album, including "Deuces," "She Ain't You," "Beautiful People" and of course his multiple VMA-nominated "Look at Me Now," featuring Lil Wayne and Busta.

"He definitely bounced back like a G and a champ," Bussa Bus said. "I'm saluting him and I'm proud of him."

And as choreographers Rich and Tone build up our anticipation of Chris Brown's performance at the VMAs, Busta wouldn't confirm or deny his participation in the set.

"I can't really give you any details," the Brooklyn rapper said of Sunday's performance. "I don't know what we're gonna do. I don't know what he's gonna do."

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes Rip Avant-Garde BET Awards Performance

26 Jun 2011 21:51:13 EDT

Breezy and Buss hit the stage with 'Look At Me Now,' 'She Ain't You' and 'Paper, Scissors, Rock.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Chris Brown's emotional performance at last year's BET Awards turned out to be a turning point in the singer's once-ailing career, and with his 2011 performance Breezy is reveling in his hard-won fame.

Following a heartfelt, off-prompter intro by host Kevin Hart, Breezy kicked things off with his Michael Jackson-sampling jam "She Ain't You." The singer took the stage on a raised platform in the middle of the stage surrounded by a cluster of monitors splashed with psychedelic designs. Breezy worked the midtempo hit in an avant-garde gray suit with voluminous pant legs and a cape fashioned out of a jacket. But the F.A.M.E. singer ditched the fashion-forward ensemble in favor of a black jumpsuit to helm his woozy, Diplo-produced banger, "Look At Me Now," as a crew of dancers in similarly street black hoodies joined him onstage.

Then Busta Rhymes emerged from a brightly lit cube flanked by dancers in eerie, transparent masks illuminated by blinking lights. The Back on My B.S. lyricist wowed the Shrine with his legendary, breathless, rapid-fire flow — much of which was obscured by super-cautious censors — sporting a unique, black jacket with enormous, ridged sleeves. After ripping his verse, the MC dropped the mic and walked off. Breezy took back the stage for his F.A.M.E. cut "Paper, Scissors, Rock," busting out some agile choreography and finishing up the performance with an athletic flip off the stage.

When speaking to MTV News earlier this year about how the all-star collabo came together, beatsmith Afrojack gave snaps to Busta's hypnotic flow.

"Busta's verse on it is really sick," he said. "It's like I can't even hear what he said, but I love the part where he goes [mimics Busta's rapid flow], and then pauses and goes rapping really quickly. And I don't know how to do it, I don't even try. But it was really, really cool."

The bigwigs at BET are also clearly feeling Breezy's chart-topper. "Look at Me Now" took the Best Collaboration award directly after the set.

What did you think of Chris Brown's performance at the 2011 BET Awards? Let us know in the comments!

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