Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr. (born on May 20, 1972), better known as Busta Rhymes, is an American hip hop musician and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the name Busta Rhymes (from former NFL football player George "Buster" Rhymes) after watching him perform. [1] Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early years 1.2 Leaders of the New School 1.3 Native Tongues Posse 1.4 Elektra 1.5 J Records 1.6 Aftermath 2 Style 3 Trivia 4 Discography 4.1 Albums 4.2 Mixtapes 4.3 Singles 5 Samples 6 External links 7 References 8 See also [edit] Biography [edit] Early years Trevor was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is of Jamaican heritage. At the age of 12, his family moved to Uniondale, a suburb of New York City on Long Island, where he was raised and eventually met up with other rappers from the growing New York area hip hop community. He graduated from High School Downtown Brooklyn, the same high school attended by famous MC's Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z. He has a son named T'ziah born in 1993. [edit] Leaders of the New School Busta Rhymes' musical career began as a member of the Hip Hop crew Leaders of the New School along with fellow Long Island natives C. Brown, Dinco D and Cut Monitor Milo. They began recording in 1991 with the album A Future Without a Past (Elektra Records), and soon gained an amount of fame. Hee also paved the way for 2 Pac and Biggie that allowed them to be what they are today. But soon they thoght they were better than Busta so they died. [edit] Native Tongues Posse Many influential and successful Hip Hop crews of the early 1990s with styles comparable to The Leaders of The New School were located in and around the border between the Queens borough of New York City and counties of Long Island. Soon after their debut The leaders of The New School became associated with the Native Tongues Posse, which led to the group's collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest on the single "Scenario." Busta Rhymes' performance on "Scenario" is thought of by some as the performance which led to his becoming a fan favorite and eventually going solo. The Leaders Of The New School released their last album T.I.M.E. in 1993, after which Busta Rhymes began his solo career. [edit] Elektra Busta Rhymes in the video for his 1997 single "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" (1997), directed by Hype Williams.Busta Rhymes' debut solo album The Coming was released by Elektra Records in 1996. The album was a mix of ragga and hip hop, and it included the US and UK top 10 single "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check." His follow-up, When Disaster Strikes... was successful in the US and sold well overseas. The album produced two hugely popular singles and videos in America, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Dangerous". The same year he released The Imperial as part of the Flipmode Squad, a collaborative project with rappers Rampage, Lord Have Mercy, Spliff Star, Rah Digga and Sham. 1998 brought Extinction Level Event (Final World Front), the theme of which was an assertion that the world would end in the year 2000. Its single, "Gimme Some More"--which sampled Bernard Herrmann's theme from Psycho--reached number 5 in the UK singles chart in January, 1999. Rhymes enjoyed further transatlantic success in April when the single "What's It Gonna Be?!', featuring Janet Jackson, reached the US and UK Top 10. In 2000 he worked on several movie projects, including the remake of Shaft, and released his final album for Elektra, Anarchy. [edit] J Records It Ain't Safe No More album coverAfter leaving Elektra, Rhymes signed to J Records, a new label started by recently ousted Arista Records chief and founder Clive Davis. In 2001 he released a greatest hits record alongside a new album of original work. Continuing the biblical theme of his previous albums, he titled his record Genesis. This album featured a hit by The Neptunes called "Pass the Courvoisier," and the first work Busta did with Dr. Dre. In 2002, Busta Rhymes released his sixth studio album It Ain't Safe No More. The album was moderately successful, with a hit song featuring Mariah Carey called "I Know What You Want," though fans claimed that his music was becoming more club-oriented and watered down. After its release, he left J Records. In 2004, he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. [edit] Aftermath The Big Bang album coverIn November of 2005, Busta Rhymes cut off his trademark dreadlocks during a photo shoot in a New York barbershop owned by producer Cory Rooney. The shop is featured on an MTV show titled The Shop. “I started growing [my hair] in December '89. I was 17,” he said. “I signed my [record] deal and said I ain't combing my hair no more. I don't have to." He says the haircut was symbolic of a change in his music and the new record deal. 2006 has seen the release of his seventh studio album, The Big Bang. The CD became his first #1 album of his entire career. The CD sold over 209,000 copies in its first week to earn the top spot on the charts. The album also became his highest charting album in the UK, peaking at #19 there. Some of the album was leaked on the internet, and as a result several songs were left off the album and new ones added. The Big Bang featured more production by Dr. Dre than Busta's previous releases and appearances by Raekwon and Nas. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Touch It", "I Love My Chick", featuring Kelis and Will.I.Am of The Black Eyed Peas, "New York Shit" featuring Swizz Beatz and "In the Ghetto". featuring Rick James. Busta also had a stint opening for Carey's Adventures of Mimi Tour. On August 20, 2006, Busta Rhymes was arraigned for charges of third-degree assault after attacking a man who reportedly spat on his car in New York City on August 12. [2] [edit] Style This article or section does not cite its references or sources. You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations. Rhymes has an atypical and distinguishable style. He is known by fans for versatility in flow, delivery and subject matter. [citation needed] Probably his best-known trademark is the roars and grunts such as "Woo-Hah", "Ha!", "Bwah!" that serve as his adlibs, along with his distinguishable voice. Rapping quickly is also a distinctive feature of Busta. In the 1990s, each of Busta's solo albums contained a lengthy and dramatic intro skit as the first track, each announcing the progressively shorter time until the turn of the millennium, and predicting at that time that there would be a cataclysmic event. Busta has made a habit of appearing on other artists' songs to do only the hook, bridge or chorus; he has done this for artists such as Big Pun ("Parental Discretion"), Black Moon ("The Onslaught"), Nas ("Suicide Bounce"), Puff Daddy and Notorious B.I.G. ("Victory"), The Game ("Like Father, Like Son"), Ma$e ("Niggaz Wanna Act") and Obie Trice ("Oh!"). [edit] Trivia The video for "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" features a recreation of a well-known scene from the 1988 Eddie Murphy film Coming to America. The video for "Dangerous" features a recreation of a scene with baddie Sho'nuff ("Am I the toughest...?, Am I the meanest...?") from the 1985 Berry Gordy produced film The Last Dragon. On December 31, 1999, BET named "Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check" the # 3 video on its list of the top 100 videos of the 20th century. "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" was # 39. His concert rider reportedly includes a box of ribbed condoms. [3] His first group, the Leaders of the New School, disbanded during November 1993 broadcast of Yo! MTV Raps. He appears in the video game, Def Jam: Fight for NY, as "Magic". His remix of "Touch It" has been at the top of UK DJ, Semtex's chart for 15 weeks in a row. [4] The video for "I Love My Chick" was a recreation of the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith Busta Rhymes was featured on one song off fellow rapper DMX album Year of the Dog...Again on the song Come Thru (Move) [edit] Discography [edit] Albums Album cover Album information The Coming Released: March 26, 1996 Chart positions: #6 U.S. Last RIAA description: 1x Platinum Singles: "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check"/"Everything Remains Raw", "It's A Party" (featuring Zhane), "Do My Thing" When Disaster Strikes Released: September 16, 1997 Chart positions: #3 U.S., #34 UK Last RIAA description: 1x Platinum Singles: "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See", "Dangerous", "Turn It Up (Remix)/Fire It Up", "One" (featuring Erykah Badu) Extinction Level Event (Final World Front) Released: December 15, 1998 Chart Positions: #12 U.S. Last RIAA Certification: 1x Platinum Singles: "Gimme Some More", "What's It Gonna Be?!" (featuring Janet Jackson, "Party is Goin' on Over Here", "Do the Bus a Bus", "Tear Da Roof Off" Anarchy Released: June 20, 2000 Chart positions: #4 U.S., #38 UK Last RIAA description: 1x Platinum Singles: "Get Out", "Bladow", "Fire" Genesis Released: November 13, 2001 Chart positions: #7 U.S., #58 UK Last RIAA description: 1x Platinum Singles: "What It Is” (featuring Kelis), “Break Ya Neck”, “As I Come Back”, “Pass The Courvoisier, Part II” (featuring P. Diddy & Pharrell Williams) It Ain't Safe No More Released: November 26, 2002 Chart positions: #43 U.S. Last RIAA description: Gold Singles: "Make It Clap/(Remix)” (featuring Sean Paul & Spliff Star), “I Know What You Want”, (featuring Mariah Carey & Flipmode Squad) The Big Bang Released: June 13, 2006 Chart positions: #1 U.S., #19 UK Last RIAA description: Gold Singles: "Touch It”, “I Love My Bitch” (featuring Kelis & Will.i.am), “New York Shit” (featuring Swizz Beatz), “In The Ghetto” (featuring Rick James) [edit] Mixtapes 2003 Salute the General by Cutmaster C 2004 The storm before the storm mixtape by Big Mike 2004 The Slaughter by DJ L 2004 The Slaughter Pt. 2 by DJ L 2005 The Slaughter Pt. 3 by DJ L 2005 Surrender, The Mixtape by DJ Whoo Kid 2006 The Crown by DJ Drama 2006 The Point Of No Return by DJ Kay Slay 2006 The Countdown To The Big Bang by DJ Kay Slay 2006 New Crack City by Clinton Sparks 2006 Busta Rhymes: The Ruler by DJ Ideal & Mr. Mauricio [edit] Singles Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B/ Hip-Hop U.S. Rap UK singles Album 1994 "Flava In Ya Ear" (Remix) (Craig Mack) 9 - - - Funk the World 1996 "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check" / "Everything Remains Raw" 8 6 1 8 The Coming 1996 "It's a Party" (featuring Zhane) 52 27 7 23 The Coming 1997 "Hit 'em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" (with B-Real, Coolio, LL Cool J and Method Man) - - 17 8 Space Jam (Soundtrack) 1997 "Do My Thing" - - - 39 The Coming 1997 "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" - - - 16 When Disaster Strikes 1997 "Rumble In The Jungle" - - - 3 When We Were Kings Original Soundtrack 1997 "Dangerous" 9 4 1 32 When Disaster Strikes 1998 "Turn It Up (Remix)/Fire It Up" 10 7 1 2 When Disaster Strikes: New Version 1998 "Victory" (Puff Daddy featuring Notorious B.I.G.) 19 - - - No Way Out 1998 "One" (featuring Erykah Badu) - - - 23 When Disaster Strikes 1999 "Gimme Some More" - 29 - 5 Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) 1999 "What's It Gonna Be?!" (featuring Janet Jackson) 3 1 1 6 Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) 1999 "Party is Goin' on Over Here" - 72 - - Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) 1999 "Do the Bus a Bus" - 43 - - Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) 1999 "Tear Da Roof Off" - 75 - - Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) 2000 "Get Out" - 35 - 57 Anarchy 2000 "Fire" - 67 - 60 Anarchy 2002 "What It Is" (featuring Kelis) 63 37 - - Genesis'/'Violator V.1 2002 "Break Ya Neck" 26 10 24 11 Genesis 2002 "As I Come Back" - 91 - - Genesis 2002 "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" (with P. Diddy and Pharrell Williams) 11 4 - 16 Genesis: New Version 2003 "Make It Clap" (Remix) (featuring Sean Paul and Spliff Star) 46 17 14 16 It Ain't Safe No More 2003 "I Know What You Want" (featuring Mariah Carey and Flipmode Squad) 3 2 3 3 It Ain't Safe No More 2003 "Light Your Ass On Fire" (featuring Pharrell) 58 23 12 62 The Neptunes Present... Clones 2006 "Where's Your Money" (feat. O.D.B.) - 65 - - - 2005 "Don't Cha" (Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes) 2 8 - 1 PCD 2006 "Touch It" 16 3 1 6 The Big Bang 2006 "I Love My Bitch" 1 (featuring Kelis and will.i.am) 41 19 9 8 The Big Bang 2006 "New York Shit" 1 (feat. Swizz Beatz) - 77 - - The Big Bang 2006 "In The Ghetto" 1 (feat. Rick James) - 50 - - The Big Bang 1 currently active in music charts 2 charted on download sales only [edit] Samples Download sample "Abandon Ship" (with Rampage), from The Coming [edit] External links Official Site Official UK Site Busta Rhymes Lyrics Busta Rhymes at the Internet Movie Database Busta Rhymes at Myspace Busta Rhymes @ TheRapCella.com [edit] References "Busta Rhymes Marks His Rebirth With Genesis" by Shaheem Reid, MTV News', November 27, 2001 [edit] See also List of number-one U.S. dance hits List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart Busta Rhymes Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busta_Rhymes"