Busta Rhymes Age, Height & Biography

Busta Rhymes is an American rapper, songwriter and actor known for his rapid-fire delivery and his flamboyant style. Born in Brooklyn in 1972, he first became famous as a member of Leaders of the New School before launching a solo career in 1996 with the hit Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check. He has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and remains one of the most distinctive voices in hip-hop.

Quick Facts

Who Is Busta Rhymes?

Busta Rhymes is an American rapper and actor known for his fast, energetic flow and his elaborate music videos. He is best known for the songs Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check, Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Gimme Some More, Break Ya Neck and Touch It, and he has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards. He has also acted in films including Shaft in 2000 and Halloween: Resurrection in 2002.

Busta Rhymes has been a fixture of hip-hop since the early 1990s, when he emerged as a member of Leaders of the New School. He is known for his distinctive voice, his inventive music videos and his collaborations with artists such as Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott, and he has remained a respected figure in the genre for more than three decades.

Early Life & Background

Busta Rhymes was born Trevor George Smith Jr. on 20 May 1972 in Brooklyn, New York, to parents of Jamaican descent. He grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Uniondale, Long Island, as a teenager, where he attended Uniondale High School. He began rapping as a teenager and formed the group Leaders of the New School with his friends Charlie Brown, Dinco D and Cut Monitor Milo.

Leaders of the New School released their debut album, A Future Without a Past…, in 1991, featuring the hit Case of the P.T.A. The group gained attention through their appearance on A Tribe Called Quest’s song Scenario in 1992, in which Busta Rhymes’s verse stood out. The group released a second album, T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind’s Eye), in 1993 before breaking up.

Career

Busta Rhymes released his debut solo album, The Coming, in 1996, featuring the hit singles Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check and It’s a Party. The album reached the top 10 in the United States and established him as a solo star. He followed it with When Disaster Strikes… in 1997, featuring Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See and Dangerous, and E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front in 1998, featuring Gimme Some More.

He continued to release albums, including Anarchy in 2000 and Genesis in 2001, featuring Break Ya Neck and Pass the Courvoisier. In 2006 he released The Big Bang, featuring the hit Touch It, and in 2009 he released Back on My B.S. He has also recorded with many other artists, including Janet Jackson on What’s It Gonna Be?! and Mariah Carey on I Know What You Want.

Busta Rhymes continued to record, releasing Year of the Dragon in 2012, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God in 2020, featuring Look Over Your Shoulder with Kendrick Lamar, and Blockbusta in 2023. He has also acted in films, playing Dolemite in the 2000 film Shaft and appearing in Halloween: Resurrection in 2002. He is the father of six children and remains one of the most respected and distinctive voices in hip-hop.

Facts About Busta Rhymes

• He first became famous as a member of Leaders of the New School, whose debut album was released in 1991.
• His verse on A Tribe Called Quest’s Scenario in 1992 helped to make him a star.
• He has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards.
• His debut solo album, The Coming, was released in 1996 and featured Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check.
• He played Dolemite in the film Shaft in 2000 and appeared in Halloween: Resurrection in 2002.

Frequently Asked Questions