Busta Rhymes
Back On My B.S. (Flipmode/Universal Motown)
Back on My Bullshit. Busta Rhymes couldn’t have described his career any better. Ever since fleeing his Leaders of the New School for solo superstardom, Bus-A-Bus has been an impressively efficient hitmaker, sparking signatures—from the dungeon dragon growls of 1996’s “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check” to the Daft Punk-sampling theatrics of 2007’s “Touch It”—as easily as he once destroyed A Tribe Called Quest’s classic “Scenario” cipher. But it’s his boisterous, unforgettable charisma, and that “Do the Bus-A-Bus” swagger that has carried him through a career spanning nearly two decades.
On his last effort, 2006’s The Big Bang (Aftermath/Interscope), Busta seemed to forget his sharp commercial instincts, transforming from a dreadlocked prankster to an angry, muscle-bound thug. In spite of several underrated joints (check his slept-on single “In the Ghetto”), The Big Bang alienated much of Busta’s audience. Back on My B.S.—arriving after numerous delays owing to a label switch from Dr. Dre’s Aftermath/Interscope imprint to Universal Motown—promises a return to the Busta we all know and love.
It begins promisingly with an intro that mimics Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, as he interpolates the famous “dun-dun-dun-dun” arpeggio with “Back-on-my-bull-shit!” The opener is followed by Ron Browz’s keyboard-driven clarion call “Give ’Em What We Askin’ For.” “They say we make the greatest hits,” Busta boasts. “Who am I to disagree?”
Busta does in fact deliver the hits. On “Arab Money,” he brags about “oil well money” and “gambling with Arafat” (even though Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died in 2004?) as Ron Browz Auto-Tunes vaguely Arabic vocals. But for every legitimate contender like “Arab Money,” there’s mediocre fare such as “Shoot for the Moon,” where he prattles over a nondescript synth bleat from Danjahandz.
Busta invites several high-profile guests to the party and some produce notable verses. Lil Wayne and Jadakiss spit inspired braggadocio on the brash “Respect My Conglomerate,” while T.I. speaks authoritatively on gossipy folks on “Don’t Believe ’Em.” Others phone it in, from Estelle’s deadpan vocals on the annoying electro-rap “World Go Round” to T-Pain’s grating chorus on “Hustler’s Anthem ’09.”
With its peaks and valleys, Back on My B.S. can’t compare to the glory days of When Disaster Strikes… (Elektra, 1997) and its standout singles like “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.” But there are plenty of jams here, from “Conglomerate” to “I’m A Go and Get My…,” a half-serious warning shot to “thugs spreading like cancer,” bolstered by Mike Epps’ sideways jokes and DJ Scratch’s percussive beats. More importantly, Busta’s still a captivating performer, someone who can make even run-of-the-mill dancehall tracks like “Kill Dem” pop with irresistibly manic energy. It’s good to have the old Busta Rhymes back.
Busta Rhymes' "Back On My B.S." is in stores 5/19/09
Back On My B.S. Track listing
1. “Wheel of Fortune”
2. “Give Em What They Askin’ For”
3. “Respect My Conglomerate” feat. Lil Wayne & Jadakiss
4. “Shoot for the Moon”
5. “Hustler’s Anthem ’09” feat. T-Pain
6. “Kill Dem” feat. Pharrell & Tosh
7. “Arab Money” feat. Ron Browz
8. “I’m A Go and Get My…” feat. Mike Epps
9. “We Want In” feat. Ron Browz, Flipmode Movement, Spliff Star & Show Money
10. “We Miss You” feat. Demarco & Jelly Roll
11. “Sugar” feat. Jelly Roll
12. “Don’t Believe Em” feat. Akon & T.I.
13. “Decision” feat. Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Common & John Legend
14. “World Go Round” feat. Estelle
iTunes Bonus: “We Made It” feat. Linkin Park
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