| Busta Rhymes | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
Trevor George Smith Jr. |
|
Born |
May 20, 1972 |
|
Genre |
|
|
Occupation(s) |
Rapper, record producer, actor |
|
Years active |
1989-present |
|
Label |
Conglomerate, Cash Money, Republic, Aftermath, Interscope |
|
Associated acts |
The Conglomerate, DJ Kay Slay, DJ Khaled, DJ Scratch, Flipmode Squad, J Dilla, Leaders of the New School, Missy Elliott, N.O.R.E., Swizz Beats, A Tribe Called Quest |
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, record producer and actor from Brooklyn, New York. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. Smith began his career as a member of the group Leaders of the New School and became the stand-out member of the group. He launched a solo career in 1994 and released his debut album, The Coming in 1996.
Smith founded the record label Flipmode Entertainment in 1993 but changed the label's name to Conglomerate in 2011. He has been the leader of two collectives consisting of artists signed to the labels: Flipmode Squad and The Conglomerate. In November 2011, Smith signed a deal with Cash Money Records but left the label in 2014 after having only released one album.
Smith has released nine studio albums, with five certified platinum in sales and another two gold. His list of hit singles includes "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check", "Dangerous", "Turn It Up (Remix)/Fire It Up", "What's It Gonna Be?!", "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II", "I Know What You Want" and "Touch It", among several others. Early in his career, Smith was known for his wild style and fashion, and today he is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with the use of internal rhyme and half rhyme. Smith has received eleven Grammy nominations for his musical work.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1996: The Coming -Platinum
- 1997: When Disaster Strikes...-2x platinum
- 1998: E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front- Platinum
- 2000: Anarchy -Platinum
- 2001: Genesis- Platinum
- 2002: It Ain't Safe No More...- Platinum
- 2005: The Big Bang - Gold
- 2009: Back on My B.S.
- 2012: Year of the Dragon
- 2020: Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God