The Big Bang [PA] - Busta Rhymes (CD 2006)

Ten years ago, Busta Rhymes was one of my favorite MC's. Not only was he a hyper, caffeinated MC, bringing a fun element to a genre that was increasingly dark, but the man was capable of ripping a guest MC-as evidenced by his scene-stealing verses on Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario" (the original and remixed versions) and Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear" remix. In the years since, Busta has devalued himself into just another MC. Case in point: in a decade-long solo career, he has yet to make a classic album, and the closest he came was his second joint-1997's "When Disaster Strikes"-which, at...

The Big Bang Busta Rhymes There s no doubt that Busta Rhymes always brings the energy when he steps up to mic. Whether it be one of his millions of guest appearances or another one of his crazy singles on TV or radio everyone loves the Busa Bus. He s always been blessed with good production and his skill in writing insane head-banging hooks giving him that commercial appeal that so many artists yearn for. Yet at the same time, Busta Rhymes has the ability to get really deep and thoughtful and no matter how many party records he had on his albums it was always balanced out by some interesting..

When Busta Rhymes signed to Dr. Dre's label Aftermath in the spring of 2004, his album "The Big Bang" slowly became one of the most heavily anticipated releases to come out in a while. Many critics and fans alike assumed that Busta's record would just never see the light of day, much like Rakim's "Oh My God". While Dre has always been a legend in the production field, Aftermath has failed to deliver on a number of occassions. Nevertheless, 2005 came and went and still...no album. A Scott Storch-produced track featuring Eminem, "I'll Hurt You" was leaked in the mixtape circuit, and it was...

Busta Rhymes is one of the most gifted emcees in the industry today; he's an underrated lyricist and the energy he can bring to a track is undeniable. We're talking about a guy who upstaged each and every member of A Tribe Called Quest on "Scenario" and stood toe to toe with the likes of LL Cool J and the Notorious B.I.G. on the famed remix of "Flava In Ya Ear", so let's be clear here: Busta's no slouch on the mic when he's focused. Unfortunately, that last phrase is why he's also one of the most frustrating emcees in hip-hop as well, as evidenced by his solo career. Ever listened to a Busta..