When it comes to pure spitting, few rappers have garnered the respect, acclaim, and experience that Busta Rhymes has. Moreover, he graced fans in Las Vegas with an excellent set at the Lovers & Friends Festival on Saturday (May 6). While he mostly stuck to proving his worth by going through his impressive catalog, he also took the chance to call out the younger generation in hip-hop. According to the New York MC, spitters these days have lost the art of live performance, depending on vocal backing tracks and other elements to elevate their shows. For someone as skilled as him, those extra nuts and bolts aren't necessary.
Specifically, Busta Rhymes said that his contemporaries are "cut from a different cloth that they don’t manufacture anymore. "We come from a time where there was no additives. no unnecessary mixing, and diluting, and tampering with the holy, sacred, and pure. We [are] the holy, sacred and pure." After his words, he launched into his verse on Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now," one of his most revered recent lyrical offerings. In fact, he even performed that verse at the 2023 Grammys during the tribute to 50 years of hip-hop.
Busta Rhymes Isn't A Fan Of Rappers Using Backing Tracks
Of course, the "Gimme Some More" artist isn't above stage flourishes and visual aids to make his performances better. Still, the main takeaway from his appearances is his proficiency and talent as a writer and performer. Whether it's because of the high standards they faced or a changing perspective on concerts, Busta Rhymes' generation seems committed to preserving excellent hip-hop performance. Even though there's more than one way to skin a cat, it's also reflective of fans demanding more from the beloved artists they pay hard-earned money to see.
Meanwhile, the 50-year-old continues to get his flowers, whether from fans or from fellow hip-hop legends. Melle Mel recently argued that Busta deserves more praise than Jay-Z. "Could Busta take Jay-Z, yes or no?" he asked during an interview. "I don’t have no fear of getting on stage with anybody and crossing mics with anybody. Busta’s a hard draw. That would probably be the hardest draw in the game. He got all the intangibles. When he comin’ on that stage, if you out in the crowd, you know something is about to happen. It ain’t just the regular run of the mill ‘I can’t wait for him to do so-and-so song. It’s that magnetism. It’s like a different level that all MCs don’t have that he got." Regardless of your take, log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Busta Rhymes.