Top 3 Songs From Each Busta Rhymes Album
It's no secret that this site champions Busta Rhymes! He is considered a top 3 East Coast MC and he doesn't just rely on his lyrics! Busta Rhymes always goes in with his visuals!
See the video with random appearances by one of Spider-Man's greatest villains, Venom, didn't even show up on the top 10 music videos by Busta Rhymes. That's how great he is at making music videos. But this list is about the music. Let's get into the top three songs from each Busta Rhymes album not called Year of the Dragon... because I never listed to that one.
Album:
The Coming (1996)/AKA The 7th Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Woo Hah!! (Got You All in Check)"
2) "Do My Thing"
3) "Flipmode Squad Meets Def Squad" (ft. Jamal/Redman/Keith Murray/Rampage/Lord Have Mercy)
I'm sure there are people (probablly older than me) who think this is sacrilegious, but I'm not that into this album. It's a specific sound that isn't my favourite. It's not bad, it's just not my favourite. "Woo Hah!!" is indicative of the sound that I'm glad Busta Rhymes chose to embrace going forward. It set him apart from other great MCs working at the time. "Do My Thing" has a great beat, I can't help but nod my head as it starts. But even with this dope song, it's clear that Busta Rhymes' animated delivery needs a much livelier instrumental to back his vocals. "Flipmode Squad Meets Def Squad" is on this list because I love a dope posse cut and this is a 2 for 1 special!
Album:
When Disaster Strikes (1997)/AKA The 2nd Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"
2) "Turn it Up"
3) "Dangerous"
If there's a better Busta Rhymes song than "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" then I haven't heard it yet. It's already winner with that bassline, but once Trevor Smith gets to spitting, the song gets elevated to amazing. THEN THAT HOOK DROPS! Perfection. Plus the video pays homage to the great Coming To America! If you get a good horn section, bassline and some ILL organ stabs going, I'll probably love your song. Add the lively vocal stylings of Busta Rhymes and wrap it all up in an Al Green sample, you've got "Turn it Up" and thus, an amazing song! My fond memories for "Dangerous" are wrapped up in the video, but it is a song that works without visuals. It is a different sound while still showcasing that Bus is lyrical force to be reckoned with.
Album:
Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front (1998)/AKA THE BEST BUSTA RHYMES ALBUM
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Iz They Wildin Wit Us & Gettin Rowdy Wit Us?" (ft. Mystikal)
2) "Everybody Rise"
3) "Extinction Level Event (The Song of Salvation)"
This is my favourite Busta Rhymes album and probably one of my top 10 favourite albums of all time. There is so much to enjoy about this album. I hate only being able to pick three songs. It also has skits throughout that do not feel like they are ruining the flow of the album. It actually creates the feeling that you're listening to something special. More than just an album. Anyway, my personal favourite song is "Iz They Wilding Wit Us & Reading The Whole Title?" because Mystikal and Busta Rhymes are two rappers who are so hard to imitate. Their styles are so uniquely theirs and it is a true pleasure to hear them on a track together to amp me up for any given situation! The piano on "Everybody Rise" mixed with the dope break beat drums make it sound like an instant classic. I love the energy Busta brings to this beat. Just like the piano did wonders for "Everybody Rise" the harpsicord absolutely creates something special on "E.L.E. (The Song of Salvation)"!!! I also appreciate the sampled voice mixed with Busta Rhymes'. Again, something different that doesn't feel forced and still has roots in classic hip hop!
Album:
Anarchy (2000)/The 4th Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Why We Die" (ft. DMX & JAY-Z)
2) "All Night"
3) "Ready for War" (M.O.P.)
There will never be a greater moment for 14 year old Y.G. than when he saw Busta Rhymes (ft. DMX & JAY-Z) on the track list. I obviously listened to "Why We Die" first with no regard for the carefully sequenced tracks Busta Rhymes set out for me. It's got that Ruff Ryder feel, word to the horns, that I was all about at the time, plus it had Busta Rhymes and JAY-Z!!! No way this track could lose! "All Night" is produced by the 7th best Hip Hop producer and definitive Ruff Ryder sound creator, Swizz Beatz... so it's obviously on this list. What takes it over the top is the way Busta Rhymes sounds over the hook! I'm all about M.O.P. adlibs let alone raucaus collaborations with Busta Rhymes, so "Ready for War" with its triumphant horn sample definitely works for me on this album! It also features some interesting vocal work by Busta Rhymes on the hook!
Album:
Genesis (2001)/AKA The 6th Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "What it Is" (ft. Kelis)
2) "Pass The Courvoisier" (ft. Puff Daddy)
3) "As I Come Back"
If Anarchy was heavily informed by the Ruff Ryder sound, Genesis definitely has a strong Neptunes influence. I love the simple percussion heavy beat of "What it Is" with Busta Rhymes simmering under the surface delivery and a very welcome Kelis heavy hook! In an interesting, potentially ironic, turn of events. The non-Neptunes produced and non-remix featuring the remix King, Puffy, "Pass the Courvoisier" is one of my favourite tracks on this album. I mean the remix is cool, and definitely has an amazing video, but I prefer the original. Back to The Neptunes with "As I Come Back" It's mostly the beat, the intro, and hook to the song that wins me over, but it's got Busta doing his thing throughout!
Album:
It Ain't Safe No More (2002)/AKA The 8th Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Make it Clap (Remix)" (ft. Sean Paul & Spliff Starr)
2) "I Know What You Want" (ft. Mariah Carey & Flipmode Squad)
3) "Together" (ft. Rah Digga)
Bruh! What a bummer of an album. I had to reach out to the remix for a song I genuinely liked. I love "Make it Clap (Remix)" so much I put it in a film project with my Magic With Magellan co-conspirator. Sue us, Sean Paul was a big deal back in the day! Every other song on this list is on here because I remembered and kind of liked them. But I don't have much else to say that's positive about this album. If you like this album, you're a way better Busta Rhymes fan than I am.
Album:
The Big Bang (2006)/AKA The 3rd Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Don't Get Carried Away" (ft. Nas)
2) "New York Shit" (ft. Swizz Beatz)
3) "In The Ghetto" (ft. Rick James)
This was the first album Busta Rhymes did without the dreads, and the only Aftermath album he did. It's a good one! The use of strings on "Don't Get Carried Away" is the first checkmark, the great Busta Rhymes hook is another, but it's the way that the beat inspired Nas to actually interact with it. That may not be the actual case, but usually I feel like Nas just raps what he needs to say and the beat is almost an afterthought. FIGHT ME ON THIS! However, on "Don't Get Carried Away" the flow Nas uses switches up and actually feels like he's having fun with it due to the Dr. Dre production. "New York Shit" is just a dope song! I don't know how describe it. With Swizz doing adlibs it becomes a special song. "In The Ghetto" comes in at number 3 but this was a hard choice. I like A LOT of the songs on this album. I can't deny, however, the use of Rick James and the beat really make "In the Ghetto" the obvious choice to round out the three songs that represent the best this album has to give. But, please listen to the full album, there are a lot of gems on there.
Album:
Back On My B.S. (2009)/AKA The 5th Best Busta Rhymes Album
Top 3 Songs:
1) "Wheel of Fortune"
2) "Decision" (ft. Jamie Foxx/Mary J. Blige/John Legend/Common)
3) "Respect My Conglomerate" (ft. Lil Wayne & Jadakiss)
Excellent use of strings and horns at the beginning of "Wheel of Fortune" instantly get my attention. What's great is during the verses the beat strips down and gives the listener a bit of vintage Busta Rhymes. Busta even gets into his Slick Rick bag for a portion of the song. There is a throwback feel to this song, is what I'm saying, and I DIG IT! "Decision" has another great piano part but the guest vocalists really bring everything together for me. I do appreciate a good introspective Busta Rhymes verse or two, but having Jamie Foxx reminding everyone that he's not just a great actor, but someone who can SANG is great. Add fellow Oscar winners John Legend and Common as well as two time (in one night) Oscar nominee Mary J. Blige, and you've got a really special song! "Respect My Conglomerate" didn't intially make this list but I listened to it again and realized it contains an stellar Busta Rhymes verse. And it's an overall great song.
-YG