We all know the story. Busta
Rhymes (born Trevor Smith) is
shooting a video for his Touch It Remix.
There’s talk of arguments between Swizz
Beatz and Tony Yayo due to
recent mounting tensions between Ruff
Ryders and G-Unit. Then it
happens. Busta’s bodyguard Israel Ramirez is dead with a bullet
to the chest, and suddenly hip hop’s most animated emcee is in the
limelight for all the wrong reasons.
This happened over a year ago, and no definitive answers
have been found. One thing is definite however – trouble has not stopped
following Busta Rhymes. With a
growing rap sheet that is coming close to rivaling DMX’s, Busta’s well-documented
troubles have continued from last year into this one. Let’s take a look at this
year’s unfortunate string of events that are now becoming the source of Busta’s reputation, rather than his
once-energetic, fun-loving nature:
January 2nd, 2007 – Two days into the year, the Flipmode General is hit with an assault
charge. The rapper is suspected of striking one of his drivers, Eddie Hatchett. The complaint states
that Rhymes became violent after Hatchett requested payment on a debt. “I’m just an average Joe trying to support
my familiy,” says Hatchett to
the New York Post.
January 4th, 2007 – Busta turns himself into the police after returning from a trip to Angola. Rhymes posted bail the next day at
$3,500.
January 5th, 2007 – Busta is ordered to pay $100,000 for an unrelated assault incident
in 2005 in which the rapper assaulted Melvin
Smith, a fan, outside of a New
York sandwich shop. According to Smith’s lawyer, the assault created an “opening a cut on his eye that required four stitches.”
(As told reported by the New York Post).
February 20th, 2007 – A Manhattan judge offers Busta a plea deal, requiring the rapper
to plead guilty to two assault charges – as well as five days of community
service, two weeks of youth lectures, and six months of anger management – in exchange
for no jail time. The assault charges are the rapper’s former driver, Eddie Hatchet’s, and a fan that was
assaulted for spitting on his car last August.
February 23rd, 2007 – Busta takes a page from DMX’s
book and is arrested for driving with a suspended license, after being
pulled over because he ran a red light.
March 26th, 2007 – The Manhattan judge rescinds
her offer for a plea deal due to Busta’s
driving with a suspended license. The rapper turns down another offer which
would give him one year in jail for each count of assault, and a $500 fine.
May 3rd, 2007 – Busta is arrested for drunk driving in New York, and is released hours later on
$7,500 bail.
So where does the rapper stand now?
Today (May 8th) is the day on which Busta came to court for the assault
charges. According to TMZ.com, the rapper rejected the prosecution’s deal which
would’ve sent him to jail for a year; not only for the assaults, but the drunk
driving as well.
As it stands, the emcee who gave the phrase “Woo Hah!!”
meaning faces serious jail time. What’s to blame? Is it hip hop’s obsession
with a “gangsta” image? Is it Aftermath’s doing? Regardless, one thing is
certain – Busta is in a world of
trouble.
Busta is due back
in court on July 10th.
