#4) Back On My Bullshit, Busta Rhymes
Leads: “Arab Money” “Decisions” “We Made It”
Producers: DJ Scratch, Pharrell, Ron Browz
Quotable: “Chest cold, diamonds make a nigga wanna cough…”
Who thought they’d see the day when Busta Rhymes released a single with a dance to go with it? After listening to the first draft of his next CD (previously called Blessed) I had high hopes that the trials and tribulations he’d endured gave him a grown and sensible perspective sorely missed in hip-hop. The first single, “We Made It” was a celebratory collab with Linkin Park produced by Cool & Dre. Busta said of the song, “It ain’t just about the ‘hood, it ain’t just about the suburbs, it’s about everybody. This is one of those songs that can’t be described better than touching the souls of the common people.” Cuts like “Decisions” and “Blessed” helped round out the project but didn’t mean he was a “kinder, gentler” Busta, just a contrite and reflective one.
But thanks to the suits at his former label that project was shelved indefinitely and Busta went back to the drawing board and came back with speaker box chaff like “Arab Money.” As catchy as it is culturally insensitive the lyrics and refrain set off a matchbox of controversy prompting several remixes with a reworked hook called “La La Money” -or something equally obtuse. He even gave us instructions on how to dance to it.
The irony of putting Islamic prayers in a rap song is that he couldn’t get an album called Blessed released on a major label (that right is reserved for Kirk Franklin I guess). Songs with Mary J. Blige, Common and Jamie Foxx just weren’t ign’ant enough, so now we get more of what’s poppin in the street. I have it on good authority that some of those songs from Blessed will make it onto B.O.M.B. but my faith in this industry is waning and I have seen good music lose out to corporate b.s. one too many times.
I tip my Kangol to Busta for trying to do the right thing but have poured out a little liquor for sense and sensibility in hip-hop music.
