The Standard: Busta Rhymes Talks Beats, Rhymes & Phife

Source: Doritos / Doritos

As MC Shan once said, “They used to do it out in the park.” It is no longer done just in the park anymore though—the sound that was birthed in the Bronx, which many expected to have a shorter shelf life than milk, has become a global juggernaut, in cahoots with huge companies out to show that they’re just as cool as Herc and them. One such partnership going right now is that of Doritos and lyrical veteran Busta Rhymes.

The two titans of their respected industries have joined forces for Doritos’ Blaze The Beat competition. A contest in which artists get an opportunity to showcase their verbal intercourse behind a beat crafted by West Coast producer, Terrace Martin (Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Game, Talib Kweli, YG).

From there, Busta Rhymes and his team will select five lucky lyricists to share the stage with a major headliner at the Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival pre-party in Las Vegas this upcoming September 20.

“I don’t respect it when older dudes be disrespecting these new dudes.”’—Busta Rhymes

The plot thickens, because whoever blazes the stage the hottest, will also be depositing a check for $50,000.00 into their bank account as well. So who better to broaden your lyrical pallet on the ins and outs of what’s to come than the new school leader himself?

HipHopWired.com: What brings us here today is your involvement with Doritos’ Blaze The Beat competition. How did that come about? Did they reach out to you?

Busta Rhymes: I got the call eventually after a collaborative effort between the advertising agency that represents Doritos, and my brand manager. Once they figured out the dope concept and creative approach; and it was presented to me—it was kind of like a no brainer.

HHW: So you thought this project would be a good representation of the culture?

Busta Rhymes: There was nothing that you could question about what they put together to properly rep the culture. You know what I’m saying? They took it back to the bare minimum fundamentals like the boom bap, on the table and spitting.

We go in the studio, me and Terrace Martin; we vibing. Give him no beat machine, no keyboards no special effects. “You’re going to make this beat with a hot sauce bottle, some garlic, a blowtorch, and a box to create your kick and snare with.”

HHW: Did that lack of means bring you back to your humble beginnings?

Busta Rhymes: That is what we had to do in the beginning; you had to bang on a table and rap. So when you do that for me, I’m already sold, because that is what I was raised on. There ain’t nothing to disguise what you’re coming with bar-wise, because it’s just beat and rap.

HHW: So you think Doritos ties into Hip-Hop, along with urban culture?

Busta Rhymes: I’m pretty sure that you’re from the inner city, or the urban city community in the ‘hood. You went to public school, you can’t tell me that you ain’t eat Doritos with your public school lunch, homie. We grew up with the product.

HHW: Besides getting an opportunity to perform at the Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival in Las Vegas on September 20, the winner also walks away with $50,000.00 in prize money. What are your thoughts on that?

Busta Rhymes: I think that’s the best sh*t ever. Cause a mouthaf*cka can wake up that didn’t have a light at the end of the tunnel, and can end up with 50 bands in less than two months. These are amazing opportunities. It ain’t just a bag either, he’s gonna get a deal.

HHW: Do you feel as if the generational gap between Hip-Hop’s elder statesmen and the newcomers is closing, or is it still the same?

Busta Rhymes: A lot of mothaf*ckas be out here complaining about what these new dudes ain’t doing. “They’re mumble rapping this, they’re mumble rapping that, them mothaf*ckas is trash.” I don’t wanna hear that sh*t.

I’m gonna be honest with you. I don’t respect it when older dudes be disrespecting these new dudes, but you ain’t doing sh*t to give them the guidance that would have you feel proud, and not want to complain. That sh*t ain’t cool. Then when they diss you, you not gonna like that sh*t neither.

HHW: So in your own opinion, how do you feel about the younger generation’s approach to the craft when it comes to lyricism?

Busta Rhymes: I just want it to be distinguishable, and for people to know the difference. Number one: I don’t knock anyone’s creative approach, because art is art. There is no such thing as rules when you want to get your creative expression off. There is rules though, when you want to try and categorize sh*t as “real Hip-Hop and real rap” when it’s not.

So as long as you ain’t confusing the two, you can do what you want. But when it comes to Hip-Hop culture and rap music, there is a standard over here. If you don’t fall within the criteria of that standard, you don’t get the same likeness of the mothaf*cka that does. Then we don’t classify you a proper representative, or a thorough representative of Hip-Hop culture.

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Photo: Busta Rhymes/Doritos

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_F4SzlLQf/?hl=en&taken-by=bustarhymes

HHW: Anyone standout to you right now, who is a thorough representative of Hip-Hop culture?

Busta Rhymes: The ones who uphold the fundamentals of lyricism and real Hip-Hop are the ones who are garnishing the greatest accolades in the culture right now. Kendrick [Lamar] is at the top of that list.

From Grammies, to Pulitzer [Prize] Awards, that’s lyrical sh*t being respected at its highest level. If you ain’t repping the culture, and falling into the criteria from a lyrical standpoint, conceptual standpoint, performing standpoint, creative approach standpoint—you don’t even get considered for that level of acknowledgement. So that speaks volumes within itself.

HHW: Earlier, you touched on how Terrace Martin is also involved in the Doritos Blaze The Beat competition. He’s a producer that you have worked with before. But for those who aren’t too familiar with his sound, how would you describe it to them?

Busta Rhymes: I think Terrace Martin is one of the most timeless great producers to ever exist. When I say timeless, you can’t put a timeline on what he chooses to do sonically. Terrace [Martin] is young, but he can rock sh*t that can be in the circle of people like Herbie Hancock and them.

Then he can turn around, and knock your block off with some sh*t that you’d hear on Kendrick’s album. So he’s a primary example of someone bridging the gap. Because he is thoroughly respect amongst creative geniuses. From jazz sh*t, to knock your block off with heavy 808 boom bap sh*t; and trap sh*t. He plays a million instruments on some child prodigy sh*t. So he’s one of the best to ever do it to me.

HHW: Two years ago, you and Consequence jumped on stage from out of the crowd on Saturday Night Live to help perform “The Space Program” with A Tribe Called Quest off their We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service album after Phife’s passing. Can you describe the emotion that was going through you at the time?

Busta Rhymes: [Pauses] It was f*cked up, man. That’s a good question, because we’ve never been asked that question. It was a horrible day. As blessed and beautiful as the moment was to have that opportunity, but that was the first time that we ever performed without Phife.

The last full performance we did with Phife was my 25 Year Anniversary Concert at the Prudential Center. That was on December 5^th, 2015. That was the first time we did “Scenario” and “Scenario” remix back-to-back the entire time them songs existed. We would always do one, or the other—and that was the last time that we performed with Phife on stage. Then he died March 22^nd, 2016. So, having to unravel the picture, and no Phife came out. Like when we were doing the rehearsals that day, that sh*t was f*ckin crazy.

A whole lot of crying; and a whole lot of emotions on the set. It was challenging getting through it, and it was nerve-racking, because mothaf*ckas didn’t know if they were gonna break down during the actual taping of the show later on that night. That was probably the most difficult time performing without Phife the entire time. It’s been challenging the entire time because they [A Tribe Called Quest] had to do some the biggest festivals without Phife.

Having his mic there, with just a light on it, knowing that he ain’t never coming out. It was crazy, but at that point, it had been done several times without Phife. Even though, you never really all the way get used to it, you still know what it is. But that very first time. You don’t know what the f*ck that feeling was, and that was the Saturday Night Live moment. Word. Good f*ckin question, bro.