Busta Rhymes interview experience
I wanted to make a post about an experience the other day.
We had an interview scheduled this past Monday with Mr. Bussa Bus at the Universal Motown offices off Times Square. I was a little skeptical about the whole thing. I also had some doubts because I had heard that Busta Rhymes was: a) notorious difficult and b) not fond of white people.
Being caucasion I tried to do what I could, I scheduled the interview to be done with Mikey Fresh, a great journalist who happens to be of the Asian persuasion, while I filmed it.
Anyone in the industry, or if you have ever been to a hip-hop show, know there’s a difference between real-time, and rapper-time. The interview was supposed to be at three. Sitting across the street I see the Rolls Royce Phantom pull up, and Busta pop out. Good sign.
When we get inside and to the office where we are knocking out the interview, Busta comes in, introductions, interview. To see what he says, you will have to check back here for teasers and the full story in our next issue. But…
It was probably one of the best interviews I have seen or heard. Nothing as controversial as my Lil Wayne interview, but here’s the hit:
Busta gave us one of the most candid, professional, open, conversational, engaging, uncanned response, authentic, revealing, insightful, interesting interview. And it completely refuted what I had heard about him being difficult and no liking white people.
The reality is that when you get to his level, there has usually been a shit-ton of media-handling lessons. It’s almost as if rappers get groomed to give the most bland, boring interviews imaginable. I would guess the labels fear what could pop out of their artist’s mouth, possibly hurting album sales, and do what they can to prevent it. Someone like Lil Wayne there is clearly no getting him to listen to anyone; he is just going to be a loose cannon. But the thing about Mr. Rhymes that came through in the interview is that he is a veteran of the game. From my experience there is a huge difference in interviewing or talking to an artists who is new to the game (”I’m in these streets, moving birds, fucking bitches, smoking weed… I got the hottest producers out there and I’m the greatest rapper. Ever.”), and someone that has seen and understands the bigger picture. Who has the experience to back up what they are saying or how they move.
Point blank: it was refreshing.
At no point was he standoffish, unwilling to answer anything Mikey asked, and maintained eye contact the whole interview. And I know there was a little drama at the beginning with someone else at the label, but Buss never brought that into the interview. Don’t get me wrong, with all his experience, he knows what the deal is with media and interviews, but he was just a straight up dude. He never answered the phone during the interview, never asked how much longer or how many questions are left, anything like that. There’s a reason dude has been in the rap game for so damn long. First, Busta Rhymes makes classic music. Period. But he also handles his shit. Sure, dude has made some mistakes, cases caught, lives lost. And he has to deal with that. But I am just speaking about my interaction with him.
AND, after the interview he accommodated all Mikey’s and my requests for drops. He tolerated me telling him about a time about 5 years ago he came through to Philly and did a show that was poorly, poorly promoted. I’m talking maybe 125 people there. And the place was empty. But Busta Rhymes and Spliff straight KILLED it. Not a mention of no one being there. No negative energy. He rocked it like it was a sold-out stadium show. That level of intensity and dedication to the performance. That shit said a lot to me. Spoke volumes. Telling Buss how much I respected that and made me a fan for life (Yes, don’t get it twisted. I own a magazine, but have been a fan for almost 25 years of hip-hop. If I wasn’t, there’s no way I could put into the magazine what I do. And believe me, what I get out of the magazine isn’t even a paycheck…), and he gave me a pound and said he respected and was a fan of ours for what we are doing.
When I interview artists, one of the questions I almost always ask is what is a part of their personal hip-hop highlight reel. Doesn’t have to be anything blinged out or about rocking a huge venue. It’s fine if it is, but I know it could be something as simple as smoking an L in an alley before their first show.
I don’t know when this magazine-owning rollercoaster will end, but that Busta Rhymes interview will certainly be at the top of my personal highlight reel. Not on any starstruck shit, but at times it feels few and far between when I feel refreshed, rejuvenated or hopeful about the industry; both hip-hop and journalism. I emailed Miss Info about the series of interviews she did with Cam’ron interview experience, that I felt gave me some of that hope/juice. Sometimes I need that to push on.
This shit isn’t about being a Stan, it’s about being a fan.
Of Busta Rhymes and hip-hop.
Shout out for Busta Rhymes for putting the battery in my back.
