“Give ‘Em What They Askin’ For” - Review of Busta Rhymes’ Back On My B.S
ALBUM REVIEWS By Contra™ on May 22, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Two decades since he first came on the scene as a Leader of The New School, Busta Rhymes has now become one of the elder statesmen of Hip-Hop. He got here by innovating his style, morphing to not only adjust with the times and climate but to occasionally even be a step ahead. With his eighth album, and a title like Back On My Bullshit, one would not be wrong to expect similar if not more from the Brooklyn vet.
Glimmers of gusto are sparked by tracks with first class assistance like “Respect My Conglomerate”, which features Jadakiss and Lil’ Wayne, as well as “Don’t Believe ‘Em” featuring Mr. T.I-get-jail-credit Harris. But those moments are interrupted by the equally unimpressive. “Hustler’s Anthem ‘09″ and “Shoot For The Moon” are easily forgettable, and the much-maligned, oversynthesized Ron Browz feature “Arab Money” has elapsed its buzz due to numerous pushbacks. All throughout B.O.M.B., there are times where it feels like he may have rediscovered his edge. However, that edge proves to have been dulled by the numerous attempts to polish and streamline the project.
Another drawback is that Busta’s vision for his tracks doesn’t seem to be clear. One is not sure whether Bus is trying to be ironically funny or is just flat out misguided at time. The faux-dancehall, Neptunes collaboration “Kill Dem” feels tragically purposeless. Maybe Busa Bus is still buzzed off his quasi-successful remixes with Sean Paul and Elephant Man, but that was a good 5 years ago. He continues to try and rekindle past flames with “Sugar”, produced by and featuring Jelly Roll. He stuck to the Rap&B formula, but somehow missed the mark and created something new that you will either quietly love or sorely despise. That dichotomy is even more evident in his next single “World Go Round.” Estelle lends her voice to try and make this techno inspired track more familiar, but it still straddles the thin line between ill-advised and ingenious.
Although, in some cases he actually manages to make these cameos work well. “We Miss You” and the aforementioned “Respect My Conglomerate” both seem to mesh well. Another instance of good collaborations is the Denaun Porter-produced “Decision” alongside the serene speeches of Common, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Jamie Foxx and Mr. Porter. On paper, it may seem to be an urban “We Are The World”-type track, but instead we get a very heartfelt analysis of friendships and their downfalls.
Suffice to say, if you were expecting the good old Busta Rhymes, you’d have a better chance digging up When Disater Strikes, Extinction Level Event and the tracks that got cut from the album. The new post-Aftermath Rhymes is not a wild rodeo horse, but instead a very composed, yet confused steed. He finds himself at a crossroads where he has the potential to lead the new generation of Hip-Hoppers in a new direction, or to quietly embark on his own path and exit the scene in a noble manner. He seems to be leaning towards the latter.
BONUS
Download — Busta Rhymes Feat. Big Tigger - “If Don’t Know, Now You Know” (iTunes Bonus Track)
Previously Posted — Busta Rhymes - I B*llshit You Not Mixtape | Busta Rhymes, Superstar J & Big T - Feeding The Streets Mixtape
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, AUDIO, GENERAL, LOOSIES, MUSIC — Tags: Back On My B.S., Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Lil Wayne
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32 Comments
I’m a big Busta Rhymes fan but that album is pure shit. Decision is great, Respect My Conglomerate is good but the rest is terrible.
Dear Mr. Trevor Smith:
Do you have a PayPal account? Cuz “I Bullshit You Not” was much better, and I feel like giving you money for something you gave us for free. DJ Scratch stuck his feets in the beats.
“Back On My B.S.”, indeed.
It’s just another “Case Of The P.T.A.”
Predictable Tedious Anthems
Can you at least glue some dreadlocks to your dome & wear outlandish outfits on your next at-bat? Do something to make us laugh & bug-out.
Regards,
Someone who thought it was a waste of downloading your retail release for free. I want my bandwidth AND time back. lol
^ Word, IBYN is way better than BOMB, no question. IBYN I would’ve gladly paid for. BOMB? I’m just glad I didn’t have to pay for it.
Ayo Contra, where can I find the unreleased tracks at? After listening to IBYN I realized how much better Busta’s albums were back in the late 90s.
^Let me see….Busta’s “To Do” list:
1. Whoop Marshal Mathers for going in (again) on my friend Mariah.
2. Find out who this Estelle chick is so I can finish f’in up her “Teef”.
3. Where da hell can I find some glue for those dreds in that bag in the corner over there.
BTW..I want my bandwidth back as well….
You will see that LBJ shot for at least 60 more times b/w now & the end of the playoffs. Sportscenter will show it 38 of those times.
^ can’t be mad at that though. I AM mad at the fact I had to watch a shitty live stream on my laptop. FML
@ EF Huttin’
http://www.zshare.net/download/60393907e2c72183/
__claps powder in the air_-
Lebron is keeping my predictions alive haha.
Oh yeah back on topic, BOMB isn’t awful but it’s not that great either. There are good songs on it though. Me and my boy talked about it the other day and we agreed that if “I Got Bass” and “Don’t Touch Me” replaced 2 of the wack songs on there the album would’ve been better. It’s a shame because Wheel of Fortune had me hyped to hear the rest. Then it kinda falls off save for a few joints.
lol @ Chuck_You
Lebron is King!
Oh yeah…
Crime Pays > B.O.M.B.
Crime Pays > B.O.M.B.
That is a lie.
Cam don’t have a song better than “Respect My Conglomerate”
Cam don’t have a song better than “Respect My Conglomerate”
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Cumalative effect. Two songs don’t make an album.
As an album, I don’t see myself giving B.O.M.B that much more burn.
Crime Pays is gonna bump the whole summer.
That Rah-Rah, “Dungeon Dragon” shit wears thin quickly lol.
Em & one of them D-12 dudes was clownin’ over that Respect My Conglomerate beat
P.S. - Cam doesn’t have half the big name production or co-stars.
He doesn’t have any actually.
^ Cam pocketed the producer budget so he can hire someone to maintain that pool he has out back, lol
That Rah-Rah, “Dungeon Dragon” shit wears thin quickly lol.
Like the eeshie peeshie, ma easy easy, wipe off your chin, it’s creamy creamy doesn’t??!?
^ One is actually clever…as low brow as it may be.
Screaming like a mad man worked for Busta…10 years ago. B.O.M.B. is basically every trend that’s hot, every feature the budget can afford.
I’ve already cherry picked the songs I wanted and trashed the rest.
eeshie peeshie, ma easy easy, wipe off your chin, it’s creamy creamy
=========================
I think DipSet has a spot for you TC lol.
You can’t be any worse then Zekey lol.
If it’s worth anything I’m listening to We Want In now. This is one of my favorites on the album: Ron Browz hook and all.
ETHERRRBOYYYYYYYYY!!!!! (c) Ronaldino Browzington
You ninjaz need to stop reviewing albums. Co-sign Amp: Crime Pays >>> B.O.M.B. by a fucking longshot. How the fuck are you going to give Busta a half cig more than Cam? Whateva man.
cams shit wasnt that hot to me.
i was expecting some purple haze shit…
i think i already mentioned this but wtf did they do to i hate my job? that shit sounded right when it made its way round the net but it sounds cheezy as fuck on the album.
cam’s shit is always trash. He’s wack and deserves just as many cigs as Relapse………..ONE!
B.O.M.B. is straight. I give it a 7 outta 10. If the album had dropped a month after “Arab Money” blew up, this album woulda been given hella luv. He should have put “I got bass” on this album. That record goes hard in my ‘burban.
The name of this album should just be….BULLSHIT!
I haven’t even listened to Crime Pays yet, but I guess I might not have a choice now lol.
@TC, good looking out. ‘Preciate it.
You ninjaz need to stop reviewing albums. Co-sign Amp: Crime Pays >>> B.O.M.B. by a fucking longshot. How the fuck are you going to give Busta a half cig more than Cam? Whateva man.
===========
….and as soon as we do, you all will be in the comments ASKING for ratings, fumbling through them on your own w/fucked up assertions (”It’s a FIVE because it makes my nuts tingle!”). Fuck outta here lol.
Even though both albums were whatever, Busta’s albums will always have better production than 90% of the cats in the game, giving him a nudge.
@ Gotty: Ha!!! Cam had waaay better beats in my opinion, most produced in-house with no typical “big-name-go-to-$100,000-beat” makers. Busta’s album is fucking trash; he hasn’t made a dope piece of work since he snipped his locks off.
2 1/2 too much.
I’m Go and Get My!!!
@ kush…that track is the shit.
i enjoyed BOMB….way more than that his mixtape.
haha the albums better than the mixtape!?!?! some of you clearly arent ready yet. The album is v eeeeeery disappointing. for some one to put out such a superb mixtape only to release this as his main album, needs a reality check. And on said mixtape, he was talking about changing the game with the album. Busta is truly a comedian of genius proportions.