Busta Rhymes Faces Assault Charges: Arrest Details and What It Means for the Hip-Hop Legend

Busta Rhymes, the rapper known for hits like “Break Ya Neck,” is facing legal issues again. He was arrested in Brooklyn and charged with third-degree assault. This incident started with a 911 call late on a Friday night when a 50-year-old man reported that he had been attacked. The victim claimed he was punched multiple times by someone he did not know.

The man was taken to a hospital with swelling on his face but is currently in stable condition. Busta Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith Jr., has not yet commented on the situation through his representatives.

Reports indicate that the alleged victim may have been Rhymes’ assistant. It seems that the dispute arose because the assistant was reportedly using his phone while working. When asked about the incident, Rhymes was cautious, stating, “An article in the paper as opposed to a six or seven-million-dollar settlement? I’m not risking it, sorry.”

Interestingly, Rhymes has openly criticized cell phones during a performance at the Essence Festival of Culture. He encouraged the audience to engage more with each other and put down their devices. “Ayo f— them camera phones, too,” he said, emphasizing the need for real human interaction.

This isn’t the first time Busta Rhymes has found himself in legal trouble. Back in 1998, he was arrested for gun possession and later pleaded guilty. He received five years of probation for that case. In 2008, he faced charges related to an assault against his driver, which also involved drunk driving. Rhymes ended up with three years of probation for those accusations.

In 2015, he was in the news again for throwing a protein shake at a gym employee. He admitted to non-criminal harassment in that situation and agreed to attend anger management classes.

Despite his legal troubles, Busta Rhymes continues to make music. He released his 11th studio album, Blockbusta, in 2023. He has also voiced a character in the animated series Everybody Still Hates Chris and is set to appear in the upcoming Naked Gun reboot.