Busta Rhymes – Back on My BS Review
The compilation of Busta’s latest studio work underwent a few names changes, “Back on My Bullshit”, “Blessed”, and “B.O.M.B.”, the execs finally settling for “Back on my B.S.”. The rap veteran with automatic firearm flows, Busta Rhymes, loads 19 tracks into the clip for his eighth album. Most of the tracks have already been leaked so we base judgement on what we have heard so far.
The forthcoming album hosts a cartel of guest artists much inline with the trend seen in albums Busta has released this decade. Club bangers to please the masses gain support from the likes of, Ludacris and Lil Wayne with “Throw it up” and T-Pain on “Blown”. The tempo is taken down a notch with “Decision” nesting the vocal talents of Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx and John Legend as well as a one verse flow from Common. The album also enlists the pairing of Flipmode’s finest alongside Linkin’ Park, albeit a valid attempt and one of the best tracks on the album, it just doesn’t make the cut when compared to the same group’s effort with Jay-Z on “Collision Course”. If that wasn’t enough to confuse the guys issuing royalties others on the roster include Akon, T.I., Young Jeezy, Jadakiss, Missy Elliott, Ne-Yo and even one of Britain’s biggest exports, Estelle.
To add to novelties the album even has a dance for the track “Arab Money” which has already had 2 or 3 remixes fuelled by guest appearances, a similar formula used on “Pass the Courvoisier” and “Touch it”. Maximum synergy being reached when Busta’s music videos in 2009 are undoubtedly infested with slow motion dancing and champagne sipping from made men in the industry.
The rapper who was once known for being so innovative and unique is instead continuing to show leniency for the world’s chart topping rapping elite. With his albums growing in guest appearances it’s no wonder why his tracks are becoming predictable and aligned with industry standard rap. Not even getting The Neptunes to produce a track will save you anymore, evident through Common’s album “Universal Mind Control” which was predominantly produced by the Star Trak duo. It seems Q-Tip another rapper in his twilight years is one of the only rappers able to keep it on point. “The Renaissance” was one of last year’s best and it’s no coincidence that most of the album he spat solo and without gimmicks. Busta Rhymes still powers quick witty flows matched by very few, proven on the freestyle he dropped on 92Q’s Rap Attack! last year, but on this album it’s a struggle to find his individuality.
The album isn’t all bad, signature flows sprayed all over “Don’t Touch Me” gives it rewindability. The track laid down by producer Bangladesh entitled “I Got Bass” may overuse the infamous “bass” sample but will strengthen neck muscles with subliminal orders to bop your head. We’ve yet to hear a few of the other tracks that will be featured on the album so hopefully they’ll come strong, but on the whole things seem pretty weak from the Flipmode camp. With that said there are some tracks we did listen to that impressively didn’t make the album, so expect some surprising B-side material.
The album is set to have a UK release in the first quarter of 2009.
