Busta Rhymes

Last year, Busta Rhymes was widely dismissed as rap's court jester because of his wacky lyrical style and outrageous outfits, but two consecutive hits have bolstered his credibility. In fact, he enjoys one of the highest profiles in rap; a man whose current single, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," dominates MTV and radio. So who could blame him for beginning his concert Sunday at the House of Blues by stopping the music, surveying the crowd and bursting into a huge grin?

American rapper Busta Rhymes won a court order Friday allowing him to perform at a charity concert in Britain, despite a government attempt to keep him out of the country. High Court Justice Nicholas Stadlen ruled that Rhymes -- whose real name is Trevor George Smith Jr. -- could play at London's Royal Albert Hall. The judge said he did not want to interfere with the concert, which is being given for volunteers who earned their tickets by doing four hours of community service. Immigration officials stopped Rhymes on Thursday at London City Airport, with his promoters saying they cited previous legal trouble in the United States.

A judge in New York sentenced Busta Rhymes to three years' probation Tuesday for assaulting his former driver and a fan, and warned the rapper to stay out of trouble. The 35-year-old Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was also ordered to perform 10 days of community service; pay a $1,250 fine, plus court costs; and enroll in a drunken driving program.

IDIOSYNCRATIC rapper Busta Rhymes has the bestselling album in the country this week with "The Big Bang," which sold 209,000 copies its first week in stores. It was a big drop to second place where the Dixie Chicks album "Taking the Long Way" finished by selling 130,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks music retail sales.

When he's not revved up and virtually exploding, Busta Rhymes becomes an all-too-typical rapper. And for too much of his fourth album (due Tuesday), the New Yorker comes off as serene and mildly interesting. Rhymes tones down his boisterous ways on such selections as the understated "Show Me What You Got" and the mid-tempo "Get Out!!" These subdued moments are offset by a handful of cuts in which Rhymes becomes the hyper, talented rapper of his previous outings.

Known as much for his outlandish outfits, vibrant videos and loudmouthed tirades at music award shows as he is for his fiery brand of party-flavored hip-hop, Busta Rhymes is more than a simple jester. Leaders of the New School, his first group, released two critically acclaimed albums in the early '90s, and both of his solo albums, 1996's "The Coming" and 1997's "When Disaster Strikes," have sold more than 700,000 units. Now it's time for the dreadlocked New Yorker to branch out.

Busta Rhymes may be hip-hop's reigning merry prankster, but he knows that his slapstick shtick has a very limited shelf life unless he backs it up with inventive grooves. 1997's "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" did just that, pitting his seriocomic rant against a minimalist, insidiously funky backdrop. Rhymes' third album (in stores Tuesday) finds the dreadlocked rapper still turning verbal somersaults with the proverbial lampshade on his head.

On the cover of his hit debut album, "The Coming," New York rapper Busta Rhymes is pictured blowing out the center of a picture frame with the force of his powerful voice. The colorful image captures not only the way Rhymes has annihilated most of his rap competitors this year but also how he uses his spectacular gift of gab to expand the boundaries of rap music itself.

Anyone who attended the rap triple bill at the Universal Amphitheater on Thursday looking for a complex worldview or an evolved take on the usual hip-hop tropes would have been sorely disappointed. Bubba Sparxxx, Ludacris and headliner Busta Rhymes all belong to hip-hop's good-times contingent, rejecting gangsta rap's sloganeering and the radical politics of critically lauded new acts such as the Coup in favor of raucous and frequently lewd celebrations of self-satisfaction.

Busta Rhymes will face trial on two assault charges after a New York judge withdrew a plea offer Monday that would have let the rapper remain free. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Tanya Kennedy withdrew the offer that included probation, community service and a series of lectures to troubled youth. She cited his recent arrest for driving with a suspended license as the reason.

Busta Rhymes was charged Thursday with misdemeanor assault stemming from a man's complaint that the hip-hop star had beaten him in a dispute over money. Rhymes, 34, turned himself in and was booked on the misdemeanor charge at a Manhattan police station Wednesday night, police Lt. John Grimpel said. He was released Thursday on $3,500 bail for the third-degree assault charge.

Trouble has found Busta Rhymes again. The rapper, who's had other run-ins with the law, was caught talking on his cellphone while driving past a Manhattan police station, police said Friday. Rhymes, whose legal name is Trevor Smith, was cruising past a police station about 7 p.m. Thursday when police allegedly spotted him on the cellphone. He was pulled over and issued a summons for the moving violation. His management office declined to comment Friday.

A judge ruled Tuesday that prosecutors could not charge rapper Busta Rhymes with possession of a weapon -- a machete found inside a sport utility vehicle -- following his Aug. 12 arrest on an assault charge. Rhymes, 34, appeared at the brief hearing during which the judge rejected a prosecution request for the additional charge against the rapper. Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was charged with assault after he allegedly attacked a man for spitting on his car.

IDIOSYNCRATIC rapper Busta Rhymes has the bestselling album in the country this week with "The Big Bang," which sold 209,000 copies its first week in stores. It was a big drop to second place where the Dixie Chicks album "Taking the Long Way" finished by selling 130,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks music retail sales.

Anyone who attended the rap triple bill at the Universal Amphitheater on Thursday looking for a complex worldview or an evolved take on the usual hip-hop tropes would have been sorely disappointed. Bubba Sparxxx, Ludacris and headliner Busta Rhymes all belong to hip-hop's good-times contingent, rejecting gangsta rap's sloganeering and the radical politics of critically lauded new acts such as the Coup in favor of raucous and frequently lewd celebrations of self-satisfaction.

*** Busta Rhymes, "The Coming," Elektra. Busta Rhymes' metaphors are like stick figures bouncing around the room to funky rhythms. "The Coming" is short on deep themes but long on dazzling displays of rhyme skill. Tracks such as the marauding "Abandon Ship," the breakneck-paced "Woo Hah!" and the silky smooth "It's a Party" show that there are still compelling hip-hop records to be made without dramatic narratives or weighty social politics.

A judge ruled Tuesday that prosecutors could not charge rapper Busta Rhymes with possession of a weapon -- a machete found inside a sport utility vehicle -- following his Aug. 12 arrest on an assault charge. Rhymes, 34, appeared at the brief hearing during which the judge rejected a prosecution request for the additional charge against the rapper. Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was charged with assault after he allegedly attacked a man for spitting on his car.

With a roster that boasts more stars than the Milky Way, the Violator record company and management arms are among the most impressive in hip-hop. The business' second self-serving compilation delivers certified club hits from clients Busta Rhymes ("What It Is") and Noreaga ("Grimey"). Capone, Havoc and Noyd also breathe fire with confrontational raps that are as impressive as they are chilling. * Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two (fair), three (good) and four (excellent).

When he's not revved up and virtually exploding, Busta Rhymes becomes an all-too-typical rapper. And for too much of his fourth album (due Tuesday), the New Yorker comes off as serene and mildly interesting. Rhymes tones down his boisterous ways on such selections as the understated "Show Me What You Got" and the mid-tempo "Get Out!!" These subdued moments are offset by a handful of cuts in which Rhymes becomes the hyper, talented rapper of his previous outings.