Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes (born Trevor George Smith Jr.) is a rapper, producer and actor. Busta was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island by Jamaican parents. He attended Uniondale High School and later enrolled at George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn alongside classmates The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z.

Busta began his music career as a member of the hip-hop group Leaders of the New School, which gained attention in the early ‘90s and notably appeared on A Tribe Called Quest’s track “Scenario.” He launched his solo career with the 1996 album The Coming, which included his breakout single “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check.” Known for his dynamic visuals and distinctive style, he became one of the most recognizable figures in hip-hop by the late ‘90s.

Busta released several albums, including When Disaster Strikes… (1997), Anarchy (2000), The Big Bang (2006) and Blockbusta (2023). He has received multiple Grammy nominations, including Best Rap Album for 1998’s Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front. Throughout his career, he has appeared in films such as Higher Learning (1995), Shaft (2000) and The Naked Gun (2025). He has also collaborated with artists including Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott.

In 2025, he announced the release of his 12th studio album, Vengeance.

The rapper has six children: T’ziah Wood-Smith, Mariah Miskelly, T’khi Wood-Smith, Cacie Smith, Trillian Wood-Smith and Sacario Smith. He has previously been romantically linked to Joanne Wood and Jill Miskelly.