Busta Rhymes
Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God
Conglomerate/Empire
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Since originally bursting onto the scene in 1991 as the standout member of the group Leaders of the New School, Busta Rhymes has always been about stealing the show and creating unforgettable moments. When A Tribe Called Quest dropped “Scenario” as the final single from their classic 1991 sophomore LP The Low End Theory, Busta closed the show in unforgettable fashion. With his big voice that roars “Rawr! Rawr! Like a dungeon dragon / change your little drawers 'cause your pants are sagging,” his rhymes here remain some of the most fun and quotable in hip-hop history.

Similarly, just a few years later in 1994 when Sean “Diddy” Combs assembled a star-studded cast to help remix Craig Mack’s hit record “Flava in Ya Ear,” Busta batted clean-up and hit a grand-slam in the ninth inning with his bars, “Instead of copping pleas, just freeze / maintain the focus while we smoke these marijuana trees / when I get down, I disappear, reappear / and blow up everywhere, with these new flavas in ya ear.”

Busta Rhymes would go on to amass one of the most impressive discographies in all of hip-hop, with a string of hits that followed the release of his platinum debut LP The Coming in 1996 and now continues with his latest offering, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. For starters, Busta is so ambitious with his approach, that he enlists GRAMMY and Emmy Award winning actor/comedian Chris Rock to help narrate the extravaganza.

Further reinforcing that this is an A-list affair, the album’s intro features The God emcee himself, Rakim, who steps in to offer his vintage knowledge of self-lyricism. Busta comes in first, to set the tone for the track and entire album over Nottz’ brilliantly soulful production, which, at the end of Busta’s verse, transitions to a piano sample of Ahmad Jamal’s “I Love Music,” instantly recognizable to hip-hop fans as the sample used by Pete Rock for Nas’ 1994 single “The World is Yours.” Soul Brother #1 even makes a cameo, singing the legendary hook as Busta offers the official forward for E.L.E 2.

One of the distinctions of E.L.E 2 is how big the project feels. Everything about the album has the same feel as a blockbuster movie, and Busta does a good job of maintaining the intensity throughout the project even with the exploration of various subject matter. “Czar,” for example, has a specifically cinematic feel, with the adrenaline pumping beat provided by Rockwilder and a guest spot from the dynamic duo M.O.P.. Busta, who is one of the best at lyrical delivery and word pacing over production, also reinforces his penchant for writing a great hook to bridge verses.

“Don’t Go” is almost autobiographical and offers the nostalgia of Busta’s early years as he collaborates with longtime friend and musical affiliate Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Taken together, many of the songs that compile the expansive 22-song track list evoke an anthology of Busta’s career. The DJ Scratch produced “Boomp!” is reminiscent of Busta circa 1997, when the duo created magic with songs like “Gimee Some More” and “Live to Regret.”

Another aspect that adds to the lure of E.L.E 2 is how star-studded it is. Undoubtedly the hip-hop gala of 2020, Busta’s longevity pulls big names from the R&B world as well. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, offers her vocals to the aptly titled song “You Will Never Find Another Me.” Legendary songstress Mariah Carey also comes in to assist the chorus of “Where I Belong” in an attempt to recreate the magic she once conjured with Busta and producer Rick Rock for the 2002 hit “I Know What You Want.”

Well balanced, E.L.E 2 is not merely a legends’ reunion, as it features some of the brightest stars in contemporary hip-hop. Kendrick Lamar makes a guest appearance on “Look Over Your Shoulder” which samples the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 days. Busta trading rapid fire bars with one of the game’s top-five at the moment over a beat that should solidify Nottz on everyone’s top-tier production list constitutes one of my personal highlights of 2020. “Best I Can,” the 9th Wonder orchestrated collaboration with Rapsody, is equally impressive, as Busta delivers an introspective narrative alongside the GRAMMY nominated femcee.

The entire LP offers special moments, one after another. Bell Biv DeVoe dropping in to add some ‘90s flavor to “Outta My Mind” is one of the album’s biggest surprises. “True Indeed” represents a sure head-scratcher for hip-hop aficionados, surprised to learn that Busta had never rapped over a DJ Premier beat during his storied career until now. Production from J Dilla for the song “Strap Yourself Down” and a guest spot from Ol’ Dirty Bastard on “Slow Flow” are fitting memorials to both dearly departed rap icons, as is the moving ode to Busta’s friend and manager Chris Lighty on “Deep Thought.”

Overall, watching rap’s perennial showstopper exhibit superior studio generalship with artists of the past and present adds to the argument that E.L.E 2 may be the unparalleled hip-hop project of 2020. The LP aims high and doesn’t fall short at gaining everyone’s attention, maintaining it, and raising the bar for contemporary album construction.

Witnessing a rapper who officially entered the game in 1991 present a clear album-of-the-year contender is akin to watching LeBron James dominate the NBA in his seventeenth season. Busta has made himself one of the most recognizable names and faces in hip-hop by creating unforgettable moments, and with E.L.E. 2, he has crafted yet another. But this time, he achieves the feat not simply with a catchy verse or hit single, but rather with a masterpiece of a fully-realized album, at a time when the culture desperately needs it.

Notable Tracks: “Czar” | “E.L.E. 2 The Wrath of God” | “Look Over Your Shoulder” | “YUUUU”

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