This album was released on November 24th in 2023. Busta Rhymes is one of my favorite rappers of all time, but the reason I put this off for so long is that I knew the album would be bad. I didn’t care for any of the singles I heard from this album at all, and pretty much every single person I saw talking about this album said it was terrible. I was dreading this album because when Busta is bad, he’s really fucking bad. Back on My BS is the worst album I’ve ever reviewed. I wasn’t expecting this one to be nearly as bad as that project, but I still had a feeling I would hate it. I was hoping there’d be at least one song that I fucked with though…
The album begins with one of the more tolerable tracks, THE STATEMENT. The first issue I had with this song is a problem that permeates the entire project. The production is ass. I guess Busta’s flow is fine. I don’t know. I’m just not really into this type of flow these days. It just doesn’t sound very good to me. Maybe I’d like it more if the beat wasn’t so bad. The bars themselves kinda go in one ear and out the other. He’s just rapping about how he’s one of the greatest MC’s of all time, which isn’t something I disagree with. However, this album doesn’t prove that at all. If anything it’s a good counterargument to that claim. I wouldn’t say this is a bad song, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. There’s really not a single aspect of this track that stands out in a good way to me. The production is ass and I didn’t care for Busta’s flow. It’s a mediocre song. Track 2 is called REMIND ‘EM, and it features Quavo. Once again, the production, this time from someone named Fantom, is ass. This beat is even worse than the preceding one. Quavo sounds about as good as he always does. This is far from a standout performance from him, but it’s not bad by his usual standards. The sad thing is that he was way better than Busta on this track. Busta’s singing on the refrain is lame as hell, and his vocal delivery during his verse just doesn’t sound good at all. The wackest thing about this song is the production to me. Quavo was decent. Busta was kinda wack. Still though, I wouldn’t say this song is terrible. It’s bad, but it could be worse. Track 3 is called BEACH BALL, and it features an artist named BIA.
I believe this was the lead single from the album. We should’ve known the album was gonna be trash when this dropped. Well, I think a lot of people did know that the album was gonna be trash when this came out. This song is fucking terrible. There’s no way I could’ve ever liked this song. They didn’t make this song for people like me. I think it might’ve been Joe Budden who basically said that this album sounds like Busta is trying to appeal to children. I completely agree with that take. This beat is awful, and the lyrical content doesn’t resonate with me at all. The first verse from BIA is fine I guess. I mean, sonically I think this shit is trash, but she did an okay job with what she was going for. Like I kinda said though, this shit just doesn’t appeal to me at all. This sounds like Tik Tok music. It also sounds more like a BIA song featuring Busta Rhymes than the other way around, mainly because BIA takes care of the hook—which is horrible—and has the first verse on the song. Also, this just isn’t the type of production I think of when I think of Busta Rhymes. This is a far cry from Everything Remains Raw. Again, nothing about this song appeals to me. I think it’s terrible. Track 4 is called OK, and it features Young Thug.
This is another one of the more tolerable tracks to me. I actually thought that there was a chance that this song could be good because I don’t hate Young Thug nearly as much as I did when he first came out. I mean, I still wouldn’t consider myself a fan, but he has a lot of songs that I like. My biggest issue with this song is that the production from Cool & Dre just isn’t good. It just sounds so generic. The shitty horn loop is just so flat. Young Thug sounds like he really phoned in his performance too. Busta Rhymes definitely tried, but I can’t really say that I enjoyed his verse either. I really don’t like anything about this song. Honestly, the more I listen to it the more I dislike it. I thought it was tolerable when I first heard it, and I still think it’s one of the more decent tracks on the album, but that’s not saying much. This shit is wack to me. It’s followed by COULD IT BE YOU, which features Blxst & Yung Bleu. I had no idea who Yung Bleu was prior to hearing this track, but I typically enjoy Blxst features a lot, so I kinda had a bit of hope that this would be a decent song. Thankfully, I wasn’t wrong. This is definitely one of the best songs on the record. Is it something that I’m gonna be returning to? No, not at all. I actually think the production is pretty cool though, and I like Blxst’s hook a lot. Unfortunately, the lyrical content from Busta doesn’t appeal to me at all.
Welcome you inside my circumference
We celebrate this union, bouquet of flowers in bunches
Remain this with a changeable, making needed adjustments
Introduce you to this gеnerational wealth in abundance
Givе you the semi, then question if you gon' keep it tucked
When I'm at my struggle, I question if you gon' keep me up
There's no delusion because you give me a freaky fuck
No confusion, the profit margins'll make you stuck
His flow and delivery sounded good though. He fits over this beat way better than pretty much any other instrumental on the album. I even thought Yung Bleu’s verse was solid. I mean, it wasn’t that good lyrically, but his melodic delivery and flow sounded fine. I’m just not really into rappers who rap that way. This might be the best song on the album. There’s really only one other contender, but I’ll get to that later. This track is okay. Track 6 is called LUXURY LIFE, and it features Coi Leray.
I fucking hate this song. It’s basically Busta & Coi Leray’s recreation of Jay-Z’s Ain’t No Nigga. I’ve always disliked that song, and this version is even worse. I don’t know why they did this. There was no way that this version could’ve been better than the original. The one aspect of this song that I think is pretty solid is their flows. The wackest part of this track, much like the original song, is the hook. Busta’s singing is just embarrassing. Lyrically, both of them said pretty much nothing on this track.
Never that, let me rap, fuck the cap
'Cause girls is players too, remember that?
Like yeah, it rhymes and flows well enough, but the actual content of what they’re saying is pretty much meaningless. This song has about as much substance as a Logic freestyle. This is another song that gets worse and worse the more I listen to it. I think it’s terrible. The following track is called BIG EVERYTHING, and it has features from DaBaby and T-Pain.
This one has a very obvious sample of Bun B‘s Get Throwed. I have to say, I’m really tired of rappers sampling that song. It was lame when Drake did it, and it’s even lamer here. Just like with the Ain’t No Nigga sample, there’s no way that this song could’ve been superior to the original. Maybe if I’d never heard Get Throwed before I might like this beat more. The opening verse from DaBaby is kinda rough around the edges, but it’s not trash. I just think he sounds a little awkward when he’s rapping before the beat drops. I’m not a fan of the verse from Busta.
See, you motherfuckers could never do the shit I be doing
The best that you knew and been shaking and moving
And showing and proving, you know that we chewing and business is booming
Don't come around me playing 'cause I ain't never fooling with none of you niggas
I’m also not really into the hook from T-Pain sadly. I don’t like anything about this track. DaBaby’s flow sounds really rough around the edges, and all the lyrics go in one ear and out the other. However, I will admit that this part from DaBaby was kinda funny…
She put my dick and both of my balls in her mouth and I stand there in disbelief with my hand on my head wondering how she got 'em in
It’s just a shame that his flow completely falls apart during that line. This shit is wack to me. The following track is called ROBOSHOTTA, and it features Burna Boy. This is the point where the album completely went to shit for me. It kinda reminds me of that Vybz Kartel collab on his preceding album. The production from Pharrell is fucking horrible, and Busta’s vocals on the first verse sound like shit. There’s not even really a hook on this song; there’s just a quick break between the two verses from Busta & Burna Boy. I don’t know whose verse I hate more. This song is an atrocity. There’s not a single aspect of this song that I don’t hate. I think it’s dogshit, and one of the worst songs of 2023. The following track, TINGS, isn’t much better. The instrumental from Pharrell is really fucking bad. I don’t care for Busta’s flow on this song at all either. I find the uncredited ad-libs from Quavo really annoying too. The more I listen to this song, the shittier the beat seems. I really don’t like anything about this song. I don’t think it’s quite as horrific as the preceding track, but that’s obviously not saying much. This shit is wack as fuck. Things go from bad to worse with the following track THE RETURN OF MANSA MUSA. This one features Swizz Beatz & Blackway, and it might just be the worst song on the whole album. These motherfuckers really sampled “Ma-ma se, ma-ma sa, ma-ma coo-sa.” I was in disbelief listening to this shit. This song probably has the worst beat of 2023. Actually, I don’t know if I can go that far. I get that they were trying to make this sound tribal. It just doesn’t work at all. I don’t know who Blackway is, but I hated their hook. Just like with pretty much every other track, Busta’s lyrics go in one ear and out the other.
The head honcho
Partyin’ like we down in the Congo
Shit that she only hear in the bando
Charter the private to Morocco
We be doin’ this shit a lot though
Shorty back of the private, feedin’ me Roscoe’s
Fill up a nigga like a pot roast
She love my fragrance when it float up in her nostrils
Let’s hit ’em with another combo
Fuck the talk, let’s get back to the money pronto
Sniff on this coke and get a snot nose
This warrior leavin’ shorty actin’ like my truth
There’s nothing redeemable about this song. It might be worse than ROBOSHOTTA. I don’t know. I can’t decide which one I hate more. This song is dogshit though. It’s followed by STAND UP, which features someone named JNR CHOI. This is another horrific song. The production is absolutely horrendous, especially during the second half of the song. This is another track that gets even worse the more I listen to it. The hook is an embarrassment. The rapping is worthless. I’m struggling to find the words to express just how bad I think this song is. It’s dogshit. Track 12 is another major dud called OPEN WIDE featuring Chris Brown & Shenseea. I don’t know if you guys know this, but I personally hate Chris Brown both as a person and as a musician, so I knew I wasn’t gonna like this song. This shit doesn’t appeal to me at all. His hook is easily the wackest part of the song. Busta Rhymes’ verse was actually fine. I think his flow and delivery sounded pretty solid. Lyrically, it did absolutely nothing for me, but I wouldn’t say it was a bad verse at all. The measly Shenseea feature might as well have been omitted because it adds nothing to the song. I don’t think this song is quite as atrocious as the preceding couple, but it’s still wack as fuck. The following song is a solo track entitled HOLD UP. Thankfully this one’s a little more tolerable. It’s still terrible though. I don’t care for the production from Timbaland at all, and the hook is really wack. The verses are pretty lame too.
While you runnin' in a deli, I'm pullin' out a razor and givin' niggas cold cuts
I ain't interested in partially natural asses, I wanna see a whole butt
There’s really not much to discuss with this track. There are just two verses and they both carry the same flow and rhyme scheme. This shit is super wack. Track 14 is called THE HIVE, and I knew I was gonna hate this one because it features Giggs. I was first exposed to Giggs when he was featured on No Long Talk by Drake. His verse on that song is fucking terrible, and I’ve been a hater ever since I heard it. With all that said, I didn’t hate his performance on this track as much as I expected to. I honestly think he sounded better than Busta. His flow wasn’t very impressive, but I think I actually kinda liked his vocals. I can’t tell if they’re good or if they’re so bad that I find them entertaining. I’m gonna be nice and say they’re good though. The wackest thing about this song is the production from Meed Beatz. The beat sucks. I also didn’t care for Busta’s performance at all. This track isn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be, but that’s not saying much. I think this shit is super wack. Fuck, this album is long as hell. Okay, track 15 is called HOMAGE, and it features that guy who plead guilty to rape, Kodak Black. I actually don’t think the beat from Wheezy is that bad. It’s definitely not good, but it’s tolerable. This may not be a surprise to anyone reading this, but I did not care for Kodak Black’s verse. His flow was fine, and the lyrics were about as substantive as anyone would expect. My biggest issue with his verse is just his incoherent vocal delivery. He’s slurring his words a lot, and his accent is so thick that I can barely understand what he’s saying. I mean, I’m sure I’m not missing out on any super interesting lyrics or anything, but it just doesn’t sound good to me. Busta’s verse fucking sucks too. The way he yells “KODAK!” at the end pisses me off. The more I listen to this song, the more I hate it. This shit is terrible. Track 16 is called LEGEND, and it features Morray. This is definitely the best song on the album to me. Morray sounds really good here. I’ve always been a fan of him, so I wasn’t surprised that I enjoyed his performance here. I think his singing on the hook is really good, and he actually killed the first verse. His flow was excellent. The second verse from Busta is pretty solid too. His flow and delivery sound pretty good. I don’t love the instrumental here, but it’s definitely not bad. This isn’t really something that I’m gonna be returning to in the future, but I definitely enjoyed it to some extent. It’s a pretty solid track. The next song is a solo track called SLIDE, and it’s produced by Ted Smooth. This one sucks. I really dislike the instrumental, and the hook is definitely my least favorite part of the song. It’s just really annoying to me. It just gets more and more tedious as the song progresses. The actual verses from Busta are fine I suppose. At the end of the song, a really jazzy piano solo comes out of nowhere and it’s random as fuck. It sounds super awkward over this drum pattern. This is just a really ugly song. I think it’s wack as fuck. The penultimate track is another dud called LEGACY. This one features Busta’s children, Cie & Trillian. Rai is also listed as a feature, but as far as I can tell they didn’t have any vocal contributions that I can hear. Anyway, I really dislike this song. There’s not a single aspect of this track that I like. The shimmery, glossy production is not for me at all, and I really dislike the sung hook. I also didn’t care for the melodic performance from Trillian. Busta’s verse was fine I guess. I don’t know. This song just doesn’t appeal to me at all. However, I will admit that I don’t hate it as much as I did on my first listen. It’s not a poorly crafted song. I just don’t like this sound at all. I think this shit is wack. Same goes for the final song, IF YOU DON’T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW, PT. 2. The dramatic production from Cardiak & Focus… is just really lame to me, and the concept of this track is corny. It’s basically an interview in the form of a song. Big Tigger sounds old as fuck here. His vocal delivery is mad corny to me. That’s really all I have to say about this track. I didn’t like anything about it. At least their flows are decent I guess. I don’t know. It’s not one of the worst songs on the album, but that’s not saying much. I think it’s wack.
This is a really terrible album. The production is probably its greatest downfall honestly. There’s an alarming dearth of tolerable instrumentals on this record. This has gotta be one of the worst produced albums of 2023, which is crazy because it’s executive produced by Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Pharrell. I’m not really the biggest fan of any of them, but even I didn’t expect them to do this bad of a job. The trendy features and commercial production were really a recipe for disaster. I should’ve known that this would be some commercialized trendy Pop bullshit ass music for Tik Tok just based off the title alone. This is like a Michael Bay film in the form of music. Or maybe it’s more like a Tyler Perry movie. This is the second worse album I’ve heard all year. I still don’t think it’s as bad as Back on My BS, but it’s worse than Year of the Dragon to me. This is also the first time I’ve heard a Busta Rhymes album with zero songs that I actually like. When I listened to this album, I thought to myself, “Busta Rhymes has no idea what his fans want from him.” However, I’m sure there are plenty of newer Busta fans who like this sound. I just can’t relate at all. This shit is wack as fuck to me. If you’ve listened to this project, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Most Tolerable Song: LEGEND
Least Favorite Song: ROBOSHOTTA
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Watch the video below for more thoughts on this album.
Focus Hip Hop 
What do you think?