It’s amazing that even a veteran with an expansive sense of longevity as Busta Rhymes is not immune to the insufferable album pushback. Originally titled When Hell Freezes Over, his ninth disc has seen many pushbacks (originally scheduled for release in December 2007) as well as numerous title changes (Blessed, Back On My Bullshit, as well as B.O.M.B. before finally settling on Back On My B.S.). After receiving a release from Interscope/Aftermath due to creative control over his album, Busta Rhymes signed with Universal Motown and prepared to unleash his “b.s.” on the world…
The DJ Scratch-produced “Wheel of Fortune” opens with a symphony’s conduction of “back on my bullshit” before proceeding into an old school backdrop that acts as a masterful “soundcheck” to open Rhymes’ latest opus. Recent Def Jam signee Jadakiss and Cash Money’s own Lil’ Wayne stop by to assist Busta Rhymes on the LP, trading bars with the crafty legend and forcing emcees to “respect their conglomerate”.
Memories of his 1999 Janet Jackson-assisted hit “What’s It Gonna Be?” arise on the syrupy “Sugar” as Jelly Roll contributes an excellent guest spot as well as a slow clapping backdrop from behind the boards as Busta seduces the opposite sex with lyrics like “I wanna taste your body / I wanna taste your face / I wanna taste your breasts, taste below your waist (*slurps*)” that is sure to lead to some moist passenger seats. Pianos keys grace the heartfelt “Decision” as Trevor Smith reflects on past memories, accompanied by an all-star cast consisting of multi-talented superstar Jamie Foxx and R&B legend Mary J. Blige as well as relative newcomer John Legend and Chi-Town’s own Common, who provides one of his trademark guest spots as all perfectly compliment Busta.
After being so highly anticipated and suffering numerous pushbacks, it is not a wonder that Back On My B.S. sinks with a thud. There are a few gems littered throughout, but the album fails to establish any type of consistency. The album itself features a vast amount of guest appearances (never a great sign) as well as some horrible cuts including the (now) mandatory cliche T-Pain cut with “Hustler’s Anthem ’09” and the massive posse cut “We Want In”. Also noticeably missing are Busta’s vintage club hits (“Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ‘Em)”) as well as other previously leaked bangers (the Ludacris and Lil’ Wayne-assisted “Throw It Up”, the DJ Khaled and T-Pain-featured “Blown”, “I Got Bass”). It turns out that after the release of his highly underrated seventh LP, The Big Bang, there was only one thing that “the godfather of the club banger” could provide with an album titled Back On My B.S.: complete and utter bullshit.
2 mics (out of 5)
