“Dancehall Made Me Who I Am”: Busta Rhymes Reflects on the Genre’s Influence
The 12-time Grammy-nominated American rapper tells DJ Firestarr that Dancehall has shaped his sound and influenced music across genres, including hip-hop. “Dancehall has Changed the Sound of All Music,” he added.
Busta Rhymes, “Dancehall made me who I am”
12-time Grammy-nominated rapper Busta Rhymes has long drawn inspiration from Jamaican music and culture. He has credited the Dancehall scene of the 1980s and 1990s as an influence on his fast-paced flow, energetic performances and bold fashion.
Busta reflected on that influence during a recent conversation with DJ Firestarr for the global series Influential Records, while promoting his new album, Dillagence 2.
“Dancehall has changed the sound of all music. It includes me. Dancehall made me who I am,” he said.
He also spoke about Dancehall’s connection to hip-hop: “Hip-hop is the most powerful genre to impact culture across the world. It’s the most prevalent, but the one component that is consistently synonymous with hip-hop is Dancehall, and there’s no f***ing way anyone can deny it.”
Throughout his career, Busta has collaborated with Jamaican artistes including Sean Paul, Elephant Man and Junior Reid. He also appeared at Vybz Kartel’s historic post-prison Freedom Street concert in Kingston and made a cameo during the Worl’ Boss’s Barclays Center show.
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