Busta Rhymes, Extinction Level Event 2 | Album Review 💿

Although far too long, it’s great to see Busta Rhymes back in the game with his 10th LP, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.

Rap has been missing one of its more distinct voices and personalities for 11 years.  That, my friends, would be the one and only, 🎙 Busta Rhymes.  Prior to his 2020 comeback, the last time we’d heard from Rhymes was in 2009, when he released 💿 Back on My B.S., and album that didn’t exactly ignite the charts on fire.  Thankfully, after releasing no ‘albums’ in the 2010s, Busta rights the ship with 💿 Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, the sequel to his 1998 album, 💿 Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front.  All in all, there’s lots to like on E.L.E. 2, and even more to listen to (it’s incredibly long). 

“E.L.E.2 (Intro)”

More often than not, album intros don’t have a very long runtime.  🎵 “E.L.E.2 (Intro)” is definitely an exception, running north of seven minutes.  There’s a little bit of everything happening. An opening skit, an intro courtesy of 🎙 Chris Rock being true to self, and of course, the honorable, ever idiosyncratic Busta Rhymes.  Beyond a colorful verse by Busta (there’s a beat switch that changes the vibe), 🎙 Rakim drops the second verse, while Busta drops an outro, with a couple of lines from 🎙 Pete Rock. “E.L.E.2 (Intro)” definitely sets the tone.

From there, it’s onto the short but potent 🎵 “The Purge.” Busta Rhymes drops just one verse, but it’s an aggressive, assertive one.  The instant you hear the beat drop, you know that it’s 🎙 Swizz Beatz is behind the boards (alongside 🎙 Avenue Beatz). “The Purge” is more of a vibe than anything else, still feeling like the rapper is still getting ‘warmed up.’ No worries because Busta comes to ‘kick ass and take names’ on ✅ 🎵 “Strap Yourself Down.”  “Strap Yourself Down” sounds like a vintage hardcore, East Coast rap joint, particularly the best part of the record, the beat switch.  Part one is lit in its own right, but when those aggressive, boom-bap drums accompany Busta, he’s on another level. The beat switch alone would’ve been enough to secure the gem status of “Strap Yourself.”

“Czar” 

Chris Rock introduces Busta Rhymes once again on another aggressive, high energy joint, 🎵 “Czar.” Once more set in a minor key, propelled by angry, intense synth strings (🎙 Rockwilder produces), Busta remains true to self, even after so many years out of the spotlight.  Worth noting, “Czar” is attributed to him and 🎙 M.O.P., who are sampled (🎵 “Ante Up (Robbin Hoodz Theory)”). Standout ✅ 🎵 “Outta My Mind” is also fueled by a sample – much more overtly so if I’m being totally honest. There’s simply no way to escape 🎙 Bell Biv DeVoe, who are also rightfully attributed for their 1990 gem 🎵 “Poison”, from album of the same title.  As he has been from the tip, Busta goes hard AF, punching right with those signature New Jack Swing drums and rhythms.

🎵 “E.L.E.2 The Wrath of God,” the title track arrives relatively early on the album (the sixth track of 26 in the Reloaded edition). Eyebrows should certainly be raised given the appearance by the ever controversial 🎙 Minister Louis Farrakhan, who has made appearances on hip-hop songs in the past. His appearance isn’t far-fetched for Busta Rhymes of course, who is a proud member of the Nation of Islam. Still, Farrakhan certainly isn’t for everybody… A positive takeaway regarding his appearance is the vibe.  Busta follows with a sole verse, followed by a brief outro. Intense would be an accurate way to describe the title track.

“Slow Flow” 

🎵 “Slow Flow” continues to find Busta Rhymes taking inspiration from the past.  🎙 Ol’ Dirty Bastard is resurrected via his 1995 song, 🎵 “Brooklyn Zoo”. Makes sense, considering Busta’s own career was born in the late 90s, with his debut album, 💿 The Coming, arriving in 1996.  The production on “Slow Flow” is pretty sweet, thanks to the creativity of 🎙 Nottz.  Perhaps Busta doesn’t serve up anything groundbreaking, but he definitely continues to flex – bringing us that missing voice from hip hop after all these years.  A bigger moment on E.L.E.2 comes via ✅ 🎵 “Don’t Go,” which signals a more modern sound.  The production is incredibly classy and lush.   Assisted by 🎙 Q-Tip, who provides a stark contrast to the lead artist on the second verse, “Don’t Go” totally feels right the first time you hear it.  Adding to the allure is one of the better choruses of the project (“See how we kill ‘em with the slow flow / And we got the game in a chokehold / And where I’m going, you won’t go…”).

🎵 “Boomp!” marks one of the catchier moments from E.L.E.2, thanks to the titular lyric as well as a memorable chorus. 🎙 DJ Scratch provides a fine backdrop, bridging the past yet feeling right at home in the present. 🎵 “True Indeed” keeps things brief yet manages to deliver two verses sans a chorus. As always, the flow by Busta Bust is tight, with some of those signature Buster-isms that make him one of the best to ever do it. “Quicker than fiber optics, I’m deeper than Michael’s pockets,” he spits on the first verse, continuing, “I’m equally microscopic, germicidal like an Ebola / If I ain’t already told you, you could suck up no my Ricola.”

“Master Fard Muhammad”

✅ 🎵 “Master Fard Muhammad” brings 🎙 Rick Ross into the fold.  Ross actually gets first blood and, in all honesty, this feels like a record that might appear on his album? Why? The smooth, luxurious production (🎙 Terrace Martin & 🎙 Hi-Tek) is right up his alley.  No hook – no problem.  Even if Ross sounds more natural on this type of backdrop, Busta Rhymes is incredibly successful as well. The contrast makes it one of the best moments.

“Bitch, I had to bust a U / Came right back to get that loot / Know I had to finish what I started / No, it ain’t too late to turn around, s it?” Promo single ✅ 🎵 “YUUUU,” featuring 🎙 Anderson .Paak brings out idiosyncratic Busta Rhymes.  That’s always a pro. That said, it’s Paak that has the say first, shining on the quirky but endearing chorus, and dropping the hella confident first verse.  Still, when Busta drops that second verse, he’s ‘on,’ and shows he’s still very much relevant in 2020.  Speaking of sounding relevant, 🎵 “Oh No” finds Busta firmly planted in the modern rap vein.  He’s tough AF over the 🎙 banging, minor key production courtesy of 🎙 Dready. While “Oh No” confirms Busta’s ability to adapt to the modern landscape, I’d actually argue it doesn’t sound particular distinct.  Respectable mind you, but not earth shattering.

“The Don & The Boss” 

🎵 “The Don & The Boss” brings a dash of Jamaican flavor into the mix.  That’s to be expected with a 🎙 Vybz Kartel feature.  While we get the expected patois and musical cues, give 🎙 Schife credit for incorporating those Jamaican vibes while remaining idiomatic of rap. Lyrically, it’s certainly not the deepest record you’ll ever – understatement.  ✅ 🎵 “Best I Can” featuring 🎙 Rapsody is certainly deeper and more intriguing from a lyrical standpoint. Rapsody reciprocates Rhymes’ appearance on her Grammy-nominated album, 💿 Laila’s Wisdom.  Worth noting, it’s set up by a skit that’s featured at the end of “The Don & The Boss.” Rapsody plays Busta’s ex and the mother of his child, while Busta is the father.  Besides the great concept, “Best I Can” stitched up by old-school hip-hop production by 🎙 9^th Wonder, fueled by sample.  

From there, E.L.E.2 welcomes 🎙 Mariah Carey as the featured guest on 🎵 “Where I Belong.” The artists have collaborated in the past, so it’s not surprising that Mimi ends up as one many featured guests.  The results are pleasant and highly effective, even if you don’t necessarily leave considering this record to be among the crème de la crème. 🎵 “Deep Thought,” as the title suggests, is deeper, and packs more of a punch. It lacks the catchy, playful chorus of the song that precedes it, but the rhymes and the overall flow is step up.  Interestingly, 🎙 The Jackson 5 classic, 🎵 “I’ll Be There”, first appears at the end of the reflective, thought-provoking number, carrying over into the brief 🎵 “The Young God Speaks.” “The Young God Speaks” sets up one of the truly elite cuts from the album…

“Look Over Your Shoulder”

“Just look over your shoulder, honey” is one of the most beloved and famous lines that a young 🎙 Michael Jackson sung on “I’ll Be There.” It serves as the foundation for the badass ✅ 🎵 “Look Over Your Shoulder” featuring 🎙 Kendrick Lamar. If E.L.E.2 was truly beginning to feel too long, “Look Over Your Shoulder” brings back some of the oomph.  Kendrick Lamar, who has been out of the spotlight for a couple of years now himself, brings the heat and sets the tone – well – after MJ of course! Basically, it’s straight up bars of sheer excellence.  After the sampled Jackson chorus, Busta Rhymes gets into the act, bringing his own fire.  A prime example of Busta Bust at his best?

“I was sleep, now the god’s up, hmm
Upholding the fundamentals, while most of you boast a rental
Focus on what's most essential, spit bars to provoke your mental
Do I have your entendimiento?
While I clap these raps like thunders
Look over your shoulder, boy, and wonder (Woo).”

“Woo” indeed! Adding to a newfound upswing is another perfectly matched number, ✅ 🎵 “You Will Never Find Another Me.” Here, Busta Rhymes collaborates with 🎙 Mary J. Blige, which always seems to yield a gem.  Focusing on Blige, she sounds particularly gritty and spirited here, truly amplifying the main attraction. 🎙 Nikki Grier sounds quite powerful in her own right on the penultimate cut, 🎵 “Freedom?” Notably, Busta goes socially conscious, even alluding to  Keedron Bryant while preaching about the state of things (“Fuck is we doin’? Where we goin’ wrong / That a twelve-year-old gotta sing this type of shit up in his songs”). 🎵 “Satanic” successfully caps off the standard version of E.L.E.2. One of my favorite parts of the song is the outro by Chris Rock, where he asserts (in comedic fashion), “You niggas can’t fuck with the god, Busta Rhymes / Oh, Extinction Level Even 2, bitch!”

Reloaded 

The standard edition of Extinction Level Event 2 was already a long album – nearly 80 minutes. Well, Reloaded, issued less than a week later, expands the 22-track effort to 26 tracks, running over an hour and a half.  Yes, Busta Rhymes had been M.I.A. for 11 years, but Extinction Level Event 2 (Reloaded) is a lot to digest.  Still, if the standard edition didn’t provide enough Busta Bus, perhaps Reloaded will tickle your fancy. Of the four bonus cuts, the most notable is track 26, ✅🎵 “Calm Down” featuring 🎙 Eminem, for obvious reasons – Busta Rhymes and Eminem – HYRF! The three preceding tracks, 🎵 “Blowing the Speakers,” 🎵 “Who Are You,” and 🎵 “Hope Your Dreams Come True” reflect the rap of the times, but don’t ultimately move the needle.

Final Thoughts 💭 

So, what is the big takeaway from Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God? If you’re a hip-hop enthusiast, you should be thrilled that Busta Rhymes is back, period. On E.L.E.2., he shows the world that he still has plenty to offer.  It’s not a perfect comeback mind you, and it’s definitely WAY TOO LONG, but, there are more than enough standout moments. Pick and choose what your favorite flavor is here, essentially.

✅ Gems 💎: “Strap Yourself Down,” “Outta My Mind,” “Don’t Go,” “Master Fard Muhammad,” “YUUUU,” “Best I Can,” “Look Over Your Shoulder,” “You Will Never Find Another Me” & “Calm Down” (Reloaded only)

🎙 Busta Rhymes • 💿 Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (Reloaded) • 🏷 The Conglomerate Entertainment, Inc. / EMPIRE • 🗓 11.2.20

[📷: The Conglomerate Entertainment, Inc. / EMPIRE]