Busta Rhymes is an extremely accomplished artist. He pretty much honed and dominated the image of a hyper rapper within the mainstream through his singles like "Woo Hah" and "Dangerous" amongst many others. Having schmoozed and collaborated with some of the biggest names around, Busta jumped ship from J Records and joined the Aftermath roster. With Dr. Dre and a lengthy list of guests, "The Big Bang" is actually not as bad as I was expecting.
"The Big Bang" kicks off with the Dre produced "Get You Some" which features Q-Tip. The vibe immediately grips you. The late Rick James collaborates with Busta on "In The Ghetto," adding vocals for the hook and the outro - the track works excellently and reminds us that Busta can actually switch up his production and still be effective. "Been Through The Storm" with Stevie Wonder is another gem, which shockingly sees both of these artists together. It's arguably one of the album's best songs as the Busta/Stevie chemistry is evident.
The album is flooded with guests, which by and large help the material. The Missy assisted "How We Do It Over Here" is bound for club exposed success, and surprisingly grows on you. Raekwon and Busta collaborate on "Goldmine" perfectly over the Erick Sermon beat and as for Bus and Nas on "Don't Get Carried Away," even with a so so Nas verse is an enjoyable ride.
"I Love My Bitch" would have been best left off the album, the Kelis assisted song is odd to put it lightly. "I'll Do It All" with LaToya Williams is nothing special; it seems like the tame opposite of "I Love My Bitch." The signature feeling Mr. Porter track "They're Out To Get Me" is another example of something Busta should veer away from.
Most surprisingly, the most thought provoking track finishes the album. The Dre produced "Legend Of The Fall Offs," which features a shovel trudging through gravel/ground digging a grave as the basis for it's beat, features Busta's storytelling side. Supposedly, the beat was originally intended for Rakim's album, however, Busta manages to do the song justice.
"The Big Bang" proves when Busta Rhymes isn't yet done - and I think he's finally gotten over his apocalypse fears.
