Legendary American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor Busta Rhymes came to KCRW last week to talk to Novena Carmel about his recent album, Dillagence II, featuring the beats from the late great J Dilla.
While he was here, we brought him into the KCRW CD Library to tell us about some of his Must Listen albums. Busta Rhymes chose A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory for KCRW’s “Must Listen,” returning to the classic album that he was featured on that helped boost his career. He also recalled being at Battery Studios as the album took shape, while they still lived with their parents.
The connection went beyond fandom. Busta appeared with Leaders of the New School on “Scenario,” the closing track on the 1991 album. The appearance helped introduce him to a wider audience before his solo career. The Low End Theory also marked a shift for Tribe after its 1990 debut. The 14-track album gave Phife Dawg a larger role alongside Q-Tip and brought jazz bassist Ron Carter onto “Verses From The Abstract.”
Songs such as “Rap Promoter” and “Show Business” addressed the problems young artists faced in the industry. The episode announcement said he also pulled James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone from the shelves, pointing to their place in Hip-Hop’s musical roots and the drums that producers sampled.
His browsing also reached reggae and dancehall acts Shabba Ranks, Super Cat and The Skatalites, along with Fela Kuti. The station visit grew out of his current work with another key figure in that musical history. Busta had come in the week before to speak with host Novena Carmel about Dillagence II, his project built around the late J Dilla’s beats.