Busta Rhymes didn’t hold back when addressing fans using their phones during his performance at the Essence Festival on Friday. The legendary rapper, who graced the opening night at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, had a blunt message for the audience.
“Ayo, fuck them camera phones, too,” Busta Rhymes declared, urging the crowd to “get back to interacting like humans.” He continued, “Put them weird ass devices down. I ain’t from that era. Them shits don’t control the soul. Fuck your phone.”
At 52 years old, Rhymes remains passionate about his performances, encouraging the crowd to stay engaged and attentive. “I will point every last one of y’all out until y’all asses is up,” he emphasized, adding that he’s “not used” to people sitting down at his shows. Expressing his “zero tolerance for bullshit energy,” Rhymes made it clear that he wanted the audience to make him “feel like we home,” especially since it was his first time performing at the Essence Festival.
The following day, Rhymes took to Instagram to clarify that his remarks were not out of frustration but rather “SHOWMANSHIP.” He described it as “TRULY AN HONOR” to perform at the festival’s 30th anniversary, thanking the New Orleans crowd for their “INCREDIBLE ENERGY.”
In a recent interview on “The View,” Rhymes reminisced about his upbringing and how Essence magazine influenced him. He shared fond memories of reading the magazine in barbershops, seeing “all of the heroes,” and being inspired by the “beautiful, natural beauty of our beautiful Black women and queens and kings.” He recounted, “I would see these record executives and I would see these artists and I would see athletes and I just was like ‘Yo, I’m gonna be one of these dudes. I’mma be like one of these greats.’ And it kinda started there.”
Currently, Rhymes is a supporting act on Missy Elliott’s “Out of This World” tour, marking the “Work It” rapper’s first-ever headlining tour.
The powerful message from Busta Rhymes at the Essence Festival resonates with the importance of real, human connections in an increasingly digital world. His performance and words left a significant impact on the audience, reminding everyone of the essence of live music and genuine interaction.
