Busta Rhymes Review: Legendary Rapper Seethes Through Three Decades of Hip-Hop & Pop

Crystal Palace Bowl, Crystal Palace

“This is a workout...”

As part of South Facing Festival's bespoke day to hip-hop, the legendary rapper recites and regurgitates everything in his lengthy tenure, with a warily onlooking audience caught between admiration and despair.

Busta Rhymes is not someone who does things by halves. The New York MC and self-anointed “Dragon” has built a 30-plus-year legacy on speed, precision, and sheer presence within the hip-hop and pop realms. Since his chart-topping 1996 debut, he’s been a relentless force: 11 Grammy nominations, a catalogue of party-starting hits, and a reputation for squeezing every last drop of energy from his audiences at live shows.

“This is a workout,” he barks early on — a promise and a warning, as hundreds of hands remain raised skyward for what feels like an eternity; even the security staff aren’t spared. The opener, M.O.P.’s 'Ante Up', is a bombastic arrival, before 'Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See' slides in with its unmistakable bassline and Busta's impossibly smooth, controlled delivery. 'Turn It Up / Fire It Up' follows, all swagger and bounce, before the reggae-fused 'Make It Clap' has the crowd fervently jousting in the summer heat.

The set swings through early-2000s nostalgia with Lumidee’s 'Never Leave You' as well as 'Touch It'; the latter’s booming 808s perfectly tailored to Busta's braggadocio on-stage, even if it teeters into fatigued over-reliance in certain moments. Mid-00s party staples 'Don’t Cha' and 'I Know What You Want' arrive in quick succession, the audience abundantly taking over Mariah Carey’s hook. A video message from Carey herself plays — abruptly cut short by a playback glitch which visibly seethes the adorned rapper, marking a briefly awkward moment for those onlookers.

There’s a glorious run of old-school chaos in 'Woo Hah!!' and 'Scenario', the latter a nod to his early days with alt-hip-hop legends, A Tribe Called Quest. But the momentum sags with 'Look at Me Now' and 'All I Do Is Win', before the baffling inclusion of 'We Are the Champions' prompts a collective eyebrow raise and audible sighs. A triplet of insatiable hits momentarily salvage the set's inbounding conclusion ('Break Ya Neck','Gimme Some More' and 'Dangerous'), though the closing 'Outta My Mind' limps over the finish line; detracted by onstage negotiations with the festival for extra time, only to conclude with a handful of backing tracks soundtracked to a steadily departing audience.

Tonight's performance deems a mixed bag. The highs are towering: Busta Rhymes' breath control, lyrical precision, and command of the stage remain staggering, and his ability to bridge three decades of hip-hop is unmatched. But the lows: awkward cover choices, AV malfunctions, and moments where performance slips into posturing — leave a sour aftertaste. There’s no doubt about the legend; the question is whether the legend always serves the moment.

6/10

Further tickets and info on next year's South Facing Festival can be found here.

Photo is courtesy of James Boughton whose work can be found here.