“E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event)” by Busta Rhymes
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of this underrated rap classic.
Hello! 😊👋
Welcome to a new edition of the Daily Music Picks newsletter!
Today’s music pick marks the 25th anniversary of this Busta Rhymes classic, showcasing the mercurial talent that makes him so unique.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Gangsta Rap
Label: Elektra
Release Date: December 15, 1998
Vibe: 😮💨
Fifty years into hip-hop’s continued reshaping of pop culture, few emcees have gone about their business with as much gleeful idiosyncrasy as Busta Rhymes. From his unparalleled flow and speed-rap chops to his mischievous on-camera persona, there’s no one as distinctive or, crucially, willing to take the big swings as he does. Case in point for E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event), his late-90s opus that stares down nothing less than the end of the world with a defiant smirk on his face. Some of the Y2K-era paranoia about machines controlling and annihilating everything in their path may sound either dated or prescient, depending on your tastes. Still, regardless of that subtext, there’s plenty of maniacal sampling and lyrical thrills here to make up the difference. Who else can rhyme “frappuccino mocha” with “gun in my holster” and get away with it? Drake probably wishes he was in that category; it would’ve added more quality moments to his last three records.
Supported by dark, brawny beats, Busta splits the difference between doomsday bangers and left-field wackiness, all to great effect. Late-90s anthems like “Do the Bus a Bus,” “Party Is Goin’ On Over Here,” and “Take It Off” deliver exceptional grooves that would still be right at home in a packed nightclub. The off-kilter sample choices on “What the F*** You Want!!” and especially “Gimme Some More” lend a more intimidating tone to the rapper’s rapid-fire bars. In the latter cut, he lets the listener know that his music is so potent they may OD on its pleasures if they’re not careful. There’s also “This Means War!!,” a heavy metal revamp that gets a lot of undeserved hate, in my opinion. It’s far from the worst Ozzy Osbourne appearance in a rap song, that’s for sure. In recent years, Busta has mostly been relegated to brief cameos in other stars’ songs, primarily because his solo records don’t sell the way they used to. However, that’s far from a fair outcome, considering how many gonzo, half-baked hip-hop albums now see the light of day. It’s time the music community at large puts a bit more respect on Mr. Smith’s name.
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