Busta Rhymes concert a rare Bozeman experience

It’s rare that this space is dedicated to an artist that has already made an appearance in Bozeman, but as of press time last week, even Busta Rhymes did not know that he was headed to Montana.

“I had plans,” he told his Bozeman audience on Friday, July 18, repeating himself. “I had plans.”

Busta Rhymes was a last minute addition to the Big Sky Country State Fair’s 2025 concert lineup, brought in after the scheduled performance was cancelled due to “unfortunate circumstances” that have not been revealed.

I had blocked out that Friday in my schedule, not because of any particular love for Ja Rule, but because there is something magical about the appearance of these hip-hop artists in Montana. The booking always feels nostalgic, and opening acts tend toward DJs spinning hip hop classics like “Rapper’s Delight” or “Jump Around” to hype the crowd. Artists that have filled this slot at the fair recently include big names like Nelly, Flo Rida, T.I. and Ludacris. An article in the Chronicle last summer stated the Big Sky Country State Fair had shelled out $1.3 million for musical acts since 2016.

“What meant the most to me, honestly, was my curiosity to see what this #*%$* Bozeman, Montana energy was like,” Busta said when talking about his choice to fill in with two days’ notice.

What he was greeted with was a predominantly Caucasian crowd of a few hundred — nowhere near capacity in the fairgrounds’ dusty rodeo arena. Contrast that with some of his more recent gigs. At the end of June, Busta Rhymes made his debut at Glastonbury Festival in England. Festival attendance: 200,000. From there, he performed for the ESPY Awards before consenting to the Bozeman show. Where some may have looked at the small crowd and scoffed, Busta is not that human.

“The goal for me was to leave, to go back to my s*** that I had to do, feeling like I really had family here,” Busta said.

What was certainly scheduled as an hour appearance went well past two. Busta Rhymes went through snippets of hits, many where he contributed a verse to a larger track like the Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha.” Fans were treated to an overview of Busta’s now 35-year music career, with tracks spun by longtime DJ Scratch and backed by hype man Spliff Star. In the middle of songs, Busta shared other messages with the crowd. Giving life advice like an off-duty preacher that just can’t seem to help himself.

“We are so blessed already,” he said. “You can never pay that debt back to god.”

What we can do, he said, is follow our own conscience and do your best to live up to your own ideals.”

Busta Rhymes was born Trevor Smith Jr. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, in 1972.

His Jamaican heritage is “a definite influence on his rapping style,” according to his bio, which goes on to call him “one of the most idiosyncratic personalities of rap’s golden era with his halting, ragga-inspired style and lyrics defined by incredible complexity, inventiveness and humor.”

By the time Busta was 17, he had signed a deal with Electra Records as part of foursome Leaders of the New School with MCs Charlie Brown, Dinco D., and Cut Monitor Milo. The group released albums “Future Without a Past” and “T.I.M.E.” In the early ’90s before disbanding. Before releasing his solo debut, Busta appeared on tracks like A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario” and the remix of Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear.”

The list of collaborations is extensive, varied and continues to grow with no end in sight. Here’s an idea of some of the names: Boys II Men, Mary J. Bilge, TLC, Lil Wayne, Diplo, Twista, Fat Joe, Tiësto, Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, Eminem, Everlast, MF Doom, Chance the Rapper, Missy Elliott, DaBaby and Burna Boy. He even made an appearance on the “Hamilton” mixtape. And he has well over 12 million listeners a month on Spotify.

Beyond simply being a big name act and legend in the hip-hop community, this show felt special. Busta went through his set, showcased the hits and then decided he liked the crowd and the energy.

“Can you please leave the lights on so I can see my family?” Busta asked the crew before launching into another monologue.

Instead of leaving the stage, he preached about love and togetherness and, yes, family. He talked about his cohorts on stage and how they have shaped his life and music, toasting them with champagne before soaking the crowd. He curated a dance party, leaning into nostalgic hip-hop before changing directions and deciding to let the crowd listen to some unreleased tracks — most featuring Latin-inspired hooks and beats. He’s still got it, and he let the crowd into his world in the most beautiful way.

Busta Rhymes was living his best life on that stage, going so far as to declare Bozeman the “most awesome” town after a fan tried to hand him weed and he decided he would only accept if the security guard passed it to him. He did.

No, the show wasn’t all an exploration of Busta Rhymes’ music. He stopped rapping about halfway through. Instead, it was an experience. It did feel like family, like that fun uncle whose entertaining stories never get old.

“I can’t even peel myself off this stage,” he declared at one point, laughing then flashing his ultimately contagious smile to the audience.

We stayed because he did.