Break Ya Neck with Busta Rhymes: Unauthorized

Contrary to the box PR flak, Unauthorized is not an "energy filled roller coaster ride," but rather an amateurish, limited production that barely scratches the surface of the life and work of talented hip-hop entrepreneur Busta Rhymes, a.k.a. Trevor Smith, Jr. Brooklyn-born Rhymes, who began his music career with the rap group Leaders of the New School, rose to fame following his debut solo album, The Coming, which featured the rap anthem "Woo Hah! (Got You All in Check)." Touching on the platinum successes of Rhymes' albums, his movie and television roles (including Higher Learning, Finding Forrester and The Steve Harvey Show), various personal disputes (from "baby's mama drama" to probation), swapping of record labels (Elektra to J Records), outrageous style, and overall influential contribution to the hip-hop community, Unauthorized ultimately suffers from being both repetitive (frequently favoring a cover of The Source) and less than insightful, relying as it does on the opinions of a few (generally unknown and seemingly inexpert) informants and fans. While Busta Rhymes is a true hip-hop innovator whose work should be recognized, this "unauthorized" biography doesn't do him justice in any sense of the word. Not recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams)