The harsh reality of music streaming: Busta Rhymes

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Brian Sozzi (0:30)

Is that one of the keys to the success? You just stop giving a f***.

Busta Rhymes (0:32)

Yeah, I think that's actually the key to the fun. There is a common thread amongst everything that exists in the universe. If we paid a little more attention to that, we wouldn't be so caught up in the division.

Brian Sozzi (0:43)

How is the business of making music changed?

Busta Rhymes (0:46)

We're all facing a very similar frustration with s***.

Brian Sozzi (0:51)

Would you ever sell your IP?

Busta Rhymes (0:52)

I wouldn't say never.

Brian Sozzi (0:57)

Welcome to a new episode of Power Players. Really excited for my next guest. It's someone I admire. Someone whose music that I have grown up listening to.

He's out with a new album and he has stopped by Yahoo Finance HQ to chat with me and that's Busta Rhymes. It's good to see you.

Busta Rhymes (1:11)

Good to see you.

Brian Sozzi (1:12)

I got to tell you, when I was listening to you in 1999 in my school parking lot, I never thought I'd be here interviewing you.

Busta Rhymes (1:17)

So I'm serious.

Brian Sozzi (1:18)

I'm just telling my friend that. It's amazing to see you.

Busta Rhymes (1:21)

Wow. Wow.

Thanks for growing with me, though. You know what I'm saying?

Brian Sozzi (1:26)

How do you explain your longevity?

Busta Rhymes (1:29)

I love what I do. And that's it.

I don't know how else to explain it. I mean, obviously, there's been a lot of other contributing factors. Having an amazing support system and team of people that has come in and out of my life throughout the journey. Fortunate enough to have some of the most amazing people that consume my work consistently and enjoy consuming my work. I'm super appreciative and grateful for how I've been blessed in that way. And again, it's really as simple as just loving it very much. Like I just really love being able to do what I do and have been gifted with this gift to do what I do and being able to know that I can share something that impacts people's lives in such an amazing way.

Brian Sozzi (2:15)

And you're out with a new album, what is it, Diligence 2? At the time of this taping, it just came out today. How are you, what inspired you to create this?

Busta Rhymes (2:23)

Anything Dilla is inspiring. Anything, probably my favorite producer hands down. But the direct source to inspire the making of this album, I would have to say, is Ma Dukes, his mother. We had a conversation in November to talk about figuring out how we could celebrate his legacy and his life and his music for this 20-year anniversary of his transition, which is this year.

And I'm actually celebrating five album anniversaries this year, in which he's been a part of three of the five. So it's two 35-year anniversaries with my first album with Leaders of the New School and the second Tribe Called Quest album, Low End Theory.

My first solo album, The Coming, my album, The Genesis. The Coming turns 30 years old, the Genesis album turns 25 years old, and the Big Bang album turns 20 years old. And all of this has happened in this year while we're celebrating the transition, the 20th anniversary of Jay Dilla's transition. And interestingly enough, the Grammys are going to be airing next year on Jay Dilla's birthday, so.

Brian Sozzi (3:42)

About time you win one.

Busta Rhymes (3:44)

Yeah.

Brian Sozzi (3:46)

You've been an amazing force in music for, I have to tell you, there's decades.

Busta Rhymes (3:49)

Thank you, man. I definitely look forward to it. I'm claiming it. I'm claiming every amazing accolade that could possibly come with this body of work. Because what I love so much about the album is like, there's a restoring of a feeling that's happening with this album.

That has been missed by many of those that have experienced that feeling. And it's introducing that feeling to those who wasn't around when the music felt like this.