Busta Rhymes Demands Audience Engagement at Essence Festival 2024

The Rap Icon Calls Out Fans for Sitting During His Energetic Performance

Busta Rhymes, renowned for his high-energy performances, encountered an unexpected challenge at the 2024 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Despite his dynamic stage presence, many fans chose to remain seated during his set, prompting an impassioned response from the Brooklyn rap legend.

In a video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, by user @DaBlogger_504 on Friday (July 5), Busta Rhymes paused his performance to directly address the seated audience members who were preoccupied with filming the show on their cell phones.

“A-yo, f**k them camera phones, too. Let’s get back to interacting like humans. Put them weird-ass devices down,” Busta exclaimed. “I ain’t from that era. Them s**ts don’t control the soul. F**k your phone.”

He continued with a stern warning, “I will put every one of y’all out until y’all a*ses is up.”

Reflecting on his extensive career, Busta emphasized, “Thirty-three years of doing this s***t, I ain’t used to ni**as sitting down at my show, I don’t give a f**k!”

The rap icon expressed his anticipation for an enthusiastic response from the crowd, especially since this was his debut performance at the Essence Festival. Initially met with a seated audience, Busta’s passionate plea eventually motivated the fans to rise and engage, allowing the veteran artist to deliver the energetic show he’s known for.

The full video of Busta Rhymes’ candid interaction with the crowd can be viewed below.