Busta Rhymes performed at Legend Fest at Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival on Tuesday. He then closed the night at Club Reserv with an after-party that included a private listening session for his forthcoming album.
The rapper confirmed both on Instagram. His caption opened with “THE BLESSINGS DON’T STOP SO WE DON’T STOP!!! NEVERRR!!!” He thanked organizers John Monopoly and Team Hustle and credited Joey Harris for helping put the night together. Add2TheMC also got a shoutout for moderating the listening session and Q&A.
An official album announcement is on the way. Busta’s post ended with “OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT SOON REACH!!!” – a clear signal the reveal is close but hasn’t arrived yet.
No album title, release date, or label is confirmed. The Club Reserv session appears to be among the first known previews of the project.
A new studio album would mark Busta’s first since “ELE2: The Wrath of God” in 2020. That project – short for Extinction Level Event 2 – was a sequel to his 1998 album and brought in a lengthy roster of featured artists.
The Club Reserv session ran with a moderated Q&A hosted by Add2TheMC. The format gave attendees a structured look at the new music rather than a typical unplanned playback.
John Monopoly organized the night through Team Hustle alongside Joey Harris. Monopoly is a well-known Chicago-based industry figure who built a close working relationship with Kanye West early in West’s career.
Busta Rhymes, born Trevor Tahiem Smith Jr. in Brooklyn in 1972, has been one of hip-hop’s most durable acts for more than three decades. He came up with Leaders of the New School in the early 1990s. His 1996 solo debut “The Coming” produced “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check” and quickly made him a mainstream name.
He later founded Flipmode Squad. The collective helped introduce artists including Spliff Star and Rah Digga. His solo catalog spans more than a dozen studio albums. He’s earned multiple Grammy nominations and worked with some of the biggest producers in the genre. His fast-paced delivery and high-energy performances have kept him a live draw throughout his career.
Grant Park Music Festival is one of Chicago’s major outdoor concert series. The Legend Fest slot put Busta in front of a large lakefront crowd. The night then moved to Club Reserv for the listening session.
Busta has confirmed an announcement is coming soon. Album title, label, and release date are all still unconfirmed. Chicago got the preview first.
