We all know the story. Busta Rhymes (born Trevor Smith) is shooting a video for his Touch It Remix. There’s talk of arguments between Swizz Beatz and Tony Yayo due to recent mounting tensions between Ruff Ryders and G-Unit. Then it happens. Busta’s bodyguard Israel Ramirez is dead with a bullet to the chest, and suddenly hip hop’s most animated emcee is in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

This happened over a year ago, and no definitive answers have been found. One thing is definite however – trouble has not stopped following Busta Rhymes. With a growing rap sheet that is coming close to rivaling DMX’s, Busta’s well-documented troubles have continued from last year into this one. Let’s take a look at this year’s unfortunate string of events that are now becoming the source of Busta’s reputation, rather than his once-energetic, fun-loving nature:

January 2^nd, 2007 – Two days into the year, the Flipmode General is hit with an assault charge. The rapper is suspected of striking one of his drivers, Eddie Hatchett. The complaint states that Rhymes became violent after Hatchett requested payment on a debt. “I’m just an average Joe trying to support my familiy,” says Hatchett to the New York Post.

January 4^th, 2007 – Busta turns himself into the police after returning from a trip to Angola. Rhymes posted bail the next day at $3,500. 

January 5^th, 2007 – Busta is ordered to pay $100,000 for an unrelated assault incident in 2005 in which the rapper assaulted Melvin Smith, a fan, outside of a New York sandwich shop. According to Smith’s lawyer, the assault created an "opening a cut on his eye that required four stitches." (As told reported by the New York Post).

February 20^th, 2007 – A Manhattan judge offers Busta a plea deal, requiring the rapper to plead guilty to two assault charges – as well as five days of community service, two weeks of youth lectures, and six months of anger management – in exchange for no jail time. The assault charges are the rapper’s former driver, Eddie Hatchet’s, and a fan that was assaulted for spitting on his car last August. 

February 23^rd, 2007 – Busta takes a page from DMX’s book and is arrested for driving with a suspended license, after being pulled over because he ran a red light.

March 26^th, 2007 – The Manhattan judge rescinds her offer for a plea deal due to Busta’s driving with a suspended license. The rapper turns down another offer which would give him one year in jail for each count of assault, and a $500 fine.

May 3^rd, 2007 – Busta is arrested for drunk driving in New York, and is released hours later on $7,500 bail.

So where does the rapper stand now? 

Today (May 8^th) is the day on which Busta came to court for the assault charges. According to TMZ.com, the rapper rejected the prosecution’s deal which would’ve sent him to jail for a year; not only for the assaults, but the drunk driving as well.

As it stands, the emcee who gave the phrase “Woo Hah!!” meaning faces serious jail time. What’s to blame? Is it hip hop’s obsession with a “gangsta” image? Is it Aftermath’s doing? Regardless, one thing is certain – Busta is in a world of trouble.

Busta is due back in court on July 10^th.