Busta Rhymes Goes off on Concert Goers for Using Their Phones

ESSENCE Festival concertgoers got a surprise verbal lashing from rapper Busta Rhymes during the 2024 festivities. Social media users shared footage of the “Touch It” rapper cursing out the audience midway through his performance, sparking a debate about cellphone usage at musical events across the net. The 52-year-old emcee could be seen confronting attendees using their phones and sitting down instead of engaging with the performance, according to his liking.

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

Thighs escalated when he called out individuals on their phones, asking them to stand.”I will point every last one of y’all out until y’all asses is up,” he shouted. “I don’t give a f–k. All age groups get yo’ a– up now! Everybody up top, too, get y’all big head a–es up!” he demanded, adding that he has a “zero tolerance” policy for that kind of behavior. “Make me feel like we home!”

Busta isn’t the first to take issue with audience members recording during the show. Some have enacted strict no-cell phone policies. At Kevin Hart comedy specials, audience members who pull out their phones have been asked to leave.

Miranda Lambert stopped a Las Vegas show last year when audience members were spotted taking selfies during the show. “I’m going to stop right here for a second,” Lambert said, as captured on a fan video, per Entertainment Weekly. “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song. It’s pissing me off a little bit. I don’t like it. At all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country damn music.” She started the song from the top after audience members cheered her on.