Busta Rhymes, the revered rapper and actor, has embarked on a remarkable weight loss journey, shedding over 60 pounds in recent months and over 100 pounds in recent years. His transformation is not just physical; it's a testament to his commitment to health and self-preservation. This article explores the factors that motivated Busta Rhymes, born Trevor George Smith Jr., to prioritize his well-being, the steps he took to achieve his goals, and the impact this transformation has had on his life and career.
Turning Points: Health Scares and Personal Reflections
Several events served as wake-up calls for Busta Rhymes, prompting him to address his health. In a 2023 interview with Men's Health, Busta Rhymes recalled a "mindfuck" of a moment when he suffered what felt like an asthma attack while having sex with his then-wife.
"I was having a really difficult time breathing, so I got up and I walked out of the bedroom so she wouldn’t panic seeing me trying to keep myself calm," he said. "I was trying to inhale, and it felt like it wasn't working. I felt like I was having an asthma attack-but I don't have asthma," Busta continued. "So I walked out of the bedroom and went into the living room, and I was forcing myself to inhale, to relax."
His then-wife ultimately confronted him about his weight, confessing that Busta, physically, was no longer the person she had fallen in love with. "She was like, 'Yo, this is not who I fell in love with,'" he recalled. "She didn’t know what had happened outside, but she was looking at my body and the weight. She was like, 'You gotta lose this weight. This breathing is scaring me. When I met you, you wasn’t like a musclehead, but you, you was slim, you was cut, you had your sh*t right."
He also shared that passing out for 40 minutes after a night out and his son making fun of his weight were other wake-up calls about his health.
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In early 2019, one of his sons, then acting as his road manager, noticed his father struggling to breathe, due to his sleep apnea. It took his son and his security team 20 minutes to wake him up and get him into the house.
These incidents highlighted the severity of his health issues and motivated him to take action.
Adding to his health concerns, Busta had been experiencing consistent voice loss for three years. A visit to a throat doctor revealed polyps in his throat, restricting 90 percent of his breathing. The doctor warned him that he could die if he caught a cold or slept wrong, urging him to undergo surgery immediately. "That’s when I knew shit was serious," he said. "The doctor told me that if I caught a cold or slept wrong that I could die. . . . It felt like this was on me now, and I had to steer things in a different direction. I was too young to be on all of these blood-pressure medications and acid-reflux medications.”
The rapper weighed about 340 pounds at his heaviest in 2019.
Addressing Grief and Prioritizing Self-Care
Busta Rhymes' weight gain was also linked to grief and neglecting his self-care. After the 2014 death of his father, the “Touch It” rapper said he “drowned” himself in work and “kept drinking, smoking, eating bad” to deal with his grief. He locked in on his “strict obligations” to take care of his family (he has six children) and neglected his self-care. His diet slipped; his workout routines ceased.
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The death of his friend and longtime manager Chris Lighty in 2012 further compounded his emotional distress. "Those were the two most important male figures in my entire life," he said. "Early on, Chris Lighty was telling me that this was the best album that I ever made. He never came to my studio sessions in 22 years. And during the making of this album, he started to come. I was waiting for him to tell me that I was making something special, and then he tells me, but he dies before I could put the album out? And then my father dies before I could put the album out? I felt cheated. The two people I wanted to see me win were no longer here to see it.”
Recognizing the need to prioritize his well-being, Busta Rhymes embarked on a journey of transformation, focusing on both his physical and mental health.
The Transformation Process: Diet, Exercise, and Expert Guidance
Busta Rhymes' weight loss journey involved significant changes to his diet and exercise routine. According to TMZ Hip Hop, Busta has shed 64 pounds since last fall by going hard at the gym and hiring a personal chef who cooks for him while on tour.
After Busta’s surgery, the Internet fate machine cranked into action. On the way to the airport, he got an Instagram notification. Professional bodybuilder Dexter Jackson had tagged him in a video-Jackson was riding around his home base of Jacksonville, Florida, playing “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.” Busta took it as a sign. “I hit him in the DM, I told him I needed his help, and I gave him my number, and he hit me back right away.”
A plan was born. Busta told Jackson he needed to get in shape, that he was impatient, wanted to see results, and was willing to do anything. Jackson countered with a demand: Busta would have to move to Jacksonville for 30 days and commit to Jackson’s training program. Less than a month later, Busta rented a home for himself, his chef, and his security guys. He and Jackson got straight to work, training three times a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and two times a day on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
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Busta’s diet shifted dramatically-he ate every two and a half hours, meals like 12 egg whites and oatmeal followed by a workout, followed by a ten-ounce steak. Initially, Busta’s weight increased from around 290 to 340 pounds, but he was gaining muscle and kick-starting his metabolism. “Also, I stayed inside,” Busta says. “We didn’t go out. We just watched movies and recorded songs. Went to bed early, got up, and got back to work.”
After the 30 days ended, Busta and Jackson went to Los Angeles, where Busta trained as Jackson prepared for the 2019 Mr. Olympia competition. Then he transitioned back to New York and trained five days a week with his coach Victor Munoz at PROEdge in New York City. In October 2020, celebrity trainer Victor Muñoz told TMZ that he crafted a full-body workout to strengthen the rapper’s chest and trim down his belly fat.
Busta’s still watching what he eats, emphasizing oatmeal and eggs at breakfast, salad for lunch, and fish or steak with vegetables for dinner.
He also underwent surgery for his vocal cords - after putting it off for “as long as I could” - and began getting back in shape. Preparing to go on tour with fellow Men’s Health cover star 50 Cent, Rhymes said he’s “doing two-a-day workouts, everything: weights, circuits, sauna, cryotherapy” and maintaining healthier habits.
Busta's Build Muscle Workout
Busta Rhymes whipped himself into shape in old-school fashion, focusing on bodybuilding exercises from trainer Victor Munoz.
Directions: Do the exercises back-to-back with no rest. Rest 30 seconds between supersets. Do 3 sets of 12 for each superset.
Superset 1
Exercise 1: Hammer Curl
- Moving only at the elbow, curl the dumbbells upward, keeping your palms facing each other. Pause, then lower.
Exercise 2: Triceps Pressdown
- Stand in front of a cable column, torso hinged forward, hands gripping a bar or rope attachment at chest height. Keeping your upper arms perpendicular to the floor, straighten your arms, driving the attachment downward.
Superset 2
Exercise 1: Close-Grip Bench Press
- Lie on a bench, holding a loaded barbell, arms straight, wrists directly above your shoulders. Lower the weight to your rib cage. Press back up.
Exercise 2: Spider Curl
- Lie with your chest on a bench set to a 45 degree incline, a single dumbbell in your right hand, arm hanging naturally. Keeping your upper arm perpendicular to the floor, curl the dumbbell up, squeezing your biceps. Switch arms.
The Impact: A Healthier, More Confident Busta Rhymes
Today he weighs 254 pounds. More important, he is sleeping better, moving better, and, as he says, in a better position to support and protect his people. With the additional weight loss came confidence with Busta repeatedly telling a crowd that he's "sexy." "I’m sexy," he said. "I lost 37 pounds on that fuckin’ tour.
Busta Rhymes' weight loss journey has had a profound impact on his life and career. He is now healthier, more confident, and better equipped to handle the demands of his profession.
On Monday, January 6, 2025, the revered rapper and actor posted a photo of himself while standing shirtless in front of a mirror. Busta Rhymes posted the stunning results of his weight loss a few hours before he made his way to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." The New York native and his longtime hype man Spliff Starr served as the musical guests for NBC's late-night program. Busta began the performance with "Unleash Me," which is set to appear on his upcoming album Dragon Season. His medley continued with his verse from Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now" and ended with an energetic version of "Do the Busabus Pt. 2."The 12-time Grammy nominee announced the plans for his 12th studio album last October. In an Instagram post, Busta Rhymes shared a teaser for the album and announced the official title. A week later, he released the lead single "Unleash Me." Since then, Busta has appeared in collaborations with Ice Cube and his son Trillion. Dragon Season drops on January 17.
Even in this setting, distanced and virtual, Busta is as energetic at 48 years old as he was in the early-to-mid ’90s, when he first emerged as a show-stealing member of the group Leaders of the New School before setting off on a successful solo career, selling more than 10 million albums. Busta’s longevity has been due, in part, to his ability to stay ever present, to adapt to the times without sacrificing himself to them. It makes sense, then, that Busta refers to all aspects of his current health change as “transformation.”
In June, Rhymes was awarded the BET lifetime-achievement award, delivering an emotional acceptance speech expressing gratitude to his longtime supporters and encouragement to a new generation of artists. He told Men’s Health that the honor would not have been possible without people who “actually love me so much that they refuse to let me die.” He added: “I’m able to be honest with [my friends and family], even in times of crisis. I don’t have to be afraid to ask for help.”
The Bigger Picture: Self-Preservation and Inspiring Others
For Busta Rhymes, “the most important thing in life is self preservation.”“Mind, body, and spirit: make sure that you’re in the healthiest space that you can be in so that you can use your better sense of judgment at all times,” he told Men’s Health earlier this month. “Go to the gym, eat good, sleep - get it right cuz it’s important.”
Andre L. Perry“I ain’t just getting in shape to look good with my music,” he tells me. “We are in the eye of the storm of some real shit happening. And I was raised to protect and provide for my family and my people. I don’t know how to be any other way. I have to contribute in any way I can, even if that means engaging in physicality to ensure survival. There’s no one part of survival that you leave out when you are talking about your family and the people you love and have to walk among if shit hits the fan.” He pauses before offering a slightly more optimistic conclusion. “I’m a strong believer that it won’t come to that. When our people are on the same accord, that’s a power that the world hasn’t seen yet. And when all people are on the same accord? That power is even more incredible. We’ve lived through a lot of bullshit. I think we’ll get to live to see that one thing.”
Busta Rhymes' weight loss journey is not just a personal triumph; it's an inspiration to others. By sharing his story, he encourages individuals to prioritize their health, seek help when needed, and embrace the transformative power of self-care.