Posted by Busta Rhymes’ 11th studio album is complete. The New York rap legend announced the news on Instagram in the early hours of Tuesday morning (January 11), while sharing words of support to frequent collaborator DJ Kay Slay.
“New Album Done,” he wrote. “@djkayslay you on my mind while I’m recording King. Keep Fighting!! We need you and we got too much shit left to do.. Thank you @khrysis_ #SOULCOUNCIL.”
The message to DJ Kay Slay follows news about him struggling with COVID-19. On Thursday (January 6), his brother told HipHopDX he was “in a recovery state.”
In the post, Busta Rhymes also previewed new music produced by Khrysis and name-dropped Dr. Dre and DJ Kay Slay in his lyrics.
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Busta Rhymes released his last album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God in 2020 after an eight-year wait, with features coming from Kendrick Lamar, Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross, Rakim, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and more.
But the quick turnaround in finishing his next album shouldn’t come as a surprise. During a 2020 interview with Vulture, he explained how he spends every day of his life in the studio.
“Recording music for me, at this point, is not just about making the album that I’m going to give to people,” Busta Rhymes said. “Recording music for me, at this point, is my peace of mind. I go to the studio every day. It’s part of my daily routine. It’s not even about records at this point. I go into the studio because this is what I have dedicated my life to. 30-something years of dedicating my life to the studio, and I’m a 48-year-old man.
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“That means my whole life has been given to this work and being in the studio and making music. So, it’s therapeutic for me. It’s my sanctuary. I love it beyond description. I’m never stopping or taking a break from the studio, my brother. Especially after 11 years.”
He added, “I’m already recording for the next project and the project after that and the project after that. It’s a never-ending process. You never can have enough hot shit. You can’t never have enough dope records.”