Rapper Busta Rhymes is looking fit and trim these days after dropping over 100 pounds, and fans have taken note of his weight loss transformation.
While he looks considerably smaller than he has over the past few years, some are concerned, as many don’t believe his new slim physique is a result of dieting and working out as he previously stated.
Earlier this week, the “Touch It” artist was spotted at the New York Knicks playoff game against the Indiana Pacers, and he shared photos of himself sitting courtside in a post on Instagram.
Though his hometown team won 121-91, in the fifth game of the Eastern Conference semifinals, fans were not caring about the score. Some people questioned if the “Woo Hah!!” chart-topper is using a weight loss drug like Ozempic.
Busta, whose real name is Trevor Smith, Jr., started on his weight-loss journey in 2019, having reached a peak of 340 pounds, developing high blood pressure and polyps on his vocal cords. It caused a 90 percent blockage in his throat, burdensome breathing and even issues when he was intimate with his then-girlfriend.
“I had a breathing issue after the intimate interaction. … I got up and I walked out of the bedroom so she wouldn’t panic seeing me trying to keep myself calm,” Busta recalled in an interview with Men’s Health.
“I was trying to inhale, and it felt like it wasn’t working,” he continued, “I felt like I was having like an asthma attack—but I don’t have asthma.”
At the core of why he gained so much weight, the 51-year-old believes it was years of bereavement. He said the weight started to pile on in 2014 while he was grieving the loss of his father, Trevor Smith Sr., and two years after his close friend and manager Chris Lighty who also passed away unexpectedly. Dealing with profound grief became overwhelming, leading to significant weight gain.
The “Break Ya Neck” rapper said he then knew he had to start working out to get back into shape.
But fans on social media don’t seem to believe that Busta did it without some sort of extra help.
“Busta definitely on Ozempic,” one person said after seeing a picture of him out at the basketball game. Someone else joked that “they cloned him.”
wild pic.twitter.com/YaRArjvAgk
— HST (@OldHeadHST) May 15, 2024
Another gasped, “I knew I wasn’t tripping I was like why Busta look younger all of a sudden! Don’t tell me it’s BBL Busta now? Not Lipo Rhymes? Maybe he got a clone like Gucci.”
Some fans were cautious not to jump into the dirty weight gossip so fast, even with their own suspicions about the rapid transformation.
“How Busta went from this a few weeks ago to what he looks like now isn’t sitting right…. I ain’t gonna speak on it cus I know he’s had health issues. I hope he’s good,” one person tweeted.
One observer who didn’t mind his slim frame said, “Busta looks so much younger with hair & less weight on em.”
While some may find it tempting to comment negatively on the Brooklyn native’s dramatic transformation, others urged fans to pause and consider that they might be mistaken about the reasons behind his significantly smaller size. One person on the X platform wrote, “Let’s not do what we did to Chadwick to Busta. Busta recently had to cancel his whole tour dates out of the blue. Let’s pray that he’s not going to something wild.”
His supporters poured in, stating that they agreed the person’s point was “valid as hell.”
Chadwick Boseman’s weight loss led many to speculate about his health issues. However, few were aware that he was battling colon cancer for four years before passing away on Aug. 28, 2020. The “Black Panther'” star’s death came as a shock to many, as he had chosen to keep his illness private while remaining dedicated to his work on various film projects.
A few months ago people were asking why Chadwick Boseman looks so sick. I assumed it was for a role oh my gosh 😭 pic.twitter.com/U8K4seMIGC
— Dean🐻 (@BurnerJa) August 29, 2020
However, Busta doesn’t appear to be sick, just focused on working out, according to videos posted on the internet.
His weight loss also follows the end of his successful run as a performer on 50 Cent’s Final Lap tour, which stopped in over 60 cities and countries and wrapped last November.
Up next, Busta will head out on tour with Missy Elliott and R&B singer Ciara.
