With 2001′s The Genesis, Bussa-Bus took the destroy-and-rebuild approach. After setting the standard for all other east-coast superappers, releasing some five albums annually for Elektra, Busta neglected to realize that while he was blazing up the radio and video shows with his never-let-us-down singles, he was releasing virtually the same album every year. But after bouncing to J Records, with the new millennium arriving, Flipmode Squad’s general began anew, with the aptly titled Genesis, with seemingly a new outlook, employing a diverse amount of producers, including such heavy hitting names as The Neptunes and Dr. Dre. This was a good album.

     Yet with It Ain’t Safe No More, Busta attempts to do the same, yet with a slim-fast version of last year’s album. It’s not to say that Busta should start spelling his name with an “er” anytime soon, as we’ll admit he did come with a blazer or two on this album (although yes, we really let him have it in the year-end review). Naturally, The Neptunes come with the organized-confused, ring-the-alarm anthem, “Call The Ambulance”, where Busta and the rest of the Squad catch wreck over the pandemonium of Pharrell and Chad’s track. Meanwhile, Jay Dee doesn’t disappoint as he sets the album off with the sure shot head-nodder “It Ain’t Safe No More”, a post September 11th new world order anthem, powered by a Cold Crush inspired hook that would make Jurassic 5  envious. Dilla also comes with some classic Detroit futuristic flavor on the too-abstract-for-radio “What Up”, where Busta steps his game up lyrically in a rare moment; not to mention “Turn Me Up Some”, where Jay Dee brings back the ill vibe slum sound, again inspiring Busta come roooaaaw-raw. And heck, we’ll even give him minor props for coming semi-conscious on “The Struggle Will Be Lost” and “Til It’s Gone”. Happy Thanksgiving. 

    But despite these few diamonds in the rough, Busta steps backwards with It Ain’t Safe No More, delivering much of the same material we’ve found on his last six albums, hardly breaking any new ground. The Megahertz produced “We Gon Do It To Ya” is a cheap reworking of “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See”, yet Busta hardly treats this potentially hot track with as much respect as its predecessor. More rehash is found on the lead single “Make It Clap”, where Rick Rock recycles the same beat patterns that made Fabolous “Can’t Deny It” such a hit, so much in fact that you could actually sing Nate Dogg’s hook over it (which further drives the rehash point home, since it in itself was borrowed from 2Pac. Not that Sean Paul’s hook on the remix does this track any better. But whatever.) However, Rick Rock delivers a nice beat on “I Know What You Want”, yet Busta’s ridiculous Ja Rule-like duet with Mariah Carey helps falter it, while the point of the song is shot to hell (two lovers pleasing each other) when the rest of the damn Flipmode Squad jumps in like it’s an orgy. 

    Furthermore, the skits are awful (read:unfunny), and while the obvious radio/club themed songs are at least tolerable (not good, but tolerable), the filler (“Taste It”, “Struttin’ Like A G.O.D.”, “Branded”) is even more proof that Busta has completely lost it, trapped in a post-apocalyptic, L.O.N.S-less world where he truly believes that Flipmode is da Squad. Much of this album’s problem is that it is obviously rushed, and many of the songs lack structure – some of which could have been possible hits if they weren’t bumrushed with random, out-of-place hooks (lazy ones at that) and multiple members of the Flipmode Squad showing up at any given time, disrupting the party. Call us crazy, but maybe Busta should take a year off and really hone his skills before dropping another album, as the over-exposure is slowly killing him.