US rapper and actor Busta Rhymes charged with assaulting man in New York

January 18, 2025
US rapper and actor Busta Rhymes charged with assaulting man in New York

Busta Rhymes has been arrested and charged with third-degree assault after allegedly punching a man "in the face numerous times", US authorities said.

The US rapper and actor, real name Trevor Smith Jr, allegedly became involved in a "verbal dispute" with a 50-year-old man on 10 January in the Dumbo neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York.

Responding to a 911 call of harassment just after 10am, officers were told the altercation resulted in the Grammy-nominated musician allegedly "punching the victim in the face numerous times".

"The victim sustained swelling to the left side of the face," a spokesperson for the New York Police Department told the PA news agency.

The man was taken to a local hospital in a "stable condition".

Following an investigation, Rhymes, 52, was arrested and charged on 14 January with third-degree assault.

The offence is classed as a misdemeanour and carries a possible prison sentence of up to one year in New York if found guilty.

A representative for Rhymes has been contacted for comment.

Source: Press Association