Busta Rhymes— “Twerk It” feat. Nicki + Tosh Alexander (2013)
You’re not going to get more Caribbean in a hip-hop track and than this one, with Busta Rhymes and Tosh Alexander each representing Jamaica by way of Brooklyn and Miami, respectively, and Nicki Minaj repping T&T by way of Queens. (You can also throw in Director X, a Trini from Toronto, and our own dance master Sir Ledgen, the recipient of a slow-motion reverse Charlie Murphy slap in the song’s video). Combine these West Indians together on one project, and you must get vibes. Tosh sets the track off by chatting up a storm in the intro, and Busta starts rhyming in patois with a big smile on his face, something hat I always enjoyed back from his Leaders of the New School days. Paying homage again to her Caribbean heritage, and to her love of reggae music, she shouts out three of dancehall’s top deejays—Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, and Bounty Killer, in consecutive order, then goes on to big up “Trinidad, and not James she a chat bout.” Another solid verse full of patois vibes from Nicki. —EchoSlim