Busta Rhymes is Learning Science The Hard Way After Video of Anti-Mask Rant Surfaces

The video of Busta Rhymes is from a June 2021 performance in St. Louis.

The internet came for Busta Rhymes in a hurry this morning when a video of the rapper delivering an impassioned anti-mask rant went low-grade viral.

In a clip from a June performance in St. Louis, the Brooklyn rap legend expressed his gratitude for being back on stage after an extended hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But his sentiments quickly pivoted to categorically anti-science, bashing mask mandates for reasons that have mostly nothing to do with stopping the spread of a once-in-a-century virus. "It’s called the god-given right of freedom, right? No human being’s supposed to tell you, you can’t even breathe freely," the rapper told a cheering crowd. "Fuck your mask. Some of y’all might feel differently, but fuck your mask. I can’t rhyme to you with a mask on. You can’t eat food with a fucking mask on. We can’t even see each other smile with a mask on," Busta added before noting how face coverings were interfering with his ability to flirt with women.

"I come from a time where before I used to even want to holler at a chick, I used to have to do shit with my face to let her know that I’m into her. But all of that energy gets blocked when your mask is on. Energy is important, and we are all conductors of fucking good energy," the rapper continued.

None of this appears to have sat well with his fans and followers. Reactions to the video surfacing have ranged from quick lessons in virology to invocations of Dave Chappelle's evergreen "Where's Ja?" jabs at celebrities claiming authority in fields other than those they are famous for.

You can watch Busta Rhymes deliver his anti-mask screed below. Scroll on for some standout critiques from social media.