Hello friend!
My missus and I had the absolute pleasure of seeing hip-hop superstar Busta Rhymes live this summer.
The charismatic multi-grammy-winning rapper rocked the crowd with his signature energy and charisma.
He’s been doing this for almost 40 YEARS. That’s an eternity in rap.
It was so beautiful to see all colours, creeds and nationalities dancing and vibing in harmony to some old school hip-hop.
But as Bus-a-Bus was working the crowd, I noticed something that I didn’t fully appreciate before.
Busta Rhymes is an absolute master communicator. From start to finish, he had us eating out of the palm of his hand. If Busta Rhymes became a teacher, he would be the GOAT.
So it got me thinking: What lessons can I extract from Busta that will help me become a better educator?
And I think I've cracked it. By the end of this newsletter, you will have Busta Rhymes' communication playbook that will help you 'rock' any classroom. I guarantee it!
Busta Rhymes does four distinct things that give him the “X-Factor”
1. Shows his creativity through authenticity
2. Uses his ‘flow’ to control the energy of the crowd
3. Plays with his tone and pitch to keep his listeners hooked
4. Uses his body movements to command respect and keep all eyes on him
Let’s dive in!
#1 'The MC' and 'The Showman'
Busta’s roots are central to his success. As a proud Jamaican, he grew up soaked in reggae and dancehall culture — and Busta took two of its strongest traditions: toasting and showmanship.
'Toasting' is a style of rhythmic talking, chanting, or rhyming over instrumental reggae and ska tracks.
It was born in Jamaica’s 1960s–70s sound system culture, where DJs hyped up the crowd with wordplay and rhythm.
Later on, this job was handed to the ‘Master of Ceremonies’ or MC who had to keep the crowd alert and ‘on-side’, especially when they ‘clashed’ or competed against a rival sound system.
The reggae DJ and MCs were masters at crowd control.
Depending on their audience, they knew the right jokes, lyrics and chants that would get the crowd hype.
They picked up the ‘vibe’ of the room and controlled the crowd’s energy.
When Jamaican immigrants brought this tradition to the U.S., it laid the foundation for what we now know as hip-hop. And this style of rapping is a hallmark of Busta’s style. His raps are filled with feel-good chants, jokes, and sounds that instantly get people rocking with him.
But it wasn’t only the way Busta sounded but how he looked, too.
In the early 1990s, hip-hop was dominated by a gritty, serious tone — from the militant edge of Public Enemy to the street realism of N.W.A.
Against that backdrop, Busta Rhymes stood out like a Guy Fawkes firework.
Borrowing the showmanship of reggae and dancehall — where performers used flamboyant costumes, exaggerated movements, and electric energy to hype a crowd — Busta injected a theatricality into hip-hop that few had seen before.
His wild outfits, larger-than-life persona, and explosive stage presence were seen as strange, even jarring at the time, but they broke the mould.
Busta was weird and proud of it.
What looked unconventional in the moment proved revolutionary, opening the door for hip-hop artists to be more expressive, performative, and unafraid to blend charisma with lyrical skill. Busta paved the way for other ‘out-there’ artists like Missy Elliot, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj and Tyler the Creator.
How to put it into practice
Before you grumble, I don’t expect you to burst into the classroom with a neon orange jumpsuit and a wig.
But I challenge you to be more authentic.
Authenticity wins attention in the classroom, just like it does on stage. Students can sense when you’re trying too hard to be someone you’re not. The trick is to bring yourself into your teaching.
Here are three concrete ways to do that:
• Bring your background into the lesson. Share stories, analogies, or references from your own life that make the content relatable.
• Use language that feels natural to you. If you’re funny, use humour. If you’re reflective, lean into thoughtful pauses.
• Show passion for your subject. Students respond to genuine enthusiasm more than polished delivery.
When you teach from a place of authenticity, your creativity flows naturally — and this is where your students will say your classroom 'is a vibe.'
#2 Use your 'flow' to control the energy of the crowd
One of Busta’s superpowers is his ability to change his “flow” — the rhythm and speed of his delivery.
He can switch from lightning-fast verses to slow, deliberate lines that hit harder because of the contrast.
The crowd follows him wherever he goes, because his pacing guides their energy.
But it’s not only the speed but the rhythm.
On Busta’s classic song ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,’ Busta’s flow imitates an African drum pattern, which has a hypnotic, seductive vibe to it.
If he raps at full throttle the entire time, people would tune out.
Instead, by alternating between fast and slow, intense and relaxed, he creates a rollercoaster of energy that keeps everyone engaged.
How to put it into practice
Your “flow” in the classroom has the same effect. Speak at the same pace and energy level all lesson long, and students will zone the heck out.
But if you learn to vary your speed, you capture attention and hold it.
Try these classroom tactics:
• Start strong, then settle. Open a lesson with high energy (a story, a question, a bold statement), then drop into a steadier rhythm once students are hooked.
• Use strategic pauses. Silence before or after a key idea makes students lean in.
• Vary your pacing. Deliver examples quickly to build momentum, then slow down for explanation or reflection.
By controlling your flow, you don’t just “deliver content” — you take your students on a journey.
#3 Play with your tone and pitch to leave your listeners wanting more
Busta’s voice is his instrument.
He shouts, whispers, growls, and even plays with pitch to underline his words.
This vocal variety is what keeps people glued to his performances for four decades.
This is best seen in his breakthrough verse on A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 song Scenario.
While the rest of the rappers on the track maintained a steady flow, the 19-year-old Busta literally exploded on the track with booming shouts, playful growls, and sudden pitch changes.
His voice transformed each line into a performance, cutting through the mix and making the verse unforgettable; this is what launched his stellar solo career.
He literally rapped ‘Raow, raow like a dungeon dragon’ and got away with it!
Research shows that up to 93% of how we interpret a message comes from tone and body language — not just the words themselves. Busta knows this instinctively. His tone tells the crowd whether to laugh, bounce, or pay close attention.
How to put it into practice
If you rely on a boring, monotone delivery, even the best content feels as flat as two-day-old Coca-Cola. Your tone should signal to students: this is exciting, this is serious, this is funny, this is worth remembering.
Here's how you can apply it:
• Emphasise key points. Raise your pitch slightly when delivering crucial info so it sticks.
• Lower your voice for impact. Dropping your tone draws students in, making them listen more closely.
• Add emotion to your words. Let your excitement, curiosity, or urgency shine through in your voice.
Your tone is your secret weapon — it adds meaning to your message beyond the words themselves.
#4 Use your body language to command respect and keep all eyes on you
Busta doesn’t just rap — he performs with his whole body. His hand gestures, facial expressions, and movement across the stage all command attention.
Even when he’s silent, his presence keeps the audience locked in.
Busta Rhymes’ command of the room wasn’t just in concerts—it screamed out in his music videos, especially those directed by Hype Williams.
In his younger years, his lanky frame and distinctive dreadlocks made every movement feel exaggerated and almost cartoonish, allowing him to bend his body and express rhythm in ways more grounded New York rappers like Jay-Z, Biggie, or Nas couldn’t.
This physical uniqueness, combined with his explosive energy, turned his videos into a visual extension of his creativity, making each song not just heard, but seen and felt.
How to put it into practice
Relax. I don't want you to jump around like a madman. But pay attention to your body.
In communication, body language often speaks louder than words. The way you stand, move, and gesture either reinforces your message or undermines it.
Your classroom presence is just as powerful. If you stand still behind a desk with arms crossed, students read that as low energy or disinterest.
But if you move with purpose, use gestures, and make eye contact, you radiate confidence and control.
Use these tricks:
• Move with intention. Walk across the room to reset attention or highlight a point.
• Use open gestures. Avoid crossed arms; instead, use hand movements to emphasise key ideas.
• Make eye contact. Scan the room to connect with different students, rather than focusing on just one spot.
Remember: students aren’t just listening to your words — they’re watching you as closely as CIA agents. Your body language screams so loud that your students can't hear what you are saying.
✅ TLDR:
Busta Rhymes’ playbook
1. Be authentic and let your personality shine.
2. Control the pace of your delivery (your “flow”).
3. Use tone and pitch to add meaning and emphasis.
4. Command the room with body language and presence.
Do these four things consistently, and you’ll be able to engage any classroom - Scouts' honour.
If you enjoyed this newsletter and want to learn more about charisma and physical presence, I’ve got you covered.
A big chunk of my second book, ‘The Action Hero Teacher 2: Teachers of the Lost Class, ' is all about physical communication.
It has an entire chapter dedicated to body language and tone, and I do a massive charisma breakdown of Liverpool’s legendary manager, Jurgen Klopp.
If you are interested, click the link below for a gander. 😎👇🏾
https://amzn.eu/d/6lLqWdZ
I hope the new academic year has started well!
That’s it for now.
The next TOTR comes out on Thursday 2nd October 2025.
See you then!
Karl
