Busta Rhymes has seen the rise of many talented artists over the years. But there’s one up-and-coming singer from his hometown who brought him to tears with an unforgettable performance.
Nia Drummond, a Brooklyn-based vocalist, posted a video of her encounter with the “Break Ya Neck” MC on Instagram. In the clip, she launched into an operatic rendition of “Happy Birthday” to mark the legend’s 51st birthday on May 20. Her high-flying performance caught Busta off guard.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, looking at the camera. “What the f**k is going on? What the f**k? I definitely wasn’t expecting that.” When he realized he wasn’t being pranked, he grabbed Drummond’s hands and told her to start over. As she sang, his eyes were closed as he took in every note.
When she was done, he hugged her and fought back tears. “Oh s**t,” he said plainly. “Why the f**k did you do that to me? Why’d you do that? Why?” When he pulled away and his eyes were watering, Drummond jokingly told him he was “a f**king mess.” “Stop!” she insisted as she wiped his face and repeatedly told him, “Don’t do that.” He appeared to be taken aback by being told to keep it together.
Drummond shared what happened in an emotional Instagram post seen below. “A very special moment between Busta Rhymes and myself I will cherish forever,” she captioned the video. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAMILYYY!! Brooklyn STAND UP!!!!”
Busta reiterated his love for the powerhouse vocalist in the comments. “You are incredible, queen,” he wrote. “Thank you for the amazing bday love.”
Drummond took to Instagram again today (May 30) to thank fans for their support since her video went viral. “It has been overwhelming but so fulfilling for me,” she gushed. “Thank you to Busta Rhymes. If you didn’t say, ‘Yes, I want to hear you sing,’ there would be no video. So Busta, you know I love you like fat kids love cake, and I hope to see you soon. You are incredible.” Check out the clip below.