It’s no secret that Trevor George Smith Jr., otherwise known to the world as Busta Rhymes, is one of the most decorated artists in Hip-Hop history. However, who do we have to thank for that?

In 1989, Busta Rhymes stamped his name alongside the Leaders Of The New School, which included Bryan “Charlie Brown” Higgins, James “Dinco D” Jackson, and Sheldon “Cut Monitor Milo” Scott, per Okayplayer.

The Hip-Hop group made their splash in the industry after touring as an opening act for Public Enemy.

Leaders Of The New School were signed to Elektra Records, now called 300 Elektra Entertainment (3EE), after merging with 300 Entertainment in 2022, per Variety.

At the time, Busta Rhymes was just 17 years old. Til’ this day, he expresses gratitude to his mother for signing his contract.

“My mom, this woman signed my deal when I was 17,” he said during “Ebro in the Morning” on HOT 97. “So, if my moms wasn’t with me, she woke up on the wrong side of the bed because I played myself, there probably wouldn’t have been a Busta Rhymes. So momsy, I love you so much.”

The group would go on to release two albums “A Future Without a Past” (1991) and “T.I.M.E.” (1993) before they dismantled following tension, which was caught on camera during an interview on “Yo! MTV Raps.”

“I didn’t want to leave the group, and I didn’t want the group to end. I wasn’t really happy about the situation,” Busta Rhymes said, according to The Ringer. “I had invested a lot in the group at that point, and we started building something. Anything where you invest your time and your passion, and you put your soul into it, I don’t think it’s ever easy to walk away from.”

Despite the split, Busta Rhymes’ popularity continued to increase, even more so, following his debut album “The Coming,” which released in 1996. The project would also mark the last collaboration from Leaders of the New School.