“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Sheree Whitfield may have asked the coveted question, “Who gone check me, boo?,” but legendary rapper Busta Rhymes gave us the answer years earlier with his classic hit, “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check.” While millions of fans across the world know Busta Rhymes as the unstoppable MC behind such hits as “Break Ya Neck,” “Arab Money,” and “I’ll Hurt You,” a select few know him exclusively under another moniker: Dad. Between the years of 1993 and 2006, Busta Rhymes has fathered six children, all while balancing his career as a jet-setting founding father of modern hip hop.
Since the start of his career, Rhymes has been making waves on the music scene with his equally creative talent, musical approach, and style. As a result of all this hard work, Busta Rhymes has amassed a massive fortune of over $20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. With 6 kids to feed, clothe, and put through school, Busta has certainly had his work cut out for him, though each of his kids seem to be healthy, happy, and successfully branching out into their own bold new fields as a result of their fathers’ wealth. Let’s look at how the iconic rapper’s children have forged their own paths and are honoring their father’s legacy.
Busta Rhymes’ Career On The Mic
A New York native, Rhymes, born Trevor George Smith Jr., entered the music scene as part of Leaders of the New School. The group’s success was short-lived, but their association with groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and Public Enemy led Rhymes to stand out. The 51-year-old released his solo album, “The Coming,” in 1996, earning him a Grammy nomination. Throughout his career, Rhymes would go on to release several other hit songs like “Break Ya Neck,” “What’s It Gonna Be?!,” and “Pass The Courvoisier Part II.” Since breaking onto the scene over 30 years ago, Busta Rhymes has released 11 solo studio albums, the most recent of which being 2023’s “Blockbusta.”
Music is what Rhymes is known for, but he is no one-trick pony. The “Touch It” rapper also made waves in the film industry, appearing in movies including “Halloween: Resurrection” and “Finding Forrester.” Busta made his television debut in 1991 as a musical guest on “In Living Color,” before going on to make his feature film debut in 1993, the very year his first son was born. The rap artist’s long-standing in Hip-Hop has earned him the respect of his peers and those who have come behind him. Plus, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 BET Awards.
While standing on stage to accept the prestigious honor, Rhymes detailed his journey as an artist and father with an emotional speech. During his speech, he pointed out his children, who had appeared in the crowd to support him at the event. Busta articulated “My oldest child was a 3-year-old in the ‘Woo-Hah!!’ video back in ’96. He’s 30. He’s right here.” Rhymes has made it clear that being a father is his most prized legacy, as the rapper has made it a point to big-up his kids at every opportunity.
T'ziah Wood-Smith
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T’zaiah is Rhymes’ oldest child, born in 1993. Unlike his super-star dad, T’zaiah chose the college route, and has subsequently gone on to find major success in the world of business and marketing.
T’zaiah is a graduate of Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Based on his LinkedIn profile, T’zaiah is a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. member, and studied marketing while attending college.
While his most recent role was as a financial services professional for NY Life Securities LLC, he also spent time in the music industry as an A&R consultant for Roc Nation and as a road manager and assistant for his father.
For the time being, it appears that T’zaiah is a free agent in the world of business marketing, with his LinkedIn bio reading “I offer a variety of products that can help you meet a number of insurance and financial needs, including, but not limited to college funding, retirement, managing costs for extended periods of care and lifetime income strategies. Please contact me to help you fully analyze your needs and recommend appropriate solutions.”
Mariah Smith
Mariah is the second child and oldest daughter of Busta Rhymes, born in 1998. While she has lived a relatively private life, a 2017 Facebook post from her father noted that she graduated high school that year. Per her Facebook page, she went to Southern New Hampshire University, majoring in finance, and later worked for Concentrix.
Busta Rhymes’ multi-million dollar net worth has clearly been put to good use in the past 10 years, as he has relied on his hip hop and entertainment income to pay for several college tuitions for his studious children.
The third in the sibling crew, T’khi graduated from Pace University in May 2023. Like his older siblings, T’khi pursued higher academia after finishing high school, though he seems to be the first child in Busta Rhymes’ family to follow field ambitions as well.
T’khi played on the school’s football team as defensive back while attending the university, and graduated in May of 2023. While T’khi’s professional ambitions are not public knowledge at this time, he seems to share a close personal bond with his older brother, who shared a touching social media post after T’khi graduated from college.
Rhymes’ second daughter, Cacie, was born in 1999, and may be a twin of T’khi. The two kids were born in the same year, though it remains unclear if they are twins, or just born very close together.
Cacie is also a graduate of Quinnipiac University, though her interests have taken her down a path more closely resembling her father’s than her elder siblings.
According to her Instagram page, Cacie currently resides in Los Angeles and works as a model, stylist, and influencer. She also has a few songs available to listen to online, and has continued to explore multiple creative avenues.
As a beneficiary of Busta Rhymes’ fortune, Cacie is able to explore her creative side without fear of falling into poverty.
Trillian is the youngest son of Busta Rhymes, born in 2001. According to his social media, he has his hands in a wide array of projects. He has worked as the host of podcast “The Last Drink,” hosted events with Breadwinners Entertainment, and even launched his own clothing brand called Loner, as well as a nonprofit — To Build A Black Nation Foundation.
More recently, Trillian has been following in his father’s footsteps, by pursuing music as his main hustle. He currently has an LP titled “Corrupted 2” available to stream on all major platforms, and even headlined his own music festival in April of 2024.
Trillian’s work is inspiring, and proves that Busta’s rhyming talent has generational roots. With Rhymes as a father, Trillian is receiving the best guidance through the music industry he can get, insuring he isn’t taken advantage of like so many other vulnerable up-and-comers.
Miracle Smith
Finally we have Miracle, Rhymes’ youngest child, born in 2006. Like her sister Mariah, she doesn’t have a solid social media presence, and little is known about her.
Of course, Miracle is only 18-years-old, so it can be assumed that she’s either just wrapping up high school now or has recently completed it. As she continues to grow and become an adult woman, she’ll surely find a path that works for her, as guided by Busta Rhymes and her older siblings.
Any way you slice it, Busta has created generational wealth with his exceptional talent, and created a better world for his six children to navigate as they venture off into adulthood. With Rhymes still pumping out deeply personal material in his music, it may not be long until we get a record with lyrics discussing the trials and tribulations of becoming a grandparent.
