Busta Rhymes faces serious allegations in a federal lawsuit filed by his former assistant, following an earlier arrest for third-degree assault charges in Brooklyn this January.
The lawsuit, filed by Dashiel Gables, accuses the rapper of creating a hostile work environment characterised by physical and verbal abuse. According to court documents obtained by Courthouse News, Gables alleges that Rhymes “routinely degraded, screamed at, and made unreasonable demands” of employees, with physical incidents including “spitting in their faces, smacking the back of their heads, and grabbing their clothes.”
The situation reached a breaking point in January when Gables answered a phone call from his daughter during work hours. The lawsuit states that when Gables explained the call was from his child, Rhymes allegedly responded: “Don’t tell me about your fucking kid, what the fuck that gotta do with me?” The confrontation escalated when Rhymes allegedly punched Gables multiple times, leading to what the lawsuit describes as constructive termination of employment.
Following the alleged assault, Gables sought medical treatment at a nearby hospital and filed a police report, resulting in Rhymes’ arrest on third-degree assault charges. The criminal case remains pending whilst this civil lawsuit proceeds through federal court.
The lawsuit details additional concerning workplace incidents, including claims about a previous assistant who allegedly quit after being ordered to unclog Rhymes’ toilet without proper equipment.
Beyond the immediate workplace allegations, Gables claims the incident has severely impacted his career prospects. The lawsuit states he has been “frozen out of the hip-hop music industry” and “effectively blacklisted from employment opportunities in his chosen field” following the police report against Rhymes.
Rhymes has categorically denied all allegations through a statement provided to The Guardian. The rapper, born Trevor Smith Jr., described the claims as manufactured by a “disgruntled former assistant” attempting to damage his reputation. “I have been made aware of the claims made by Dashiel Gables, and I completely and categorically deny these allegations,” Rhymes stated.
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The artist acknowledged that Gables worked for him briefly but emphasised the arrangement “did not work out.” Rhymes characterised the lawsuit as “an attempted shake-down” and expressed confidence in proving the allegations false. He indicated plans to file a countersuit against his former assistant, stating his belief that “the truth will prevail.”
