1990: Busta Rhymes Forms
Rap Group at Uniondale High

While attending Uniondale High School, Trevor Smith, Jr. was one of the school’s best basketball players. But he focused on music after meeting up with fellow rappers MC Charlie Brown, Dinco D and Milo In De Dance. In 1990, at age 17, Smith – also known as Busta Rhymes – formed a group called Leaders of the New School, or LONS, finding inspiration in other Long Island rap groups like Public Enemy and Eric B. & Rakim. After signing with Elektra Records, the group released two albums, "Future Without a Past" and "T.I.M.E.," before breaking up in 1994. In 1995, Busta Rhymes launched a successful solo career with the album, "The Coming." Rhymes has been featured in such movies as "Finding Forrester," "Higher Learning" and the remake of "Shaft." He is shown here in a June 2003 photo.