Busta Rhymes Settles Lawsuit After Alleged Assistant Assailing

Photo Credit: Busta Rhymes by Joe Glorioso for All-Pro Reels / The Vinyl / CC by 2.0

Busta Rhymes settles a lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant, who claimed the rapper attacked and punched him in the face.

Busta Rhymes has settled a legal battle with his former personal assistant, Dashiel Gables, who alleged that the rapper attacked and punched him in the face in a work-related dispute. Rhymes had denied the allegations, filing a defamation countersuit in response that claimed Gables was extorting him. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, as the matter was settled via private mediation.

“The parties are finalizing the settlement documentation and anticipate that it will be completed within ten days,” attorneys for both parties wrote in a letter to the judge filed this week. The judge ordered them to file a formal motion for settlement by June 1.

According to Gables’ original filing back in August, Busta Rhymes became enraged and assaulted him over a delayed meal and a phone call Gables took from his young daughter while on the job. The 53-year-old rapper, whose real name is Trevor Smith Jr., was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.

Gables filed an assault and battery lawsuit in federal court, invoking the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and claiming that he was subjected to workplace abuses. He also claimed that he had been blackballed from the hip-hop industry after the alleged incident.

Smith vehemently denied Gables’ allegations and filed a countersuit for defamation in October. His suit asserted that Gables’ claims damaged his reputation, which cost him business opportunities and income.

Meanwhile, Busta Rhymes was recently announced as a headliner for Hudson Yards’ annual free outdoor concert series, Live! Concerts at the Wells Fargo Stage in New York City. The series kicks off on Wednesday, May 13, with shows taking place every Wednesday through June 3 from 6 to 8 PM, with doors opening at 5 PM.

The 2026 concert dates include:

May

• 13 | Aly & AJ
• 20 | Warren G
• 27 | Busta Rhymes

June

“We are thrilled to bring these amazing UTA artists to the Wells Fargo Stage at Hudson Yards, further cementing our concert series as one of New York City’s great free, summer cultural events,” said Stephanie Fink, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Partnerships, and Events for Hudson Yards. “Together with our partners at Wells Fargo and Mastercard, we look forward to once again welcoming New Yorkers to our Backyard for unforgettable entertainment.”