You know that feeling when a beat drops and the entire room just shifts? That’s what happened in 2006. Busta Rhymes released "I Love It"—often searched as give it to me Busta Rhymes—and hip-hop basically caught fire. It wasn't just another song. It was a statement. Busta had just signed with Aftermath. He chopped off his iconic dreadlocks. He was working with Dr. Dre. The stakes were sky-high, and honestly, he delivered one of the most infectious club anthems of the decade.
The song is technically titled "I Love It," but if you look at YouTube comments or old Limewire searches, everyone remembers it by the hook. It’s that relentless "Give it to me, give it to me" energy. It’s fast. It’s chaotic. It’s quintessential Busta.
The Aftermath Era and the Flipmode Evolution
By the mid-2000s, Busta Rhymes was already a legend, but he needed a refresh. Joining Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment was a massive power move. People expected a "California Love" or a "Deep Cover" vibe, but instead, Busta leaned into this high-octane, polished sound that bridged the gap between New York grit and West Coast production precision. "I Love It" was the third single from The Big Bang, an album that debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Produced by Focus..., the track doesn't sound like a typical Dre beat. It’s jittery. It uses these sharp, staccato synths that feel like they’re poking you in the ribs. Busta’s flow on this track is a masterclass in breath control. He’s not just rapping; he’s playing an instrument with his voice. He slows down, speeds up, and then hits that rhythmic pocket where he’s practically whispering before exploding into the chorus.
Most rappers from the 90s struggled to stay relevant when the "Bling Era" took over. Busta didn't. He just got louder. He got faster. He made sure that when you typed give it to me Busta Rhymes into a search engine, you were looking for the soundtrack to your weekend.
Why "I Love It" Still Works in 2026
It’s the tempo. We live in an era of "mumble rap" and "lo-fi beats to study to," which is fine, but sometimes you need a kick in the teeth. "I Love It" provides that. It clocks in at a high BPM for traditional hip-hop, leaning almost into the territory of dance music without losing its street cred.
💡 You might also like: Why Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Actors Still Define the Modern Spy Thriller
There’s a specific nuance to the lyrics too. Busta is bragging, sure, but he’s doing it with this infectious joy. He sounds like he’s having the time of his life. When he says he’s "the official, the traditional," he isn't lying. He’s one of the few artists who can bridge the gap between the Leaders of the New School era and the modern digital landscape.
The music video—directed by Busta himself alongside Benny Boom—is a visual fever dream. It features cameos from basically everyone who was anyone in 2006. It has that glossy, high-budget Aftermath sheen that makes everything look like it costs a million dollars. It was the peak of Hype Williams-adjacent aesthetics: bright colors, fisheye lenses, and frantic editing.
The Confusion Over the Song Title
Let’s be real: "I Love It" is a generic title. That’s why the give it to me Busta Rhymes search term became the unofficial name of the track. In the digital age, if your hook is more memorable than your title, the hook wins.
Interestingly, this song often gets confused with "Pass the Courvoisier" or "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" in retrospective playlists. But "I Love It" is different. It’s more aggressive. It represents a period where Busta was focused on being the "lyrical weightlifter" of the industry. He was hitting the gym, he was focused, and his voice had a new, gravelly depth that wasn't there in the "Woo Hah!!" days.
Breaking Down the Production
Focus... (Bernard Edwards Jr.) really outdid himself here. The son of Chic’s Bernard Edwards, he brought a funk sensibility to a digital landscape. The bassline in "I Love It" isn't just a low-end frequency; it’s a melodic hook in its own right.
📖 Related: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
- The Percussion: It uses a "marching band" style snare that keeps the energy moving forward.
- The Ad-libs: Busta’s "Yeah! Yeah!" and "Get it!" are mixed so loudly they almost act as secondary instruments.
- The Space: Notice how the beat drops out occasionally? That’s a classic Dre-era mixing trick. It forces the listener to focus on the rhyme scheme before slamming the music back in.
It’s a song designed for subwoofers. If you listen to it on cheap earbuds, you’re missing half the experience. You need to feel that kick drum in your chest to truly understand why this was a top-tier club record.
The Legacy of The Big Bang
The Big Bang was a pivotal moment. It was the only album Busta released under Aftermath before moving on to Motown. Because of that, "I Love It" feels like a time capsule. It represents the brief window where the most creative MC in New York was paired with the most perfectionist producer in LA.
The album featured everyone: Stevie Wonder, Rick James, Raekwon, and even Eminem. Yet, "I Love It" stands out because it doesn't rely on a massive feature. It’s just Busta. It’s his charisma carrying the entire three minutes and twenty-nine seconds.
Critical Reception vs. Fan Reality
Critics at the time were a bit mixed. Some thought it was too commercial. Pitchfork and Rolling Stone were busy obsessing over indie rock and didn't always give "club bangers" the respect they deserved. But the streets? The clubs? They didn't care about a three-star review.
The song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. While it wasn't his highest-charting single ever, its longevity is undeniable. You can still play this at a wedding, a club, or a gym in 2026, and people will immediately recognize the energy. It has that "timeless" quality that escapes 90% of the music released today.
👉 See also: Shamea Morton and the Real Housewives of Atlanta: What Really Happened to Her Peach
How to Experience Busta's Best Work Today
If you’re revisiting the give it to me Busta Rhymes era, don't just stop at the single. You have to look at the live performances from that time. Busta Rhymes is arguably the greatest live performer in hip-hop history. His breath control on "I Love It" live is actually better than the studio recording. He doesn't use a hype man to cover his lines. He says every word.
He’s a student of the old school—the era where if you couldn't rock a mic for an hour straight, you weren't a real MC. That work ethic is all over "I Love It." You can hear the sweat in the vocal booth.
Actionable Insights for Hip-Hop Fans and Creators
If you’re a music producer or an aspiring artist, there’s a lot to learn from this specific track. It’s a masterclass in "less is more" production coupled with "more is more" vocal delivery.
- Study the Vocal Layering: Busta layers his voice on the "Give it to me" hook to make it sound like a stadium is chanting with him.
- Analyze the Frequency: Notice how the high-end synths never clash with the vocals. There’s a frequency pocket for everything.
- The Power of the Hook: If people are searching for your song by a different name (like give it to me Busta Rhymes), it means your hook is doing its job. Don't fight it—embrace the fact that your chorus is an earworm.
- Longevity over Trends: While the beat sounds "2006," the delivery is so unique that it doesn't feel dated. It feels like a specific style rather than a failed attempt to sound modern.
The best way to appreciate this era of Busta’s career is to listen to the The Big Bang album in its entirety, specifically on high-quality vinyl or lossless audio. The mixing on that record, overseen by Dr. Dre, is some of the cleanest in the history of the genre. "I Love It" remains the crown jewel of that high-energy, polished sound. Turn it up loud. Get the bass right. Give it to yourself.