Busta Rhymes is getting plenty of support on social media this week after he splashed water on a handsy fan.
The 50-year-old rapper behind tracks like “Touch It” and “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” was caught on camera reacting angrily after a woman reached out and touched his butt.
Rhymes and his entourage were walking through the Las Vegas Convention Centre following his appearance at the MAGIC Fashion Trade Show when the woman, later identified as Nikita Mathis, rushed up behind him.
“I didn’t mean to touch his behind,” she told The Shade Room. “Honestly I was just happy to meet him and wanted a pic … I admit I shouldn’t have touch him at all but he’s BUSTA.”
#BustaRhymes throws drink at woman who touched him inappropriately, thoughts on his reaction? pic.twitter.com/dryMmx8pvI
— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) February 14, 2023
On Twitter, most people are backing Rhymes.
“A lot of women feel like they have free range to grope and touch people simply because they’re women,” wrote one person. “Along with the fact that society has created this narrative that any sexual attention towards a man is welcomed and it’s not. Men get uncomfortable just like we do!”
Someone shared: "A lot of people laughed and felt he overreacted! How?? She violated his space! She grabbed his butt without consent! If he turned and swung, and she went night night y’all would be in an uproar."
Another opined: “I don’t know why men or women feel so comfortable jumping into other peoples spaces & boundaries and touching people without consent. she lucky that’s all he did. Everybody not touchy-feely.”
One person noted: “Reverse this and Busta would have been facing sexual charges.”
Last July, Machine Gun Kelly was groped by a male fan during a concert in Portland, Oregon. In 2017, Harry Styles brushed a fan’s hand away from his crotch during a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Brendon Urie’s road manager Zack Hall took to Twitter in 2019 to warn fans about getting too personal with the singer when he went into the crowd during his shows. “I’m done with this crap of kissing Brendon during the ‘death walk.’ If I see it, you will be kicked out of the show right away. The end."
This past holiday season, Bad Bunny was caught on camera grabbing a fan's phone and tossing it into a body of water after she got too close while trying to snap a pic. “Those who come to put a f**king phone in my face I will consider it for what it is, a lack of respect," he explained on social media, "and I will treat it likewise.”