Busta Rhymes wants his former assistant to pay up after accusing the rapper of assault.
In January, Busta Rhymes was questioned by NYPD officers after allegedly punching his then-assistant, Dashiel Gables, in the face for being on his phone during work hours. When Gables announced that he'd be suing Busta, real name Trevor Smith Jr., in August, the "Break Ya Neck" artist accused his former employee of extortion and shared his intentions to countersue.
As of Tuesday (October 14), Busta moved forward with filing the countersuit in New York federal court, with repeated denials of allegations presented in Gables' suit. Gables was Busta's assistant from July 2024 to January 2025.
In documents obtained by Complex, Busta's attorneys denied that their client assaulted and threatened Gables and claimed that the former assistant made statements that showed "reckless disregard for the truth."
Busta's attorneys write that the artist has been negatively impacted by a loss of income and standing in the music industry, in addition to being humiliated and embarrassed. The rapper now seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages and coverage of attorney's fees and other costs incurred.
Gables, who seeks $6 to $7 million, claims to have sought medical treatment after the alleged incident. Busta was charged with third-degree assault.
"I have been made aware of the claims made by Dashiel Gables, and I completely and categorically deny these allegations,” the rapper stated in August. “For a very brief period, Dashiel assisted me, but it did not work out. Apparently, Dashiel has decided to respond to being let go by manufacturing claims against me in an attempt to attack and damage my reputation."
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