Busta Rhymes Shoots in New Jersey

By: Adrianne Stone

When the New York City Police Department refused to allow Busta Rhymes to shoot scenes on location for his current film, Order of Redemption, last week, the production continued on without him with plans to add his scenes later. The Newark Star-Ledger reports that the rapper, born Trevor Smith, finally shot his scenes at the Riviera Hotel and on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Newark, New Jersey on Wednesday (March 14th).

The NYPD cited public safety concerns, but their decision was reportedly based on his lack of cooperation in the investigation of the shooting death of his bodyguard Israel Ramirez in 2006. Newark Mayor Cory Booker's spokeswoman, Lupe Todd, said her city had no problem with Busta shooting in their city, saying, "As far as we know, Busta Rhymes was acting accordingly and we thank him for his business."

Busta appears opposite Tom Berenger in the film, playing a villainous murderer who tries to get his life back on track after struggling with drug addiction and a family tragedy.