Busta Rhymes was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly throwing a protein drink at a gym employee’s head during an incident at a New York City gym on Wednesday night. Rhymes was released from custody early Thursday morning and ordered to appear in court on November 6th. The victim’s head was cut by the cardboard bottle, NBC News 4 reports, but they denied medical assistance. “It’s stupid,” Rhymes told reporters after his arrest.
According to witnesses inside the gym, Rhymes first argued with the victim, a Steel Gym employee, on Tuesday about bringing a cameraman into the Chelsea gym to record the rapper’s workout. The employee refused to allow the videographer into the gym. The following day, Rhymes and the front desk employee again got into a disagreement, during which time the rapper purchased a chocolate-flavored protein drink; accounts differ regarding whether the weapon involved was a Muscle Milk or Lean Body beverage.
Rhymes then splashed water at the employee, who responded by splashing water back at the rapper. Things escalated to the point where Rhymes allegedly threw his protein drink at the employee. It’s unclear how much of the beverage was still in the carton at the time of its tossing. Police eventually arrived on the scene and charged Rhymes with second-degree assault.
A representative for the rapper did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the rapper’s lawyer, Scott Leemon told the New York Daily News, “It’s ridiculous; it was literally a bottle of Muscle Milk. This is clearly an attempt by someone to take advantage of Busta. He did nothing wrong. This is a bunch of bull.”
Following his arrest, Rhymes posted an Instagram photo alerting fans that he had been released and that he was “Heading 2 the studio 2 turn the bullshit into GREATNESS.”
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