When Busta Rhymes’ first single from his new album, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” hit the radio, hip hop fans were concerned. It was phat, but was it real? Did Busta Rhymes fall victim to the lure of money, thinking that a style switch would boost his career?

Luckily, the answer is no. Busta Rhymes’ new album, When Disaster Strikes (Flipmode/Elektra records) is real and tight. His style is new, but the wildness that hooked people back in the day is still there, with some crazy, new twists.

The first song says, “The whole world’s looking at me/Watching and waiting to see/If I’ll fulfill my destiny.” If an artist’s destiny is to make an album showcasing his talent, highlighting his development into a better performer and taking on fellow industry heavyweights, then Busta Rhymes did even more than fated.

The 18 tracks on When Disaster Strikes feature the hard core lyrics expected. Other hip hop stars join Busta Rhymes on the album to produce great sounds. “One Love” features Erykah Badu, and Busta shares the spotlight with Puff Daddy and Mase in “Body Rock.”

But by far, the strongest representers are his Flipmode Squad brothers, and it is quickly clear that Busta Rhymes is not in this alone. Each member of The Squad is integral to the success of the others.

Busta Rhymes has performed two shows in D.C. in recent weeks, and they further solidified his rise to the top. It is not possible to be in the house and not be infected with his energy. He loves to rap, perform, act like a fool on stage and entertain.

When he played the Capitol Ballroom with Wyclef and the Refugee All-Stars, Busta Rhymes did “Put Your Hand Where my Eyes Can See” twice in his set. When Wyclef took a water break, he performed it again. No one got the feeling he was taking over – it was what the crowd wanted.

Clearly, Busta Rhymes is a true hip hop fan in his own right, and that comes off on stage and on disc. A straight-up talented performer would be the best description for Busta. When Disaster Strikes is free of political messages and love songs.

It is about time someone took rap back to what it should be – entertainment for the fans. If others follow his lead, great, but if not, at least Busta can say he has fulfilled his personal destiny.