BK Hip-Hop Festival Founder On Busta Rhymes Headlining: "After Tip Brought Out Kanye, That's All We Heard"

After yesterday's huge announcement of rap veteran Busta Rhymes getting chosen to headline this summer's Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, SOHH hit up Founder & Executive Director Wes Jackson for more details.

According to Jackson, securing Bussa Buss for the annual event did not happen overnight.

"Busta had been on our short list for about three years. The first time it came up was in a meeting with our talent buyers Amenan and Ajua and our Senior Brand Manager, Pamela Bishop the year we did De La Soul (2010). Pamela was pushing him but it didn't work out," Jackson told SOHH via a Q&A e-mail. "When we rocked with Q-Tip last year we expected Busta to come out but what he did was better than what we could have hoped for. At the moment we know we needed to work to make this deal happen. The more we thought about it the more we loved the idea. In more ways than one Busta represents our mission. Longevity, creativity, Brooklyn and the unique ability to connect generations of hip-hop fans." (SOHH)

After sending shockwaves last year with rap veteran Q-Tip rocking the BK Festival, he admitted the stakes were even higher to deliver a superb headliner.

"After Tip brought out Kanye [West last year] that was all we heard. 'What are you going to do next year?' That is not an easy proposition. With Busta and all of the artists he is connected to we knew we could create a show to build upon. Jackson added, "It was a great feeling when word got back that Busta and his team remembered the great time they had in 2011 and were totally into headlining this year." (SOHH)

While most fans expect the unexpected from any Busta show, Jackson gave a few hints at what this summer's event will offer.

"Madness. In a good way," Jackson wrote when asked what fans should anticipate. "Busta is so ill he will tear it down with just him and Spliff [Star]. But when you start to poke around his discography we are looking to create a once in a lifetime show for hip-hop fans from 14 to 40. Next week we are going to launch "Which Busta Are You." [It's] going to be part marketing, part educational. We are going to create a series of webisodes where we discuss the various iterations of Busta from his days with Leaders Of the New School to signing with YMCMB. There is gonna be editorial, T-Shirts and probably more funny, nerdy stuff once we get to brainstorming." (SOHH)

The newly signed Cash Money Records star's BK Festival involvement was made official yesterday (May 8).

Well it looks like this year's Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival has gotten its headliner. Busta Rhymes was officially named as the headliner of the 2012 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Last year the legendary Q-Tip held down the headliner position and brought out a mound of special guests including Busta Rhymes and Kanye. 2012 is the year that Busta will take center court and have his chance to perform his hits and bring out his special guests. The event is always dope, and 2012's [show] shouldn't be any different. The event will take place in Brooklyn, naturally, and will be held from July 9th through the 14th. (Stupid Dope)

Check out footage from last year's Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival below: