Busta Rhymes Denies Assault, Files Defamation Countersuit Against Ex-Assistant

As of October 14th, 2025, veteran rapper Busta Rhymes has launched a defamation countersuit against a former personal assistant who accused him of punching the employee in the face.

In a lawsuit filed this past summer, Dashiel Gables alleged that Rhymes routinely abused and degraded his employees, including physically assaulting Gables in the lobby of Rhymes' Brooklyn apartment building in January 2025. Rhymes has now responded with a countersuit, claiming Gables' accusations were false and made with "reckless disregard for the truth."

Rhymes' attorney states that the rapper "did not assault or batter Gables" and that the former assistant fabricated the allegations of criminal conduct and violence. The countersuit alleges Gables' public lawsuit has damaged Rhymes' reputation, causing him humiliation and embarrassment, as well as the loss of two advertising campaigns.

While statements made in court are typically protected from defamation claims, Rhymes' countersuit argues that Gables shared the lawsuit with the press and encouraged media coverage, going beyond the litigation privilege. Gables' lawyers have not yet responded to the countersuit.