Busta Rhymes Files Countersuit Against Ex-Assistant

Busta Rhymes has countersued his former assistant who accused the rapper of punching him while at work.

Rhymes, born Trevor Smith Jr., was arrested in Brooklyn back in January on third-degree assault charges after allegedly striking then-assistant Dashiel Gables in the face. Gables then filed a federal lawsuit this summer accusing Smith of physical assault and other workplace abuses.

According to Billboard, Smith’s attorney Patrick Butler denied that the artist battered Gables in the counterclaim docketed on Monday (Oct. 13) in federal court. The lawyer claimed the former assistant “knew the statements were false, or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, including by fabricating allegations of criminal conduct and violence, omitting exculpatory facts and deliberately ignoring contrary evidence.”

The countersuit also alleges that Gables shared his previous lawsuit with the media and that Smith’s reputation has been damaged by the defamatory claims, resulting in the rapper being dropped from two advertising campaigns.

Mark A. Panzavecchia, a lawyer representing Gables, responded to the filing in statement to Rolling Stone. “There is absolutely no basis for the counterclaims and we stand by our client and his lawsuit,” said Panzavecchia. “The evidence will corroborate our account of the events.”

Gables’ lawsuit from earlier this year claimed that Smith “routinely degraded, screamed at, and made unreasonable demands of Plaintiff and other employees,” and allegedly spit in their faces, smacked the back of their heads, and grabbed their clothes.

The former assistant claimed that in January, Smith yelled at him after Gables answered a phone call from his own daughter. Smith then allegedly punched Gables several times, which “constructively terminated Plaintiff’s employment.”

In a previous statement to the Guardian, Smith denied the allegations stated in Gables’ lawsuit. “I completely and categorically deny these allegations. For a very brief period, Dashiel assisted me, but it did not work out,’” Smith said at the time. “Apparently, Dashiel has decided to respond to being let go by manufacturing claims against me in an attempt to attack and damage my reputation.”

This article was updated on Oct. 14 at 12:03 a.m. to include a statement from Dashiel Gables’ attorney.