Dangerous (Busta Rhymes song)

Updated on Oct 28, 2023

Edit

Comment

Format CD single 12" single Genre Hip hop		Recorded 1997 Length 3:37
B-side You Won't Tell, I Won't Tell / Coming Off Released 18 November 1997 (US) 30 December 1997 (UK)

"Dangerous" is a hip hop song written by Lawrence Dermer, Trevor Smith, Rashad Smith, Henry Stone and Freddy Stonewall for Busta Rhymes second album When Disaster Strikes. The song is the album's fifteenth track, and was released as its second single, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999, but lost to "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" by Will Smith. The video was directed by Hype Williams.

Music and lyrics

"Dangerous" has a rhythm tempo at 103 BPM. The chorus of the song (This is serious/We could make you delirious/You should have a healthy fear of us/'Cause too much of us is dangerous) was taken from a 1983 Long Island Regional Poison Control Council PSA warning children of the danger of loose prescription medications. The rhythm track was sampled from the 1982 song "E.T. Boogie" by the Extra T's.

Music video

The video takes several cues from Lethal Weapon with Busta made to look like Mel Gibson (Riggs) and Spliff Starr to look like Gary Busey (Mr. Joshua). The second verse also references the scene where Riggs is electrocuted, and ends with a confrontation between Busta and himself, this time dressed as Sho'nuff from The Last Dragon.