Busta: "No Guilt Over Bodyguard Shooting"

EXCLUSIVE: Rhymes talks to MTV UK News about the controversial death of his bodyguard...

Busta Rhymes says he feels no guilt over the mysterious shooting of his bodyguard Israel Ramirez on the set of his 'Touch It' video, last year.

The killer still hasn't been caught and Rhymes has come in for criticism from the police, and most recently Ramirez's family, over his apparent refusal to cooperate with the investigation into his employee and friend's death.

Just last week (February 6) Ramirez's sister told a US newspaper, "We really don't want anything to do with that man (Rhymes). He could stop breathing tomorrow, and I wouldn't care. Whatever happens to Busta Rhymes is not going to bring back my brother."

However, speaking exclusively to MTV News, the rapper said, "I doesnt hurt me (what the family say) because I dont live with guilt. I didnt do nothing. I didnt contribute to that negative (in any) shape or form.

"What I did, I offered my man an opportunity to make money to provide food on the table for his family. We were in a work environment which was supposed to be a controlled environment, a place where we were supposed to be productive. We had children on the set. The environment was a completely positive environment."

The rapper puts Ramirez's death down to, "elements we classify as the X factor, things that were out of our control"

"The explanation to this day hasnt been made clear as to why it happened in that way," he said.

"As far as certain family members feeling a certain way about me, I can never hold that against them because everybody gotta deal with tragedy in their own way. Especially when its direct personal tragedy. All I can do is try to be the greatest support system I could be despite how they want to use me as a punching bag. Im cool with that."

It's been widely reported that Busta is a devotee of no snitching street justice and has kept his mouth shut around investigators so far for this reason.

SLJ