Busta Rhymes Arrested for Assaulting Gym Employee With Protein Drink

Busta Rhymes was busted on Wednesday for an alleged altercation at Steel Gym in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

The 43-year-old rapper, born Trevor Tahiem Smith Jr., was arrested on second degree assault charges after he threw a Lean Body protein drink at a gym employee during an argument. The New York Police Department tells ET that the victim, a 33-year-old male, suffered a "contusion and scratches/marks to the back of his head."

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"The two of them knew each other prior to this incident. It was related to a prior dispute," a NYPD spokesperson said. "The origin of this argument may have gone back a few days before yesterday's incident. It just came to a head, and this is the way [Busta Rhymes] thought it would bring some sort of conclusion."

ET confirmed with Busta Rhymes' lawyer, Scott Leemon, that his client was released Thursday night on his own recognizance. 

"This is another example of someone trying to get rich on a baseless allegation," Leemon said. "There were no injuries and the whole charge is a bunch of bull."

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This isn't Busta Rhymes' first arrest. In August 2006, he was charged with third-degree assault after he allegedly attacked a man for spitting on his car. He was sentenced to three year's probation and 10 days of community service.

Then in 2009, the rapper was ordered to pay $75,000 to a concertgoer for an alleged assault that occurred in 2003.

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Busta Rhymes isn't the only hip-hop artist to find himself in trouble with the law this summer. In June, Sean "Diddy" Combs was also arrested following an altercation with his son Justin's UCLA football coach.

Diddy's lawyers told ET that the 45-year-old rapper's alleged assault on the athletic supervisor was an act of self defense.

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"The various accounts of the event and charges that are being reported are wholly inaccurate," his lawyer's said in a statement at the time. "What we can say now is that any actions taken by Mr. Combs were solely defensive in nature to protect himself and his son. We are confident that once the true facts are revealed, the case will be dismissed."

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