Overview

• Filed on Oct. 13, the federal counterclaim by Busta Rhymes and his company Starbus LLC alleges defamation by former assistant Dashiel Gables and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, legal fees, and a retraction.
• The filing denies assault, workplace abuse, and wage theft allegations and asserts Gables acted with actual malice or reckless disregard, with Busta Rhymes claiming the allegations cost him two advertising campaigns.
• Gables’ Aug. 4 lawsuit alleges a January 2025 assault, a hostile work environment, and wage-and-hour violations, including a claim about a demeaning toilet incident, and seeks roughly $6–7 million while alleging industry blacklisting.
• Busta Rhymes acknowledges Gables worked for Starbus LLC at $1,500 per week but disputes his employee classification and maintains the alleged lobby assault “never occurred” despite both being present.
• Authorities previously charged Busta Rhymes after he surrendered on the January report, and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office says that criminal case is sealed; the civil matter is before Judge Margo M. Horan with discovery preparations underway.