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Flipmode Squad was formed in 1993 in the United States by Busta Rhymes, born Trevor George Smith Jr. in Brooklyn, New York, on March 20, 1972, who served as the collective’s founder and frontman. The group’s breakthrough came with the release of the single "Everybody on the Line Outside" in 1998, followed by the debut studio album The Imperial on September 22, 1998, which featured tracks such as "Run for Cover" and "Cha Cha Cha" and established the squad’s presence on the rap charts. Over the next decade, Flipmode Squad released mixtapes Arsenal for the Streets pt. 1 (2002) and pt. 2 (The Full Court Press) (2003), and the collective collaborated with artists including Rah Digga, Spliff Star, and DJ Scratch, while touring extensively across the United States and Europe. The group’s membership fluctuated, with notable departures such as Rampage in 2006 and Lord Have Mercy in 2000, and later reconfigurations into the Conglomerate under Busta Rhymes’ leadership. In 2012, the collective issued the mixtape Catastrophic as the Conglomerate, and in March 2024 Busta Rhymes announced the reformation of Flipmode Squad, with plans for a new album later that year, marking the latest chapter in the group’s ongoing contribution to hip‑hop culture.
