Busta Rhymes opens his second album with a ridiculous monologue predicting global destruction before the year 2000. The only thing in danger of vaporizing over the next two years is Rhymes's career. Listening to Busta's gruff voice for well over an hour is an endurance test of the highest order, especially after MTV and radio have relentlessly subjected listeners to his "Woo-haa!" battle cry. Thankfully, Busta makes his pipes contort in every way possible on When Disaster Strikes... From mellow to wild, over an eclectic mix of samples that range from Seals & Croft to KC & the Sunshine Band to Henri Mancini. Sean "Puffy" Combs produces a track called "The Body Rock" that sounds like an old-school Tribe Called Quest cut, while Erykah Badu helps Busta forget the rampant sexism and violence for a minute as the unlikely duo gets spiritual on "One." Disaster avoided...for now. --Aidin Vaziri