Busta Rhymes has countersued his former assistant for allegedly "fabricating" an assault lawsuit.

The 53-year-old rapper - whose real name is Trevor George Smith Jr. - filed a counterclaim in federal court this week accusing his former PA Dashiel Gables of defamation over claims he was assaulted by the musician.

In court documents obtained by PEOPLE magazine, Busta has alleged that he has experienced "damage to reputation, goodwill, and standing in the music and advertising industries".

He also claimed the allegations cost him "advertising campaigns and other business opportunities", and he is calling for "special damages in an amount to be proven at trial".

In the documents, he adds: "Gables' conduct was willful, wanton, and malicious, warranting an award of punitive damages."

Gables worked for the musician from July 2024 until early this year, and he claimed his employment ended when he filed a police report over an alleged assault.

In his own filing, Busta has said: "Smith did not assault or batter Gables.

"Gables knew the statements were false, or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, including by fabricating allegations of criminal conduct and violence, omitting exculpatory facts and deliberately ignoring contrary evidence.

"At a minimum, Gables acted negligently in ascertaining the truth."

Gables, who also goes by the name Divine, filed his civil complaint on August 4 and he is seeking a trial by jury on all triable issues.

He claimed he and Busta had got into an argument in January this year because when he was trying to contact his daughter, the rapper screamed at him to "stay the f*** off your phone" before allegedly punching him in the face twice.

Gables went to the hospital with a swollen eye and filed a police report, and Busta turned himself in to authorities, where he faced three assault charges, before allegedly firing his assistant which "effectively blacklisted [him] from employment opportunities in his chosen field [in the music industry]".

The ex-employee claimed he was regularly verbally abused, with the Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check hitmaker allegedly "routinely degrading and screaming" at him with "unreasonable and demeaning demands".

He also accused his former boss of calling him a homophobic slur, ridiculing his poor hearing and threatening to "bloody [his] face" and "get 'street justice.' "

When it comes to his pay, Gables alleged his then-boss failed "to provide proper wage notices and wage statements," including a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, New York Labor Law Wage Notice and Wage Statement Violations, and failure to pay spread of hours pay (New York Labor Law).

He is seeking compensatory damages for past lost wages and benefits, for unpaid minimum wages and overtime, for future wages lost due to being blacklisted by the industry, and other wage and hour violations, as well as liquidated damages as provided by FLSA and New York Labor Law.