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Joe Budden

From Alfawiki
Joe Budden
Born (1980-08-31) August 31, 1980 (age 46)
East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)Media personality, former rapper
Years active2002–present
Known for"Pump It Up", The Joe Budden Podcast, member of Slaughterhouse

Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American media personality and former hip hop artist. He rose to prominence with his 2003 hit single "Pump It Up", which entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded his debut album of the same name released that year. The album achieved both critical praise and commercial success, reaching the top ten on the Billboard 200, yet it remained his sole major-label project under Def Jam Recordings. Following this, Budden independently released seven albums that were well received by critics. Additionally, he was a member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, which signed to Shady Records in 2012 and issued two studio albums.

In 2018, Budden stepped away from recording music to concentrate on his career in broadcasting. He launched The Joe Budden Podcast in 2015, which has produced over 800 episodes. In 2017, he co-hosted Everyday Struggle on Complex alongside DJ Akademiks. Between 2018 and 2020, he co-hosted State of the Culture with Remy Ma on the Revolt channel. Renowned for his straightforward perspectives on hip hop personalities, Budden has been dubbed "the Howard Stern of hip hop."

Early life

Born on August 31, 1980, in East Harlem, Upper Manhattan, New York City, Budden is the son of Joseph Budden and Fay Southerland. At age thirteen, he relocated with his mother and older brother to Jersey City, New Jersey, where he attended Lincoln High School. The absence of his father was a recurring subject throughout his music.

During a turbulent adolescence, Budden was enrolled at Laurinburg Institute, a boarding school in North Carolina, where he began honing his rapping abilities. After returning to Jersey City, he faced challenges with substance abuse, particularly angel dust. Following a heartfelt discussion with his mother, he voluntarily entered rehabilitation in 1997 as a prerequisite to attending his senior prom. Although he did not complete high school graduation, by twenty years old he had become a father and started dedicating himself seriously to music. In 2001, Budden collaborated with producer Dub-B (White Boy) to produce mixtapes and demos; one such demo caught the attention of Hot 97 radio host and Desert Storm Records executive DJ Clue.

Breakthrough and debut album (2002–2003)

Budden quickly established himself as a prominent figure in mixtape circuits and secured a contract with Def Jam Recordings in 2002. His initial breakthrough came with the promotional track "Focus," which remained on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for seventeen weeks and peaked at number 43.

On May 8, 2003, Budden released "Pump It Up" as the lead single from his debut album. Produced by Just Blaze, the single achieved commercial success by reaching number 16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 10 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, and number 39 on the Radio Songs chart. The track was featured in prominent film soundtracks such as 2 Fast 2 Furious and You Got Served, as well as popular video games including Madden NFL 2004 and the Def Jam video game series where Budden was a playable character. "Pump It Up" earned a nomination for Best Male Rap Solo Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.

Budden’s eponymous debut album dropped on June 10, 2003, debuting at number eight on the U.S. Billboard 200, moving 95,000 units in its first week and eventually selling over 420,000 copies domestically. Its follow-up single "Fire (Yes, Yes Y'all)", featuring rapper Busta Rhymes, peaked at number eighteen on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and number forty-eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. A remix featuring Paul Cain and Fabolous was also released and appeared on Fabolous's mixtape More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape. Later in 2003, Budden was featured on Marques Houston’s single "Clubbin", produced by R. Kelly, which reached number thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

Label Challenges and Mood Muzik Series (2003–2008)

During his tenure with Def Jam, Budden delivered two highly praised mixtapes: Mood Muzik: The Worst of Joe Budden (December 9, 2003) and Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse? (December 26, 2005). The latter was later recognized by Complex as one of the greatest mixtapes ever produced. Concurrently, Budden was developing his sophomore album, The Growth, initially slated for a June 21, 2005 release. Nevertheless, ongoing creative disagreements with Def Jam executives regarding the album's direction caused repeated postponements. The lead single, "Gangsta Party" featuring Nate Dogg, was issued on May 25, 2005. Ultimately, The Growth was shelved indefinitely, and Budden exited Def Jam in October 2007.

In December 2007, Budden inked a multi-album contract with independent distributor Amalgam Digital. His debut release through this partnership was Mood Muzik 3: The Album, which dropped on February 26, 2008. This project served as a commercial adaptation of the earlier mixtape Mood Muzik 3: For Better or for Worse (December 15, 2007). Although sales were modest, the album received widespread critical praise for Budden’s honest and introspective lyrical content.

Halfway House, Slaughterhouse Formation, Padded Room, Escape Route Era (2008–2012)

Budden’s third studio album, Halfway House, was released digitally on October 28, 2008. This marked his return to the Billboard charts after a five-year absence, with approximately 3,000 downloads sold during its initial week. The album featured the track "Slaughterhouse," which brought together Crooked I, Royce da 5'9", and Joell Ortiz—this collaboration eventually led to the creation of the group Slaughterhouse.

Following some delays, Budden’s fourth album Padded Room arrived on February 24, 2009. It debuted at No. 42 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and secured the No. 2 spot on the Top Independent Albums chart with first-week sales tallying 13,451 copies. His fifth studio effort, Escape Route, was released on August 11, 2009 to favorable reviews. On that same day, Slaughterhouse launched their self-titled debut album via E1.

Slaughterhouse initially planned a sophomore album for 2010 under the working title No Muzzle. However, after discussions with Eminem's Shady Records, the group opted to pursue a major label deal instead. Following complications involving E1 and Amalgam Digital, Slaughterhouse officially signed with Shady Records on January 12, 2011. They subsequently released a self-titled EP on February 8, 2011.

The group’s second studio album, Welcome to: Our House, was unveiled on August 28, 2012. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Rap Albums chart with first-week sales reaching 52,000 copies. This release was preceded by the mixtape On The House, which dropped on August 19, 2012.

No Love Lost through Rage & The Machine (2013–2016)

On October 16, 2012, Budden introduced "She Don't Put It Down", featuring Lil Wayne and Tank, as the lead single from his sixth studio album. The track entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 96—Budden’s first chart appearance since his hit "Pump It Up" nearly ten years prior in 2003.

In early 2013, Budden joined the cast of VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York, appearing in seasons three and four.

His sixth album No Love Lost was released on February 5, 2013. It debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, selling approximately 30,000 copies during its first week and reaching around 60,000 by March. This project followed November’s mixtape A Loose Quarter. On March 26, Budden unveiled the second single "N.B.A. (Never Broke Again)" featuring Wiz Khalifa and French Montana.

On July 12, 2014, Budden engaged in a rap battle event titled Total Slaughter, where he faced top battler Hollow Da Don but lost by unanimous decision.

February 2015 saw Budden launch a weekly podcast alongside Rory Farrell and Marisa Mendez called I'll Name This Podcast Later. His seventh studio album All Love Lost arrived on October 16, 2015 to critical acclaim. This release was preceded by the EP Some Love Lost (November 4, 2014) and singles including "Broke" and "Slaughtermouse".

Budden announced his final solo tour dates on May 16, 2016. On July 2 of that year he dropped "Making A Murderer Part I", a diss track aimed at Canadian rapper Drake, with references also directed at Meek Mill. He later clarified that the track was meant as competitive rather than personal animosity. Following this phase of his career, Marisa Mendez was replaced by Jamil "Mal" Clay on the podcast which was subsequently renamed to The Joe Budden Podcast.

His eighth and final solo album Rage & The Machine, produced entirely by AraabMUZIK, was released on October 21, 2016. It debuted at No. 40 on the Billboard 200, moving approximately 11,341 units in its opening week in the United States.

Broadcasting career (2017–present)

On April 17, 2017, Budden took on the role of co-host for Everyday Struggle, a morning show aired daily on Complex, sharing hosting duties with DJ Akademiks and Nadeska Alexis. During the pre-show of the BET Awards on June 25, 2017, Budden and Takeoff from Migos clashed after Budden questioned Takeoff about his absence on Migos' 2016 hit Bad and Boujee, which resulted in Budden leaving the set abruptly. The rapper Quavo referenced Budden in the track "Ice Tray" with the line "If a nigga hatin' call him Joe Budden". By December 2017, Budden had exited Everyday Struggle.

On May 14, 2018, Budden revealed a collaboration with Sean Combs and his media enterprise Revolt, leading to the creation and production of the talk show State of the Culture, which debuted on September 10, 2018. He co-hosted alongside rapper and fellow Love & Hip Hop personality Remy Ma. During the summer of 2018, The Joe Budden Podcast embarked on a live tour across various U.S. cities. At this juncture, Budden officially declared his retirement from rapping. In August of that year, he secured an exclusive agreement with Spotify to distribute his podcast, increasing its frequency to twice weekly. However, on August 27, 2020, Budden announced his decision to part ways with Spotify upon contract completion due to financial disagreements.

Budden made a return to Love & Hip Hop: New York in November 2018 for its ninth season and also featured in the show's tenth anniversary season.

On February 3, 2021, he disclosed plans to end his exclusive Spotify deal and transition his podcast content exclusively to crowdfunding platform Patreon. Additionally, he accepted a position on Patreon's board as Creator Equity Advisor to help tackle challenges related to creator monetization.

Personal life

Budden is a father of two sons. His eldest child, Joseph Budden III (known as Trey), was born in 2001. In 2010, authorities from the Hudson County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant related to unpaid child support. His younger son, Lexington, was born on December 15, 2017, with model Cyn Santana. The couple became engaged in December 2018 after Budden proposed during a live broadcast of The Joe Budden Podcast in New York City; however, they later ended their engagement. Since 2019, Budden has been romantically involved with Shadee Monique.

On March 30, 2012, Budden missed a scheduled Slaughterhouse concert in his hometown after spending a night in jail over an unpaid $75 parking fine.

In 2014, Budden faced accusations involving assault and theft concerning his girlfriend; he surrendered himself and appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court charged with assault, grand larceny, and robbery. These charges were eventually dropped.

Budden has openly acknowledged previous struggles with PCP and MDMA addiction but has maintained sobriety since then and has actively spoken against drug use.

Views

Budden is recognized for his candid criticism of various music artists. In 2010, he engaged in a public Twitter dispute with Lil B, which prompted Lil B to release the diss track "T-Shirts and Buddens". He also expressed disapproval of Lil Yachty’s musical approach during his time on Everyday Struggle. In 2023, Budden reignited longstanding conflicts involving Drake and YoungBoy Never Broke Again, voicing sharp criticism of their work. Both musicians responded by dismissing Budden as an unsuccessful artist while employing derogatory language toward him.

Discography

Solo studio albums

Albums with collaborators

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Hip Hop Babylon Himself Documentary
2012 Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
2013 Can't Forget New Jersey Documentary; in post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013–2014;
2018–2020 		Love & Hip Hop: New York Himself Recurring cast during seasons 3–4
Lead cast for seasons 9–10
2015 Couples Therapy Himself Featured cast in season 6
2018–2020 State of the Culture Himself Host, creator, and executive producer

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Def Jam Vendetta Himself Voice role
2004 Def Jam: Fight for NY
2006 Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover

External links

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