5/20/08 Joe Budden Interview

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

Maintaining relevancy in an industry where the focus changes every fifteen minutes can be a tedious task. But if you let Joe Budden tell it, he’s birthed his own way of survival. Emerging from the streets of Jersey City in 2003 with his self titled debut, Joe was destined for greatness. But with less then stellar album sales, a dysfunctional label family, and creative gripes with a fellow label mate/former president, things quickly turned sour for the blossoming MC. 5 years and 3 critically acclaimed mixtapes later, Joe Budden’s new perspective on hip hop has given him his second wind. BET.com sat down with Budden to discuss his new project, the passion and soul displayed through his music, and the possibilities of joining forces with a former foe.

BET.com: Padded Room was scheduled for an April 22 release, but that date has since come and gone. What’s the status on your new album and what direction will you be taking this time around?

Joe Budden: Padded Room is great. I just wanted to do something different…musically, sonically. I wanted to be able to say anything that was on my mind without being judged for it. It’s finished, we wrapped up, and it should be out late July early August.

BET.com: Will Padded Room reflect the current mind and creative state you’re in right now?

Joe Budden: Well, I don’t know if Padded Room will reflect the space that I am in currently…Padded Room will almost be, like I don’t want to say a novelty album, but it will be different for anything that Joe Budden has released, or will ever release. It really does sound like something that you should be high on, something to listen to; it’s a listener’s album. I don’t think there’s too many listeners albums out there this second, but the space that I was doing when I dropped my first album, not even the space everything is different with hip hop and with me, and you know my situation, things have evolved since then.

BET.com: You’ve had your share of lyrical squabbles with The Game, G-Unit, Mistah Fab, Ransom and of course, Jay-Z; if you could go back in time would you handle those conflicts any different?

Joe Budden: I regret them all. I mean if I had to go back and do it over again, I wouldn’t. Like to me, it’s pointless, nothing comes out of it, but bad blood, animosity, or burnt bridges. I’ve never resorted to that for success, or to move units. I’ve probably never been in a position where doing that would be beneficial to a Joe Budden project.

BET.com: Speaking of Jay-Z, he recently inked a $150 Million deal with LiveNation to basically build his own empire; would you ever consider teaming up with him again?

Joe Budden: No! No! I wouldn’t. I just wouldn’t. I’ve already been a part of a régime that he was head of and it just didn’t work out, so I wouldn’t put myself in that situation again, I just wouldn’t. Nothing against him, or his deal, or any of that, I personally wouldn’t for me. 

BET.com: Is there still bad blood between the two of you?

Joe Budden: No! It’s just more to do with how I feel about artistry, him being an artist, because he is an artist, and myself being an artist. I can’t really see that meshing too well; it didn’t work out when I was with DEF JAM, in my opinion anyway.

BET.com: Your Mood Muzik mixtape series has gained enormous admiration from an assortment of outlets including the New York Times. With the third installment being released several months ago, can we look forward to another installment anytime soon?

Joe Budden: Definitely, definitely. I really could probably be halfway done with one right this second if I chose to do that, but I won’t. Mood Muzik 2 came out two years ago, two years later Mood Muzik 3 came out. I don’t see it as a mix-tape, you know mix-tapes come out every week, every month; I put a lot of energy into these Mood Muzik installments. Mood Muzik 4 will come out, but I don’t know if DJ OnPoint will be doing it nor do I know when it will come out, but it’s coming and a Mood Muzik 5, and a Mood Muzik 6. No matter what I am doing, Mood Muzik will always come out, always.

BET.com: When it’s all said and done, how do you want your legacy to be remembered?

Joe Budden: Well, we’re speeding once we start talking about legacy; I need to be remembered period. You know it’s a million people that have come and gone and are not remembered, I don’t want to be one of those people. I just want to be remembered as a guy who rapped better than a lot of people that was rapping at the time. Accomplishing that may be a tad bit difficult because rap is not the in thing to do. You’re actually more successful the less you rap.

BET.com: But who do you like now?

Joe Budden: Who do I like? Nobody! I listen to me, that's who I listen to. Eminem don't rap anymore.....

BET.com: Is that your only choice?

Joe Budden: No, I hear everybody and everything, but I won't hop in my car and put this BS that's out right now on. I mean, if i had a choice , I would wash out 95% of the rappers out right now. But if I did that, there wouldn't be any hip hop. I'm totally fine with having something for everybody, but I'm also alright with not being apart of that everybody. I listen to Kanye. I go out and anticipate Kanye's material. Aside from that, I don't look forward or anticipate anything else. Nobody is bold enough to get in the booth, let it all hang out and disregard the backlash; Kanye does it every trip. I would like to listen to somebody who puts 110% into their craft and he does that. Jay use to do that, but that stopped being the case after Kingdom Come. Pac used to do that for me and still does. I can put on any 2Pac album and it'll be better than 99% of what's happening at this very moment. Timeless music; that's what I'm into, no one is making that.

BET.com: Where do you see hip hop in the next 5 years?

Joe Budden: I don't even wanna look, I don't wanna look!

BET.com: You feel it's that bad?

Joe Budden: I'm horrified of where it might be in five years. I don't wanna think about it and I don't wanna look!

[Lunatic]

when is he dropping an album, seriously? im somewhat a fan, not hardcore though. Ain't heard any of those Mood Muzik mixtapes.

Went out and copped his debut album when it came out (randomly, dunno why i did lol) but it surprised the fuck outta me - super hot.

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

when is he dropping an album, seriously? im somewhat a fan, not hardcore though. Ain't heard any of those Mood Muzik mixtapes.

Went out and copped his debut album when it came out (randomly, dunno why i did lol) but it surprised the fuck outta me - super hot.

Album coming late July / early Aug. 

Mood Muzik 2 is probably the strongest of the series, start with that.  It will give you a really good idea of what he's really about.

[NiCc_FrUm_ThA_nO]

If I were u Luna I would go chronologically..usually its save the best for last, but fuck it.

Props leak for the interview, I hope he stays true to that release date.

[Lunatic]

i'll try and find the time to hear the MM series

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

i'll try and find the time to hear the MM series

Holler if u need links, I got all dat shit.

[Ali Tha Great]

i'll try and find the time to hear the MM series

Holler if u need links, I got all dat shit.

yo could u hook me up wit the links...i already have the first MM...I need the 2nd and 3rd one...

[BANGADOSHISH!!]

what label is buddens with he even under one

[bez]

t understand why people re saying Hip hop is dead and all this bullshit. He was asked where he thought hip hop would be in five years and he replied, I dont even want to look. Why? Hip hop will always be around, it will always survive, just because his deal fucked up with Jay and them doesnt mean that everything else in hip hop is bad. He must of been involved in his fair share of bullshit with Def Jam and Jay Z otherwise he would still be there putting out dope albums year after year, just like Kanye does.

In five years hip hop will of changed but it certainly wont be gone. Somebody will appear from nowhere, just like Eminem did, like Kanye did, like 50 and Game did and take the world by storm. It aint dead, or dying, its changing and surviving.

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

what label is buddens with he even under one

Amalgam Digital.

i'll try and find the time to hear the MM series

Holler if u need links, I got all dat shit.

yo could u hook me up wit the links...i already have the first MM...I need the 2nd and 3rd one...

MM2 http://www.mediafire.com/?9yiohx5zjey

MM3 http://www.mediafire.com/?d4chndhhccz

[Lunatic]

^^well said Bez

[Ali Tha Great]

what label is buddens with he even under one

Amalgam Digital.

i'll try and find the time to hear the MM series

Holler if u need links, I got all dat shit.

yo could u hook me up wit the links...i already have the first MM...I need the 2nd and 3rd one...

MM2 http://www.mediafire.com/?9yiohx5zjey

MM3 http://www.mediafire.com/?d4chndhhccz

major props homie...u always deliver...+3

[GangstaBoogy]

If Crooked I could learn to be more like Joe Budden I wouldn't give a fuck about him releasing a real album either.