*Interview* Joe Budden - Escape From Def Row

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

Making it in Hip-Hop can be compared to making it at the highest level in professional sports. First you start off as young MC perfecting his or her craft (kids practicing on the basketball court). Then as you become more lyrical, your first test is to show people how good you are (playing ball in high school).

After you’ve run those ranks, you hit the mixtape circuit; so more people can see how good you’ve become (playing college ball). But you know that your main goal is to make it to the league (getting signed to a major). Now after all that hard work pays off, after all that determination and dedication comes to light, you finally achieve your ultimate dream, and you are now one of the star payers for one of the biggest and most historical teams out there. So what happens next?

Well your rookie season was a solid one; you put up good numbers (over 500,000 sold). Then as you’re ready to start your second year, you’re benched. And you were continually benched adding up to three more years of inactivity. That’s exactly how the career of Joe Budden turned out from 2003-07.

Everybody (including himself) expected big things to happen after the release of his self-titled album back in June of ’03. Besides the fact of his single “Pump It Up” getting an insane amount of radio spins along with the video getting major affection on MTV and BET; it was also featured in the mov ie 2 Fast 2 Furious, and made its way onto the Madden series videogame, in Madden 2004.

His other song, “Focus” was featured in Def Jam Vendetta. And last but not least, his third single “Fire” echoed in the background during a party scene in the movie Mean Girls  which starred good girl turned bad and gotten worse, Lindsay Lohan (and grossed over $129,042,871.00 worldwide). If you also mention that his first go-around produced a project that sold a half a million records, then you’re looking at a resume that isn’t too shabby. So what happened? Why didn’t anything more come from all that experience and exposure? You’ll probably be more successful finding Jimmy Hoffa’s body rather than getting an answer to that question.

But still everybody has their own thoughts of what was really went on behind the closed doors over at the Def Jam offices. Some say that a small feud between him and his soon-to-be boss might have hindered the process a little bit. But then Jay-Z went on to say he wasn’t exactly sure how to release an artist like Joe Budden: “If you just want to throw an album out there then next week, [fine]… [Then] you’re recording [songs] about how we didn’t support it. We could do that.” “We could do that tomorrow.” I don’t think that is what he wants. I don’t think that what he needs. Maybe…I don’t know.”

But whatever the reason was is something Joe doesn’t have to worry about any longer because he is with Def Jam no more. He’s managed to keep his name in Hip-Hop circles with his mixtape series Mood Muzik, while simultaneously weathering the storm with Jersey-based MC Ransom. "Broadway Joe "also decided to think aloud on a song called "Talk 2 ‘Em" where he gets a few things off his chest pertaining the man who would subsequently leave Def Jam in the following months after his departure (talk about irony).

But all is love and fair in Hip-Hop, because as the universal slogan goes: “It is what it is.” And Jersey Joe has been thrown a new lifeline, and no longer has to worry about “Def” being right around the corner.

What’s going on these days?

Same sh*t, different toilet.

[Laughs] I dig it. So why do you think it’s been difficult for you to settle into a good situation?

It hasn’t been difficult for to find a good situation, but right now I’m coming out of some f**ked up sh*t. And that just happened within the course of the last two months. The week after I got released, I was still getting offers. But naturally coming out of the situation I came out of; I would be very cautious going into the next one. So right now I’m just weighing my options and seeing what’s-what.

So you’re not with anyone right now?

No. Whatever you heard were rumors. I’m currently UNSIGNED, and I’m still getting offers. But I’m not deep in talks with anyone just yet.

So did your experience at Def Jam leave a bad taste in your mouth?

I wouldn’t say it put a bad taste in my mouth, but it was a learning experience. It wasn’t anything to where it put that much of a bad taste in my mouth to where I wouldn’t f**k with a major [label] again.

So if you thought the right situation presented itself at a major label, you would take it, as opposed to an independent deal?

Definitely.

How was your whole mind set during that period where it seemed like you were stuck in limbo?

It was frustrating as SH*T! There’s really no words for it. It was like I didn’t have an outlet to release music, and for an artist that’s the most important thing. And no matter what I did, I couldn’t get that to come to fruition. It was frustrating. My case was the only one where an artist would get dropped from the label, and would get everybody congratulating him.

What kept you motivated?

Music. Just music. Towards the end of my stay over there, it was the same thing as being unsigned. I wasn’t getting any attention and I wasn’t in any communication with anybody at the label. But even getting dropped didn’t put a change in my lifestyle. I’m still in the studio everyday, and I still go do my shows, and I still do my ghostwriting thing. So I still do everything I’ve been doing, it’s just now I’m able to release music.

You’ve been ghostwriting?

Hell yeah!

For how long?

For years. I’ve been doing that for about three years. 

Speaking of writing, what about your song Talk 2 ‘Em.

Yeah, the ‘quote-un-quote’ diss record.

Well was it a diss? Is there any bad blood between you two?

Um. I don’t have any bad blood towards Hov. That was just something I needed to get off my chest at the time. But still I tried to do it in a respectful manner.

So you don’t know why your album The Growth never materialized over there?

Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. You would have to talk to somebody else to get to the bottom line of why it ended up like that. I don’t know, honestly. Some people say I wasn’t making records. There’s probably a million answers depending on whom you ask, but the button line is I have no idea.

Did it just seem like they stop treating you as priority?

I was far from a priority.

How important has the mixtape circuit been to you in terms of keeping you name relevant?

Yeah it’s the same like before I had a record deal, when I was just relying on the mixtapes to just get my name and my buzz out there. That’s how I’ve been able to stay relevant for the past four years. So I owe it all to mixtapes and to new media for people to still knowing what’s going on with “Joe Budden.” So without that, I don’t know where I would be.

There were also rumors about you signing to Shady Records. Any truth to that?

Yeah that’s a rumor.

So nobody from Shady has contacted you?

I mean I’m not going to say that, but as far as [me] in heavy talks with [them]….no. As far as us being close to closing a deal…no. 

Well when you do get secure in your next situation, are you going to do anything different?

Well I don’t think I did anything wrong. I did my job as an artist, and what artists are supposed to do. Make music, record music, and go 100% at promoting music, and to promote myself, and build a brand. And I did all that stuff. I honestly don’t know. You can re-shift the question however you want, but I honestly don’t know. And that has to be the 60 million dollar question as far as me and everybody in my camp is concerned.

So being on the sidelines like that, and seeing less-talented artists getting their careers of the ground must have been driving you crazy.

Definitely. Of course, course. But what can you do? I don’t harbor any ill will towards those people, and I wish them all the best. And I’m thankful for the time spent over there. But it is what it is. I’m over it, and its 2008, and I’m no longer there, and I no longer have any ties over there. And that’s the part that I’m thankful for.

[akcranker - The Dangerous Crew Movement]

short interview but an interesting read.

props