His music initially gained popularity on New York City's famous mixtape circuit in 2002. Although his biggest mainstream hit to-date is 2003's up-tempo "Pump It Up," Budden is known for his reflective and often insecure lyrics. He is widely considered one of hip-hop's most gifted lyricists, thanks largely in part to his numerous works on mixtapes by such DJ's as DJ Clue, Clinton Sparks, DJ On Point, and DJ Envy.
On one particular mixtape song, called "Crosscountry Connection", Joe started a feud with the G-Unit camp. The Game took offense to a line where Joe claims that gangsta rappers should "be in a G-Unit video with all the gangsta actors", obviously claiming G-Unit are fake gangstas. Unbeknownst to Budden, The Game had just recently signed with the G-Unit camp. The Game and G-Unit fired a few diss songs Budden's way; he replied in kind. The feud was ended when The Game and Budden met in a club in New York City and put the past aside.
During winter and spring of 2005, through Joe Budden mixtapes and hip-hop rumor mills, it was said that he departed from Def Jam to Roc-A-Fella Records with CEO Damon Dash. In reality, Budden was legally obligated to stay with Def Jam. In the beginning of Budden's career, it took him a long time to get public exposure, working more than three years from the first time his demo tapes were heard to the first time he was on the radio. He has appeared on many tracks with other artists including 112, Amerie, Brandy, Cassidy, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Freeway, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Jin, Kelly Rowland, Lil' Kim, LL Cool J, Marques Houston, Usher, and more recently a remix to the hit song "Hollaback Girl" with Gwen Stefani. Some of these were not official remixes, simply mixtape tracks where a Joe Budden verse was added to an existing song.
Though he is thought of as one of rap's most skilled lyricists, Budden's success outside of the mixtape circuit has been marginal purposely. He is known to have invested in real estate in North Jersey and instead of blowing up into the rap scene he decided to make money from other methods instead of getting a record deal. His music is usually more sensitive and thought provoking than that of gangsta rappers, but subsequently, it is also more explicit and unrelenting than most "conscious" or "backpack" rappers.
In late December of 2005, Joe released a mixtape after almost 5 months of being absent from the game. Mood Muzik 2 is considered by most to be a lyrical masterpiece and with so deep tracks such as "Dumb Out" and the emotional "3 Sides to a Story" (in which Joe harrowingly describes a disturbing situation), many wondered had these songs originally been scheduled to appear on The Growth.
In 2007, he was released by Def Jam. In December 2007, he released Mood Muzik 3, which many are calling the best mixtape of the year, with some even saying it's the album of the year since it contains all original material. Some have questioned this since the beat for 'Ventilation' is an edit of 'It's A Shame (Da Butcher's Mix)' by Kool G Rap.
In October 2008, Joe Budden released another highly-rated mixtape, Halfway House; featuring album cuts such as 'Touch & Go' and a snippet of 'Blood On The Wall', a diss to Prodigy of Mobb Deep.
In his career up to his 2nd album, he has worked with artists such as Busta Rhymes and Christina Milian, and has been involved in feuds with rapper The Game and G-Unit. He has since reconciled with The Game.
Since this reconciliation, Joe Budden signed to Amalgam Digital records, and both artists finalized the beef and have collaborated on the single 'The Future' for Joe Budden's now-released 2nd album, Padded Room. The album released February 24th in the U.S. and March 3rd in Canada.
ADRENALINE
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
GIVE IT AWAY NOW!
L-look look look look look
I can't call it,
I always seem to take one step backward and five steps forward,
Nothing to gain, its like everything mortgaged,
Cautious, report shit, live out of hell,
Since all my dudes either alive or outta jail,
Won't fold, won't curl, no wonder all this weights on my shoulders,
I'm sitting on the bottom of the world,
They say, tears are words that your mouth can't speak,
Rubber on every arm could fire but can't reach,
I say, streets learn you what the schools can't teach,
My job is to get a gospel that the church won't preach,
Something like a rock star, keep the live band,
Just sub my true religions for they're skin tight pants,
Ass on my wife, no nice implants,
I mean no accessories, the crime's been an accessory,
It's a thinking man's world, shit is chess to me,
So let the king move mean time, let it be
(Chorus)
(According to Phenom its Drew Hudson, blame him if wrong)
It's the Junk Yard Gang, Drew Hudson repping Jersey,
Revers the psyche on life and do the mic dirty,
Tired, hungry and thirsty, motherfuck fame,
Matter of fact, when this verse ends forget my name,
It's the message, not the man,
The vision, not the plan,
No glits, no glam, just pure connection with the fans,
Half your downloads get deleted with the spam,
These dudes keep it so real they come across fake,
Straight boring, ignore these wack bastards,
Approaching to forwards(?) as frauds(?) is ass backwards,
I just vividly spit it to pick it differently,
Rip all the vodka, swig it then pissing on negativity,
The pen is mightier than the trigger,
Strike em when I spit,
Real catchy huh?, I don't even like that shit,
What I like, a rock flow that's lava, melotic
With a high dose of more(?) fire(?),
The fire and the rain, the fire in my veins is hot,
Can't be stopped with fire brigades,
UUUHHHH!
No image, I'm livin every synonym twisted in this syllable spliff six a them hits ill' leave you lifted
All heart and gut,
Feeling the hunts adrenaline rush, come on,
The shits heating up,
(Chrous)
(Budden)
L-Look look
I wear a K as a weapon,
Eye in through scope 'case my foes at the top of my stair way to heaven,
And I, pop a big step, dressed in my fly shit,
Ipod, headphones on bumping my shit,
I never cared, I was careless,
Fear being afraid, OR maybe I'm afraid to be fearless,
OR fear being fearless but fearful,
So even in my carelessness, got to be careful,
I'm like, who's that looking threw my peephole?,
When did my alter-ego get a ego?,
He wants the rims chrome,
Me I'm trying to push the pedal till my foot's on the ground like a flintstone,
Bluetooth, my girl on the horn bickering,
But even though when she scream, I hear it like whispering,
I been around noise all my life,
I've been poised baby all my life,
Just let me live my life,
Live yours, make your own highlight,
Then, meet me at the top like a butterfly knife,
Then, learn how to see without eyesight,
If, at first you don't succeed then try twice,
See I don't write it I will it, reel it, real shit,
Paint a masterpeice then unveil it.
Come I'm 'bout to reveal it,
Destroy it, rebuild it,
Conceal it, before another nigga steals it,
Milk shit, not a pessimist, I'm a realist,
When you think you on, I go and hit the killswitch,
Drummer rockin, he's ill bitch,
If they sleep don't wake em just drill shit(?)
See I'm something they got to deal with,
The lyrics of Joe Budden's song "Adrenaline" can be interpreted in various ways. The song begins with Budden expressing his struggle to move forward in life despite facing several setbacks. He talks about how he has nothing to gain, and everything seems mortgaged. He acknowledges that people might not love him and may talk negatively about him, but he remains cautious and determined to persevere. He also mentions that he has learned more from the streets than from school, and his job is to spread the gospel that the church won't preach.
In the chorus, Drew Hudson represents the Junk Yard Gang and talks about his vision for making music. He asserts that it's not about the person but the message and the vision. He encourages fans to delete spam and connect with artists who have genuine intent. Hudson believes that the pen is mightier than the trigger and spits powerful lyrics with a rock flow that's sheer lava.
In the final verse, Budden talks about his weapon and how he's dressed to impress. He admits that he's careless but also needs to be careful. He mentions that he's been exposed to noise all his life, but he remains poised, striving to live his life while encouraging others to make their own highlights. He ends by stating that he's not a pessimist, but a realist who's constantly pushing himself to master his craft.
Line by Line Meaning
GIVE IT AWAY NOW!
Call to action for the audience to engage with the song.
L-look look look look look
Repetitive lyric for dramatic effect in introducing Budden's thoughts and ideas.
I can't call it,
Uncertainty about his own direction and progress in life.
I always seem to take one step backward and five steps forward,
The struggles of making progress and the setbacks faced along the way.
Nothing to gain, its like everything mortgaged,
Feeling like there is nothing left to pursue or gain in life, all options have been borrowed from the future.
Ya'll can love me or ya'll won't, go ahead talk shit,
Unfazed by external opinions and criticism.
Cautious, report shit, live out of hell,
Living cautiously in a hostile environment, reporting on the experiences faced in such a setting.
Since all my dudes either alive or outta jail,
Reflecting on his friends who have had similar experiences to him, either surviving or being incarcerated.
Won't fold, won't curl, no wonder all this weights on my shoulders,
Refusing to bow down or give in to external pressure and the resulting burden on his shoulders.
I'm sitting on the bottom of the world,
Feeling like he is at the bottom of society or the music industry.
They say, tears are words that your mouth can't speak,
Describing the emotional pain that is often left unsaid.
Rubber on every arm could fire but can't reach,
Referencing the concept of firing a gun, but not being able to reach a target due to a physical barrier.
I say, streets learn you what the schools can't teach,
Learning important life lessons from the streets that cannot be taught in traditional education settings.
My job is to get a gospel that the church won't preach,
A mission to spread a message that is not commonly preached or accepted by mainstream society or religion.
Something like a rock star, keep the live band,
Aspiring to be like a rock star and incorporate live instrumentation into performances.
Just sub my true religions for they're skin tight pants,
Substituting his religious beliefs for the flashy materialistic items often associated with rock stars and celebrities.
Ass on my wife, no nice implants,
Preferring natural beauty and not conforming to societal beauty standards.
I mean no accessories, the crime's been an accessory,
Rejecting the notion of using material possessions as accessories, and instead using a criminal lifestyle as an accessory to make a statement.
It's a thinking man's world, shit is chess to me,
Viewing life as a complex game of chess that requires strategic thinking and planning.
So let the king move mean time, let it be
Allowing time to pass and for events to unfold while keeping a watchful eye.
It's the Junk Yard Gang, Drew Hudson repping Jersey,
Introducing the crew and members who are representing their hometown of New Jersey.
Revers the psyche on life and do the mic dirty,
Challenging and subverting societal expectations and norms through music.
Tired, hungry and thirsty, motherfuck fame,
Dismissing the desire for fame and prioritizing basic needs and self-care.
Matter of fact, when this verse ends forget my name,
Emphasizing that the message of the song is more important than the artist behind it.
It's the message, not the man,
Reiterating the importance of the song's message over the artist.
The vision, not the plan,
Focusing on the bigger picture and overarching goals rather than specific plans or steps.
No glits, no glam, just pure connection with the fans,
Rejecting superficiality and focusing on authenticity and connection with fans.
Half your downloads get deleted with the spam,
Recognizing the reality that many online downloads are not genuine or long-lasting.
These dudes keep it so real they come across fake,
Critiquing artists who try to be authentic, but come across as inauthentic or performative.
Straight boring, ignore these wack bastards,
Calling out artists who are boring and unoriginal.
Approaching to forwards(?) as frauds(?) is ass backwards,
Approaching the future by looking backwards and not embracing new ideas and perspectives is foolish.
I just vividly spit it to pick it differently,
Approaching his music with a unique and vivid style that sets him apart from other artists.
Rip all the vodka, swig it then pissing on negativity,
Using alcohol as a way to cope with negative thoughts or emotions.
The pen is mightier than the trigger,
Believing in the power of words and writing over violence or aggression.
Strike em when I spit,
Using lyrics as a way to attack or criticize others.
Real catchy huh?, I don't even like that shit,
Critiquing popular music that is often formulaic and unoriginal.
What I like, a rock flow that's lava, melotic
Preferring a unique and inventive style of rock music.
With a high dose of more(?) fire(?),
Desiring a high-energy and intense style of music.
The fire and the rain, the fire in my veins is hot,
Feeling intense passion and energy towards his music despite the difficulties and obstacles faced.
Can't be stopped with fire brigades,
Unstoppable and not able to be contained or subdued by external forces.
UUUHHHH!
Expressing a moment of intense emotion or energy.
No image, I'm livin every synonym twisted in this syllable spliff six a them hits ill' leave you lifted
Rejecting the notion of an artist's image, instead focusing on the unique and creative combinations of words in his music.
All heart and gut,
Approaching music with passion and instinct over calculated decisions.
Feeling the hunts adrenaline rush, come on,
Experiencing intense excitement and emotion related to the creation and performance of music.
The shits heating up,
Building momentum and excitement for his music and career.
I wear a K as a weapon,
Wearing a knife as a protective measure in dangerous environments.
Eye in through scope 'case my foes at the top of my stair way to heaven,
Preparing for potential threats and dangers in his life.
And I, pop a big step, dressed in my fly shit,
Confident and stylish regardless of the challenges faced.
Ipod, headphones on bumping my shit,
Listening to and enjoying his own music and talent.
I never cared, I was careless,
Lacking concern or care about the opinions of others.
Fear being afraid, OR maybe I'm afraid to be fearless,
Struggling with the balance between fear and courage in his own life.
OR fear being fearless but fearful,
The paradox of being both fearless and fearful at the same time.
So even in my carelessness, got to be careful,
Maintaining a sense of caution and safety even when feeling carefree or untouchable.
I'm like, who's that looking threw my peephole?,
Feeling paranoid and mistrustful of others who may be watching or judging him.
When did my alter-ego get a ego?,
Noticing a shift in his own personality or self-image.
He wants the rims chrome,
Desiring flashy and materialistic items to present a certain image.
Me I'm trying to push the pedal till my foot's on the ground like a flintstone,
Emphasizing speed and a drive to move forward quickly and determinedly.
Bluetooth, my girl on the horn bickering,
Using technology to communicate with his partner as they argue or disagree with each other.
But even though when she scream, I hear it like whispering,
Maintaining a sense of emotional distance or detachment from a partner's emotional outbursts or disagreements.
I been around noise all my life,
Growing up in a chaotic and noisy environment.
I've been poised baby all my life,
Maintaining composure and balance despite the challenges faced.
Just let me live my life,
Asserting independence and a desire to live freely and truly.
Live yours, make your own highlight,
Encouraging others to live their own lives and create their own meaningful moments.
Then, meet me at the top like a butterfly knife,
Anticipating success and meeting others at the pinnacle of their respective careers or goals.
Then, learn how to see without eyesight,
Remaining self-sufficient and capable despite potential obstacles or difficulties.
If, at first you don't succeed then try twice,
Emphasizing the importance of persistence and trying again when faced with failure or disappointment.
See I don't write it I will it, reel it, real shit,
Suggesting that his music comes from a genuine and organic place, not simply from writing or rehearsing.
Paint a masterpeice then unveil it.
Creating something great and introducing it to the world with pride and confidence.
Come I'm 'bout to reveal it,
Anticipating the unveiling of his masterful work to others.
Destroy it, rebuild it,
The cyclical process of creation, destruction, and rebuilding in music and life.
Conceal it, before another nigga steals it,
Protecting his work from being copied or stolen by others who may lack his originality or creativity.
Milk shit, not a pessimist, I'm a realist,
Facing the harsh realities of life without being pessimistic or overly negative.
When you think you on, I go and hit the killswitch,
Staying ahead of the game and crushing competition with his music.
Drummer rockin, he's ill bitch,
Highlighting the talent and skill of his bandmates or collaborators.
If they sleep don't wake em just drill shit(?),
Taking advantage of others' complacency or lack of perception to achieve his own goals or success.
See I'm something they got to deal with,
Asserting his influence and impact in the music industry and the world at large.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Giannis Gianniou
people say that album was trash. I enjoyed every line of it,
Michelangelo Troccoli
Giannis Gianniou prob one of his best lyrical albums
Team Neech
I wish i can download it on my i phone he was one of the best lyricist
Black Saiyajin
they say it was without having ever listened to it
Dutchmaster412
This entire album was 🔥
Nick
Both of his versus on this are out of this world !!!! I didnt want him to stop LoL.
Restlessnreal107 Xx
🔥🔥🔥🔥
al morris
this shit nicee
Black Saiyajin
the Boy on the 2nd verse said "after this verse forget my name" and after that 2nd Joe verse......I damn sure did.
Waxmaster
l-look look; I wear a K as a weapon
Eye through scope case my foes at the top of my stairway to heaven
And I, pop a big step, dressed in my fly shit
IPod, headphones on bumpin my shit
I never cared, I was careless