Joe Budden (born August 31, 1980 in Spanish Harlem, New York) is a rapper f… Read Full Bio ↴Joe Budden (born August 31, 1980 in Spanish Harlem, New York) is a rapper from Jersey City, New Jersey. In recent years he has come to prominence as one of the most skilled and sought-for rappers in the game, despite his best work being on the internet mixtape circuit.

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.

A Long Way To Go
Joe Budden Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus: Mr. Probz]
My feet are tired
And the pain shows
There's such a long way to go now
Such a long way to go
Gotta be strong
By myself now
Such a long road

My souls so cold
Weaken all my bones
But I gotta work hard
Just to reach my goal
Such a long way to go
So many miles left
But I'm here now

[Joe Budden]
Please lord something gotta give
They say for every negative
There's a positive
But I aint positive
For every buck deposited
We still in the hood
Livin' like hostages
And never mind colleges
School of HardKnocks scholarship
Dealing with politics
I would just self success
In the store
If I could bottle it
But, I ain't a millionaire
Won't see me in Forbes son
Life is like a beach chair
When you can afford one
Ruger loaded
Just in case the war come
Might as well
Everything is coming to the forefront
Need a clear head just to think
And fuck a drink and my two-step
Nigga, I'm two-steps from a drink
So pressure either bust pipes
Or it make diamonds
No matter how high up the mountain
I stay climbing
Freedom I keep chancin'
So if I fall like Beyonce
I just get back up and keep dancing

[Chorus]

[Joe Budden]
(Yo Mouse, Talk to 'em)
Never been a goal that I couldn't reach
Never been a lesson I couldn't teach
I done been through the world and back
Fuck school
I got all the facts
All I do is stand tall
When they got my back against the wall
When it's game time
All we do is ball
My niggas'll be here in one call (one call)
One call (one call)
When shit gets heavy
All I do is pick up the phone
Ain't gotta go through nothing alone
When shit gets heavy
All I do is pick up the phone
Ain't gotta walk through this world alone
If I'm on my own

[Mr. Probz]
Keep on standing on my own 2 feet
Everytime that I cry
When I sweat
When I bleed
See nothing can stop me
No nothing except me

[Chorus]

[Joe Budden]
I'm chasin' after pies
With bags under my eyes
You looking at my representative mask
It's a disguise
And I don't do things
Like I used to
The past is the past
I'm presently thinkin'
Bout the future
Certain niggas bettin' I fall
I'm speed jogging
Through the quicksand
I'm juggling 3 medicine balls
See I'm coming up
Used to share a room
With 2 cellmates
Now I tower over the devil
But this ain't Hell Date
Long way to go
I see my feet getting blisters
I dare em
Talk to me like Mike Richards
Or play Don Imus
And think it's cool
To disrespect our sisters
I guess we got a while
'Fore they actually get the picture
I think about Virginia Tech
Think about Katrina
Niggas that caught Sean Bell
Slippin' with the nina
A day before the wedding
Safety off the weapon
Though all these things
Play in my head
I keep steppin'

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joe Budden's song "A Long Way To Go" reflect the struggles and determination of an individual on a difficult journey towards their goals. The chorus, sung by Mr. Probz, emphasizes the physical and emotional exhaustion the person is experiencing. They acknowledge that they still have a long road ahead and must be strong and persevering, even though their soul feels cold and their bones are weakened. Despite the hardships, they are determined to work hard and reach their goal. The line "So many miles left, but I'm here now" displays a sense of resilience and gratitude for how far they have already come.

In Joe Budden's verses, he expresses frustration with the current state of his life and the challenges he faces. He references the discrepancy between the positive and negative aspects of life, highlighting that he doesn't always feel positive despite the existence of positive elements. He talks about the struggle of living in the hood and feeling like a hostage. The line "Life is like a beach chair when you can afford one" represents the contrast between the comfortable and carefree life of the wealthy and the realities of those struggling to make ends meet. He also mentions the pressures and difficulties he faces, but asserts his determination to keep climbing and not let anything hold him back. The line "I just get back up and keep dancing" signifies his resilience and commitment to keep moving forward despite setbacks.

Line by Line Meaning

My feet are tired
I am exhausted and worn out

And the pain shows
The suffering I endure is evident

There's such a long way to go now
I still have a great distance to travel

Such a long way to go
There is still a significant journey ahead

Gotta be strong
I need to possess strength

By myself now
I must rely on myself

Such a long road
The path I must travel is arduous

My souls so cold
My spirit feels devoid of warmth

Weaken all my bones
It drains my physical strength

But I gotta work hard
I must put in great effort

Just to reach my goal
In order to achieve my objective

Such a long way to go
The distance I have left to cover is vast

So many miles left
There are still numerous miles to travel

But I'm here now
However, I have made it to this point

Please lord something gotta give
I desperately hope for a breakthrough

They say for every negative
There is supposedly a positive

There's a positive
But I am not optimistic

For every buck deposited
Despite accumulating wealth

We still in the hood
I am still trapped in the impoverished neighborhood

Livin' like hostages
Our lives are controlled by external forces

And never mind colleges
Education institutions are not a priority

School of HardKnocks scholarship
I have learned life's lessons through hardship

Dealing with politics
Navigating complex social situations

I would just self success
I would achieve personal success

In the store
If I could bottle it

But, I ain't a millionaire
However, I am not wealthy

Won't see me in Forbes son
I won't be featured in Forbes magazine

Life is like a beach chair
Life is enjoyable and relaxing when you can afford it

When you can afford one
When you have the financial means

Ruger loaded
I am armed

Just in case the war come
In anticipation of potential conflict

Might as well
It is preferable

Everything is coming to the forefront
All issues are being brought to attention

Need a clear head just to think
I require mental clarity to contemplate

And fuck a drink and my two-step
I don't need alcohol or dancing to cope

Nigga, I'm two-steps from a drink
I am close to succumbing to temptation

So pressure either bust pipes
Pressure leads to either destruction

Or it make diamonds
Or it results in resilience and success

No matter how high up the mountain
Regardless of the challenges

I stay climbing
I keep pushing forward

Freedom I keep chancin'
I continuously risk everything for freedom

So if I fall like Beyonce
If I stumble like Beyonce did

I just get back up and keep dancing
I quickly recover and continue persevering

Never been a goal that I couldn't reach
I have always accomplished my goals

Never been a lesson I couldn't teach
I have always been capable of imparting knowledge

I done been through the world and back
I have experienced extensive hardships

Fuck school
Education is not a priority

I got all the facts
I possess all necessary knowledge

All I do is stand tall
I consistently maintain a strong stance

When they got my back against the wall
During difficult situations

When it's game time
When it is time to act

All we do is ball
We excel and succeed

My niggas'll be here in one call (one call)
My friends will always be there for support

When shit gets heavy
When life becomes burdensome

All I do is pick up the phone
I reach out for assistance

Ain't gotta go through nothing alone
I don't have to face challenges by myself

Keep on standing on my own 2 feet
I continue to remain independent

Everytime that I cry
Whenever I feel emotional

When I sweat
When I exert myself

When I bleed
When I am injured

See nothing can stop me
Nothing has the power to hinder my progress

No nothing except me
Except for myself

I'm chasing after pies
I am pursuing success and wealth

With bags under my eyes
Despite exhaustion and lack of rest

You looking at my representative mask
You see the facade I present to others

It's a disguise
It is a form of deception

And I don't do things
I no longer engage in behaviors

Like I used to
Like I did in the past

The past is the past
The previous events are irrelevant

I'm presently thinkin'
My current focus is

Bout the future
About what lies ahead

Certain niggas bettin' I fall
Some individuals are wagering on my failure

I'm speed jogging
I am moving quickly

Through the quicksand
Through challenging circumstances

I'm juggling 3 medicine balls
I am managing multiple challenges

See I'm coming up
I am steadily advancing

Used to share a room
I used to have limited living space

With 2 cellmates
I was confined with prisoners

Now I tower over the devil
I have overcome adversity

But this ain't Hell Date
This is not a fictional TV show

Long way to go
There is still a significant distance to travel

I see my feet getting blisters
I am enduring physical pain and discomfort

I dare em
I challenge them

Talk to me like Mike Richards
Speak disrespectfully toward me

Or play Don Imus
Make derogatory comments

And think it's cool
Believe it is acceptable

To disrespect our sisters
To show disrespect to women

I guess we got a while
I suppose it will take some time

'Fore they actually get the picture
Before they truly comprehend the situation

I think about Virginia Tech
I reflect on the tragic mass shooting at Virginia Tech

Think about Katrina
I consider the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina

Niggas that caught Sean Bell
Individuals who witnessed the shooting of Sean Bell

Slippin' with the nina
Caught off guard with a firearm

A day before the wedding
Shortly before the wedding ceremony

Safety off the weapon
The firearm's safety mechanism is disabled

Though all these things
Despite all these events

Play in my head
Occupy my thoughts

I keep steppin'
I continue to move forward

Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KIM ARZBACH, ARIYAN BEDAWI, J. A. BUDDEN, VIJAY KANHAI, DENNIS STEHR, A Al Hedaree, A Bedawi, Joe Budden, V Kanhai

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS