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.
Better Off Without You
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You was the one baby girl I never been so sure
ya skin so pure, the type men go for
The type, they drive the Benz slow for
The type they be beepin the horn rollin down the windows for
BUT! had to break up, I had to leave you
It was some things you needed to learn that I couldn't teach you
And those words musta hurt
like I can't teach you to stand right beside me
or the priveleges that come with that title "wifey"
it's highly unlikely, and I'm concerned myself
I can't teach you you that bitch, you gotta learn it yourself
And I can't teach you swagger, can't you attitude
can't teach you to talk, if its a problem get at your dude
we both got some things thats upsettin us
If you don't hear from me, know I'm somewhere reppin us
problems lets squash it, its senseless
dont wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
we goin do it like uuuggghhh
[Chorus - repeat 2X]
I don't ever wanna do this thing without you
but I'm starting to feel
that maybe I'll be better off without you baby
(no matter what we went through
see no matter what we went through, we gon' do it like...)
[Joe Budden]
What about the months that I left, am I seein it right?
And is this really how she acts without me in her life?
How could you have that fag on top of you touchin you
like only I used to
like only I'm used to
And I'm tryna figure it out, but you can't help me
how you naked 'round duckboy, you can't tell me
pictures still in my mind, of THIS nigga feelin ya behind
am I supposed to still feel like it's mine?
ANd you tense when you by me
You in the shower cryin tryna rub his prints off yo' body
cause you feel nasty, and thats sad to see
but if that got you feelin that bad then imagine me
knowin I'm a step ahead of these cats
And you tryin to force yaself to love dude ma you better than that
tryna force him on you cause I took a step back from us like "chill"
THAT was for us to build
THAT was for us it's real
lets squash it its senseless, don't wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
we goin do it like ugggghhh
[Chorus]
[Joe Budden]
Now you got some new men in ya life, some new friends in ya life
that you act different wit
but baby girl thats not the chic that I'm gettin wit
You not the same as you was, maybe cause ya life changed from what it was
havin you around ballplayers, wines gettin finer
now you eat sushi, no more diner
now you at a bench, short skirts and eyeliner
You industry now, everything's designer
things changed everythings designed to
but maybe that life's not you and I'm the only thing that reminds ya
say you love me but did you call me no
So is it really really love or am I all that you know?
cause you quick to tell a kid to never call you again
with that said how can I call you a friend or anything more?
how can I see us havin anything more
If its that easy what we go through anything for?
or..problems lets squash it its senseless
dont wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
UGGGGHHH
In "Better Off Without You," Joe Budden reflects on a past relationship that he ended because of the things his partner needed to learn on her own. Though he was extremely sure about her before, he realized that he couldn't be with her if she didn't trust him enough to learn from him. He talks about the pain of seeing her move on and be with someone else, and questions how she could let another man touch her in the way that only he's used to. Despite his hurt feelings, he recognizes that it's senseless to hold onto the problems that caused their breakup, and instead suggests that they squash any issues and do things like they used to.
The song explores themes of trust, infidelity, and personal growth, as Joe Budden confronts the painful reality of a relationship that didn't work out. He recognizes that he couldn't teach his partner everything she needed to know, and concludes that maybe they're better off without each other. The repetitive "uggghh" at the end of the song suggests a sound of frustration and acceptance, as Budden comes to terms with the fact that the relationship is over.
Line by Line Meaning
You was the one baby girl I never been so sure
You were the one girl I was most certain about
ya skin so pure, the type men go for
Your skin is so flawless, the kind men wish to have
The type, they drive the Benz slow for
The type of girl who men drive their Benz slowly to impress
The type they be beepin the horn rollin down the windows for
The kind of girl they honk their car horns and roll down their windows to get attention from
had to break up, I had to leave you
We had to separate, I had to end things with you
It was some things you needed to learn that I couldn't teach you
There were things you needed to learn that I wasn't capable of teaching you
And those words musta hurt
I know my words must've hurt you
but if you can't trust me, how am I supposed to trust it'll work?
If you can't trust me back, how can I trust our relationship will succeed?
like I can't teach you to stand right beside me
Just like I can't teach you how to stand by my side
or the privileges that come with that title "wifey"
Or how to handle the responsibilities that come with being a wife
it's highly unlikely, and I'm concerned myself
It's not probable, and even I myself am worried about it
I can't teach you you that bitch, you gotta learn it yourself
I can't teach you to be that kind of woman, you have to learn it on your own
And I can't teach you swagger, can't you attitude
I also can't teach you how to have swag, or your attitude
can't teach you to talk, if its a problem get at your dude
I can't teach you how to communicate, if there's an issue, you have to tell me
we both got some things thats upsettin us
We both have things that are bothering us
If you don't hear from me, know I'm somewhere reppin us
If you don't hear from me, know that I'm out there representing our relationship
problems lets squash it, its senseless
Let's solve our issues, there's no sense in letting them continue
dont wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
I don't want to end up loving you from afar
I don't ever wanna do this thing without you
I never want to do life without you
but I'm starting to feel
But I'm starting to sense
that maybe I'll be better off without you baby
That maybe it's better for me to live without you, baby
What about the months that I left, am I seein it right?
What happened during the months that we were apart, am I understanding things correctly?
And is this really how she acts without me in her life?
Is this truly how she behaves when I'm not around?
How could you have that fag on top of you touchin you
How could you let that guy touch you like that
like only I used to
The way only I used to touch you
like only I'm used to
The way only I'm familiar with
And I'm tryna figure it out, but you can't help me
I'm trying to understand it, but you're not helping me figure it out
how you naked 'round duckboy, you can't tell me
How could you be naked around that guy, don't lie to me
pictures still in my mind, of THIS nigga feelin ya behind
I still have images of that guy touching you inappropriately in my head
am I supposed to still feel like it's mine?
Am I still supposed to feel like you belong to me?
ANd you tense when you by me
And you're nervous when you're around me
You in the shower cryin tryna rub his prints off yo' body
You're crying in the shower, trying to rub his fingerprints off your body
cause you feel nasty, and thats sad to see
Because you feel dirty, and it's sad to witness
but if that got you feelin that bad then imagine me
But if it makes you feel that bad, imagine how I feel
knowin I'm a step ahead of these cats
Knowing that I'm better than those other guys
And you tryin to force yaself to love dude ma you better than that
And you're trying to force yourself to love that guy, but you deserve better than that
THAT was for us to build
This was supposed to be something we built together
THAT was for us it's real
This was meant to be real between us
Now you got some new men in ya life, some new friends in ya life
Now you have some new men and friends in your life
that you act different wit
And you behave differently around them
but baby girl that's not the chic that I'm gettin wit
But that's not the girl that I want to be with
You not the same as you was, maybe cause ya life changed from what it was
You're not the same as before, maybe because your life has changed
havin you around ballplayers, wines gettin finer
Being around athletes and expensive wine has changed you
now you eat sushi, no more diner
Now you eat sushi instead of diner food
now you at a bench, short skirts and eyeliner
Now you're at a VIP table, wearing short skirts and makeup
You industry now, everything's designer
You're part of the entertainment industry now, everything you own is designer
things changed everythings designed to
Everything has changed and is meant to look a certain way
but maybe that life's not you and I'm the only thing that reminds ya
But maybe that lifestyle isn't for you, and I'm the only reminder of your old life
say you love me but did you call me no
You say you love me, but you haven't called me yet
So is it really really love or am I all that you know?
So is it really love, or am I the only one you have left?
cause you quick to tell a kid to never call you again
Because you're quick to tell a guy to never call you again
with that said how can I call you a friend or anything more?
If that's the case, how can I consider you a friend or anything more?
Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Tarabiebster
[Joe Budden]
You was the one baby girl I never been so sure
Ya skin so pure, the type men go for
The type, they drive a Benz slow for
The type they be beepin the horn rollin down the windows for
BUT! had to break up, I had to leave you
It was some things you needed to learn that I couldn't teach you
And those words musta hurt
But if you can't trust me, how am I supposed to trust it'll work?
Like I can't teach you to stand right beside me
Or the priveleges that come with that title "wifey"
It's highly unlikely, and I'm concerned myself
I can't teach you you that bitch, you gotta learn it yourself
And I can't teach you swagger, can't teach you attitude
Can't teach you to talk, its a problem get at your dude
We both got some things thats upsettin us
If you don't hear from me, know I'm somewhere reppin us
Problems lets squash it, its senseless
Dont wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
We goin do it like uuuggghhh
[Hook - repeat 2X]
I don't ever wanna do this thing without you
But I'm starting to feel
That maybe I'll be better off without you baby
(no matter what we went through
See no matter what we went through, we gon' do it like...)
[Joe Budden]
What about the months that I left, am I seein it right?
And is this really how she acts without me in her life?
How could you have that fag on top of you touchin you
Like only I used to
Like only I'm used to
And I'm tryna figure it out, and you can't help me
How you naked 'round duckboy, you can't tell me
Pictures still in my mind, of THIS nigga feelin ya behind
Am I supposed to still feel like it's mine?
ANd you tense when you by me
You in the shower cryin tryna rub his prints off yo' body
Cause you feel nasty, and thats sad to see
But if that got you feelin that bad then imagine me
Knowin I'm a step ahead of these cats
And you tryin to force yaself to love dude ma you better than that
Tryna force him on you cause I took a step back from us like "chill"
THAT was for us to build
THAT was for us it's real
Lets squash it its senseless, don't wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
We goin do it like ugggghhh
[Hook]
[Joe Budden]
Now you got some new men in ya life, some new friends in ya life
That you act different wit
But baby girl thats not the chic that I'm gettin wit
You not the same as you was, maybe cause ya life changed from what it was
Havin you around ballplayers, wines gettin finer
Now you eat sushi, no more diner
Now you at a bench, short skirts and eyeliner
You industry now, everything's designer
Things changed everythings designed to
But maybe that life's not you and I'm the only thing that reminds ya
Say you love me but did you call me no
So is it really really love or am I all that you know?
Cause you quick to tell a kid to never call you again
With that said how can I call you a friend or anything more?
How can I see us havin anything more
If its that easy what we go through anything for?
Or..problems lets squash it its senseless
Dont wanna end up lovin ma from a distance
UGGGGHHH
@CapitalE401
I spent all day trying to remember the name of this song. God damn it, I finally remembered. 🔥🔥🔥
@lyasiaduncan6388
Heard this song under not so good circumstances on the side of getting broken up with, but regardless I can see the point of view and Joe's artistry just absolutely vibrates with me.
@deepdiver1986
im going through a divorce right now, this is my theme song... and makes me realize im better off without her, thanks for the upload
@MARQ247
Hope everything worked out, that aint no ordinary break up.
@213lilsean
Joe’s vulnerablility in his breakups helped a lot of people move on, myself included. Hope everything is well
@jayebarz4040
Going thru this now... thanks Budden for this medicine
@lightdream44
love this song
@AllHailCaesar3
All the years Ive been listening to Joe, all the years Ive loved this song, it didnt apply to any of my relationships until now..... This nigga really wrote the soundtrack to my life with his career. Crazy.....
@MrCEEGRAY
This is so real shit rite here. I'm feeling how joey spit over this beat.
@SneakyDeegz
Never heard of this dude, just clicked on a song on suggestions, (dear diary) and i was like Damnn! this nigga goes hard! ha Good shit