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.
Flex
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feelin' like the summer's mine
Yeah, she don't know the nights that a nigga went
To hang for a hundred crimes, a hundred crimes
She don't know the nights that a nigga been
Down for a hundred nights, yeah, down for a hundred crimes
I been on a mission, I been on a mission
I need you and shawty kissin', I been on a mission
Look, the text read "At my place, you wanna meet?"
Her mouth saying hello, her legs were saying peace
Her alarm in the morning when she wake up to the D
And now half of the bed wet as she lay naked on the sheets
Biting down on the pillows, swear she take it like a G
When we finish it's to the mission, gotta make it through the streets
We go our separate ways, take a break and let it breathe
Say the same about her face, with all that makeup she don't need
Listen, our conversation is best in the moment
That stimulation to me is greater than sex in the moment
Least until later when I know we'll have sex in a moment
She'll fake sleep for a second and then she'll press up on it, ayy
Sometimes I'll wild out and let her friends watch
Sometimes we'll pick a show and just binge watch
That's how we get to round four, we should of been stopped
Dead quiet when she flex, could hear a pin drop
Shawty made me feel like the summer time (She make me, uh)
Feelin' like the summer's mine
Girl you got something
Uh oh, I'm horny again for ya
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
(I like that shit you be doing)
Light the weed and like to go baby
(You know that shit you be doing)
Baby (I fucks with it)
I wanna get to know you
I be out late tryna get it but you wait up for me
Missed dinner cause of me, and tell 'em put a plate up for me
They be comin' sideways, you gon' get that straight up from me
It's always get your weight up not your hate up from me
They came to me for finessin' baby
By they time they get to you, it's just a blessin' baby
They tried to overlook me, under estimate me
Shinin' like a diamond I guess I been under pressure lately
Makeup off and she still pretty
I'm on my way and I'm still litty
I like her 'cause she needs no practice
Don't wear panties, I like easy access
Know her role like she's an actress
Laid up with your boy, G's in the mattress
Four AM, flexin' on them lonely hoes
Sippin' Bobby Brown, Tenderoni flows
My heart belongs to a Roni
She's my only lover, she's my only love
(One more again it go)
My heart belongs to a Roni
She's my only lover, she's my only love
Shawty made me feel like the summer time (She make me)
Feelin' like the summer's mine
Girl you got something (You know what you do to me)
Uh oh, I'm horny again for ya
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Go ahead)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (I like it when she flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for a nigga (I like it when she flex)
It's obvious you got
It's obvious you got
Obvious you got
Oh we, shorty drinking, smoking and whistle me
Somewhere to be, wait for me
(I love it when she, when she flex)
Oh we can smoke and fuck for one week
The lyrics of "Flex" by Joe Budden, Tory Lanez, and Fabolous describe the strong connection between the singer and his lover. He mentions how she makes him feel like it is summer all year long and how he has been through a lot of tough times, but her presence makes everything worthwhile. He admits to being on a mission while embracing her and cherishing the moments they share.
The second verse talks more about how the singer is intertwined with his lover. He mentions receiving a text from her to come to her place, and how they are both physically attracted to each other. They share intimate moments enhanced by stimulating conversations, and he loves those moments more than sex. The singer also mentions how she'll pretend to sleep before pressing up against him.
The chorus mentions that the singer's lover is the 4 A.M. flex for him. In other words, she is the one he thinks about when he's up late at night and needs someone to lean on. She makes him feel special no matter what time of day it is.
Line by Line Meaning
Shawty made me feel like the summer time
She makes me feel alive and free, like the best days of summer.
Feelin' like the summer's mine
I feel like I can conquer anything and everything, like I own the summer months.
Yeah, she don't know the nights that a nigga went
To hang for a hundred crimes, a hundred crimes
She don't know the nights that a nigga been
Down for a hundred nights, yeah, down for a hundred crimes
I been on a mission, I been on a mission
She doesn't know the struggles and hardships I've gone through, including run-ins with the law. I've been working hard towards my goals and nothing can stop me.
I need you and shawty kissin', I been on a mission
It ain't too much that I listen, but I listen
I need the comfort and affection of a woman, but I'm also focused on my goals. While I may seem stubborn, I am willing to listen to the right person.
Look, the text read "At my place, you wanna meet?"
Her mouth saying hello, her legs were saying peace
Her alarm in the morning when she wake up to the D
And now half of the bed wet as she lay naked on the sheets
She invites me over, but her body language speaks louder than words. We have sex and she wakes up to the after-effects in the morning.
Biting down on the pillows, swear she take it like a G
When we finish it's to the mission, gotta make it through the streets
We go our separate ways, take a break and let it breathe
Say the same about her face, with all that makeup she don't need
She's strong and takes the physical pleasure like a champ. We both have places to go and things to do. We take a moment to appreciate each other and go our separate ways. She's beautiful without all the makeup she wears.
Listen, our conversation is best in the moment
That stimulation to me is greater than sex in the moment
Least until later when I know we'll have sex in a moment
She'll fake sleep for a second and then she'll press up on it, ayy
Our intellectual conversations are what excite me the most, even more than having sex in the moment. We both know that we'll eventually have sex, and she even teases me by pretending to be asleep.
Sometimes I'll wild out and let her friends watch
Sometimes we'll pick a show and just binge watch
That's how we get to round four, we should of been stopped
Dead quiet when she flex, could hear a pin drop
Sometimes we have threesomes with her friends. Other times we just relax and watch TV. It amazes me that we can still go on and on, and she remains quiet during sex.
I be out late tryna get it but you wait up for me
Missed dinner cause of me, and tell 'em put a plate up for me
They be comin' sideways, you gon' get that straight up from me
It's always get your weight up not your hate up from me
They came to me for finessin' baby
By they time they get to you, it's just a blessin' baby
They tried to overlook me, under estimate me
Shinin' like a diamond I guess I been under pressure lately
Makeup off and she still pretty
I'm on my way and I'm still litty
I like her 'cause she needs no practice
Don't wear panties, I like easy access
Know her role like she's an actress
Laid up with your boy, G's in the mattress
You always wait up for me and take care of me, even when I miss meals. I won't tolerate lies or disrespect towards us. People come to me for advice and I hope I can help you too. Despite being underestimated, I still shine like a diamond. You're beautiful with or without makeup. I'm on my way to see you, and I'm still feeling good. I appreciate how comfortable she is with her body and how well she fits into our relationship. We get to be together, and those moments are enough to make me feel like a king.
It's obvious you got
It's obvious you got
Obvious you got
Oh we, shorty drinking, smoking and whistle me
Somewhere to be, wait for me
It's clear that she has what I need, and I crave her company. We drink, smoke, and make music together. She's always there for me, even when I have somewhere else to be.
(I love it when she, when she flex)
Oh we can smoke and fuck for one week
I love the way she flexes and shows off her confidence. We could spend a whole week smoking and having sex.
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Flex, flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (Go ahead)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for me (I like it when she flex)
You are the 4 A.M. flex for a nigga (I like it when she flex)
You are my late-night comfort and excitement, and I love the way you flex and express yourself. You are the perfect partner for me in the early hours of the morning.
My heart belongs to a Roni
She's my only lover, she's my only love
(One more again it go)
My heart belongs to a Roni
She's my only lover, she's my only love
My heart belongs to her, and she is the only one I love and care for. She is my one and only.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAYSTAR PETERSON, Vanessa Elisha, Sarah Johnson, Carl Caruso, Daniel Gonzalez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bige9268
Tory lanez got like three songs called flex
@georgefaux2154
Noticed that too flex, flex and line up the flex
@HowardoColeBrown
should have called this one "flexing"
@y3ll0stickinson8
+FauxOG you forgot 4am Flex
@LetsGetItKhan
Flex, 4am Flex, another 4am Flex, and Line up the Flex lol
@TSmoove74
yep both of em Joes even though Tory cut his verse for to put it on his mixtape lmao
@conquer5058
A paper cut is a tree's last revenge.
@jaywilliams1861
lol
@Pastretta
😂👍
@psychomantis6459
W