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.

For You
Joe Budden Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just gotta get these thoughts off real quick
See I'm a thinker, it's like thinking shit
It's when you got
You sittin' there reflectin', thinkin' shit
I peep it though

Look, you liked me better before you knew my history
Before you knew who I was

That's when reachin' our potential felt likely
Nobody like me
Besides see if I stop bein' who I am
I'm straight to it, who I might be
But you gotta look inside each song
That's where I proved it was really in sight all along
Bear it all so the privacy gone
Grab the pen, sit down and write these wrongs
Just how I right these wrongs, but look
You liked me better when I spoke usin' censorship
Before you knew I was really insensitive
That was back when it was you and me
Then curiosity killed you, you had to Google me
Now I won't call the headlines a liar
Some are true and some are false, that's for y'all to decipher
But look, on rare occasions some of what they say'll bother me
I liked it better when the 'Net was still a novelty
'Cause now people who ain't found themselves
Get an outlet, yet don't know how they sound themselves
They like me better when I'm silent and don't have an opinion
Pretendin' to blend in like I'm a minion
Say if Joe keep talkin' that shit, he'll get him shot
But if rappers can't tie my shoes, how can I not? (Shit)
Thought I had my city's support, I couldn't believe
Jersey City liked me better when I couldn't leave
I take it back, that ain't set in stone
They moreso had weapons drawn cause I left alone
I liked it better when I had nothin' to lose
The days when I felt like I had somethin' to prove
Shit, even for me that's unusual
If you don't give a fuck then who you gotta prove it to?
Just the world that I was born in
You gotta learn to form wins against the storm wind
They like me better when I fuckin' never call again
Without it, they don't know what type of box I belong up in
They like me better without reality television
Guess they didn't need to witness the hell I was livin'
In my shoes, you too would seal a fate
Poppin' twenty pills a day, somebody gon' feel a way, look
And so these hoes just to pass time
After the past time, they don't even pass my mind
You liked me better way before you got lied to
But that don't really matter when you want me inside you
Your friends sayin' leave, they don't know that you tried to
You can't speak to them, I'm the nigga you cry to
I liked it better when nobody ever heard of me
'Fore pop had to get that knee surgery
Guess that effected his bladder
So when Jackie called me nothin' else really mattered
Was scared, sounded frantic, I ain't want no parts of that
Said the ambulance came, might be a heart attack
Was leavin' work nearly cryin' on the phone
I'm in rush hour traffic, just seen you dyin' alone, look
I just pictured all the places that we never went
All the texts that were never sent
All the words we never spoke
Time we never shared, rewind so we can repair
Such an inspiration, all the holes that you dug through
Then you got released, God was watchin' above you
I'm thinkin' you healin', I don't wanna disrupt you
So I'm right back to never tellin' you that I love you
And I don't wanna act that way
If I take somethin' for granted, I don't wanna give it back that way
Forreal, that's how shit get lost, let me chill
I like it better when I'm not talkin' over my thoughts, now listen

I done been down, been down, it's all for you
Said it's all for you
And I don't wanna get in your way
And I don't wanna get in your way
Said this love is all for you
Said this love is all for you

Look, now the singers wanna rap, the rappers wanna sing
Personally I liked it better back when rappin' was a thing
'Cause now if you wanna get the high notes
When that hook come, you gotta hit the high notes
The label wanna sell singles
I'm sellin' a story and that'll just taint the message
Bad marriage, we ain't got the same objective
Still I'm here 'cause real niggas in the game respect it, look
They like me better when I let 'em live rent free
I never knew that once it stopped we'd be enemies
And though I come off as heartless, nigga
In spite of yourself, got love for you regardless, nigga
Now listen, I liked you better when you wasn't in the spotlight
Was too addicted to it, said some shit was not right
So when you work so much I couldn't complain
'Til I learnt she was gateway escapin' from the pain
The strippers talk to me like I'm their therapist
That scares the good girls away, don't know the hell I get
Whatever thoughts you contrive, I can't help you with
But you've been tossin' it for a year and I derail the shit
I'm self made, I don't do what I'm told
The type that needs free reign, to be out of control for real
'Cause when that's gone I'm lost, let me chill
I like it better when I'm not talkin' over my thoughts, word

I've done been down, been down, it's all for you
Said it's all for you
And I don't wanna get in your way
And I don't wanna get in your way
This love is all for you

This love is all for you ooh
Said this love is all for you

Overall Meaning

In the song "The Way You Love" by Joe Budden, the lyrics express a range of emotions and thoughts experienced by the artist. He reflects on how people liked him better before they knew his true history and identity, back when he was more anonymous and could blend in like a "minion." He also touches on how the media and internet can be both a blessing and a curse, and how it's difficult for him to deal with the fame and scrutiny that come with it. Budden also talks about the personal relationships in his life, including a woman he cares about deeply but can't confess his love to, and the strippers who confide in him like a therapist. Overall, the song seems to express feelings of vulnerability, frustration, and introspection.

One interesting fact about "The Way You Love" is that it samples the beat from the song "What They Do" by The Roots. The song also features fellow rapper Lil Wayne in the chorus. Additionally, the song was featured on Budden's mixtape "Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst", which was released in 2010. In an interview with Power 105.1, Budden spoke about the mixtape, saying "It's almost like an audio documentary...it's chronicling my experiences over the last year." The mixtape received positive reviews and helped cement Budden's reputation as a skilled and introspective rapper.

Line by Line Meaning

Just gotta get these thoughts off real quick
I need to express my thoughts and emotions quickly

See I'm a thinker, it's like thinking shit
My mind is constantly analyzing and reflecting

It's when you got
This is what happens

You sittin' there reflectin', thinkin' shit
You sit there reflecting and thinking deeply

I peep it though
I notice it, I understand what's going on

Look, you liked me better before you knew my history
You preferred me when you were unaware of my past

Before you knew who I was
Before you learned about my true identity

That's when reachin' our potential felt likely
That's when we believed we had the potential to succeed

Nobody like me
There is no one else like me

Besides see if I stop bein' who I am
If I change my true self

I'm straight to it, who I might be
I will immediately become the person I could potentially be

But you gotta look inside each song
You have to delve deep into every song I create

That's where I proved it was really in sight all along
That's where I showed that my talent and potential were always present

Bear it all so the privacy gone
I reveal everything, sacrificing my privacy

Grab the pen, sit down and write these wrongs
Take a pen, sit down, and address these mistakes through writing

Just how I right these wrongs, but look
This is how I correct these errors, but listen

You liked me better when I spoke usin' censorship
You preferred me when I was more cautious with my words

Before you knew I was really insensitive
Before you realized I could be insensitive

That was back when it was you and me
That was when it was just the two of us

Then curiosity killed you, you had to Google me
Your curiosity led you to search for information about me

Now I won't call the headlines a liar
I won't dismiss the headlines as false

Some are true and some are false, that's for y'all to decipher
Some headlines are accurate while others are not, it's up to you to figure it out

But look, on rare occasions some of what they say'll bother me
But sometimes, the things they say will actually affect me

I liked it better when the 'Net was still a novelty
I preferred it when the internet was still new and exciting

'Cause now people who ain't found themselves
Because now people who haven't discovered their true selves

Get an outlet, yet don't know how they sound themselves
They have a platform to express themselves, but they still don't understand their own voices

They like me better when I'm silent and don't have an opinion
They prefer me when I don't speak up and have no strong views

Pretendin' to blend in like I'm a minion
Faking conformity, like I'm just a follower

Say if Joe keep talkin' that shit, he'll get him shot
They say that if I continue expressing my thoughts, I'll face consequences

But if rappers can't tie my shoes, how can I not? (Shit)
If other rappers can't even measure up to me, why should I conform? (Damn)

Thought I had my city's support, I couldn't believe
I believed my city was behind me, and it was hard to accept

Jersey City liked me better when I couldn't leave
Jersey City preferred me when I was unable to move away

I take it back, that ain't set in stone
Let me take that back, it's not a fixed truth

They moreso had weapons drawn cause I left alone
They had their guard up because I ventured out on my own

I liked it better when I had nothin' to lose
I preferred it when I had nothing to risk

The days when I felt like I had somethin' to prove
When I felt the need to prove myself

Shit, even for me that's unusual
Even for someone like me, it's not the norm

If you don't give a fuck then who you gotta prove it to?
If you don't care about anyone's opinion, who do you need to prove yourself to?

Just the world that I was born in
Just the society that I was born into

You gotta learn to form wins against the storm wind
You need to find victories amidst the difficulties and challenges

They like me better when I fuckin' never call again
They prefer me when I don't reach out or communicate

Without it, they don't know what type of box I belong up in
Without that behavior, they can't categorize me

They like me better without reality television
They prefer me without appearing on reality TV shows

Guess they didn't need to witness the hell I was livin'
I suppose they didn't need to see the struggles and pain I was experiencing

In my shoes, you too would seal a fate
If you were in my position, you would also create a certain destiny

Poppin' twenty pills a day, somebody gon' feel a way, look
Taking twenty pills every day, somebody is surely going to have a problem with it, you see

And so these hoes just to pass time
And so I engage with these women just to fill the time

After the past time, they don't even pass my mind
After the moment has passed, they don't even cross my mind

You liked me better way before you got lied to
You preferred me before you were deceived

But that don't really matter when you want me inside you
But that doesn't really matter when you desire to be intimate with me

Your friends sayin' leave, they don't know that you tried to
Your friends advise you to leave, but they aren't aware that you attempted to

You can't speak to them, I'm the nigga you cry to
You can't confide in them, I'm the person you turn to when you cry

I liked it better when nobody ever heard of me
I preferred it when I was unknown to the world

'Fore pop had to get that knee surgery
Before my father had to undergo knee surgery

Guess that effected his bladder
That had an impact on his bladder

So when Jackie called me nothin' else really mattered
So when Jackie called me, nothing else was significant

Was scared, sounded frantic, I ain't want no parts of that
He sounded frightened and desperate, I didn't want to be involved in that

Said the ambulance came, might be a heart attack
He mentioned that an ambulance arrived, there might be a heart attack

Was leavin' work nearly cryin' on the phone
I was leaving work, almost crying while talking on the phone

I'm in rush hour traffic, just seen you dyin' alone, look
I'm stuck in heavy traffic, witnessing you suffer alone

I just pictured all the places that we never went
I imagined all the locations we never visited together

All the texts that were never sent
All the messages that were never sent

All the words we never spoke
All the conversations we never had

Time we never shared, rewind so we can repair
Moments we never experienced, let's go back and fix it

Such an inspiration, all the holes that you dug through
You were such an inspiration, overcoming all the obstacles

Then you got released, God was watchin' above you
Then you were set free, God was looking over you

I'm thinkin' you healin', I don't wanna disrupt you
I believe you're recovering, I don't want to disturb your progress

So I'm right back to never tellin' you that I love you
So I'm back to never expressing my love for you

And I don't wanna act that way
And I don't want to behave in that manner

If I take somethin' for granted, I don't wanna give it back that way
If I start taking something for granted, I don't want to return it with the same attitude

Forreal, that's how shit get lost, let me chill
Seriously, that's how things get ruined, let me calm down

I like it better when I'm not talkin' over my thoughts, now listen
I prefer it when I don't let my thoughts overwhelm me, now listen

I done been down, been down, it's all for you
I have experienced difficult times, all for your sake

Said it's all for you
I'm telling you, everything I've been through is because of you

And I don't wanna get in your way
And I don't want to hinder your progress

This love is all for you
This love is dedicated to you

Look, now the singers wanna rap, the rappers wanna sing
Now singers want to rap, and rappers want to sing

Personally I liked it better back when rappin' was a thing
Personally, I preferred it when rap was more prominent

'Cause now if you wanna get the high notes
Because now, if you want to reach higher vocal ranges

When that hook come, you gotta hit the high notes
When the chorus comes, you have to sing the higher notes

The label wanna sell singles
The record label wants to sell individual songs

I'm sellin' a story and that'll just taint the message
I'm selling a narrative, and that will only corrupt the message

Bad marriage, we ain't got the same objective
It's a dysfunctional relationship, we don't have the same goals

Still I'm here 'cause real niggas in the game respect it, look
However, I'm still here because genuine individuals in the industry appreciate it, understand?

They like me better when I let 'em live rent free
They prefer me when I don't challenge or confront them

I never knew that once it stopped we'd be enemies
I never realized that once I stopped allowing it, we would become enemies

And though I come off as heartless, nigga
And even though I may appear cold-hearted, my friend

In spite of yourself, got love for you regardless, nigga
Despite yourself, I still have love for you, my friend

Now listen, I liked you better when you wasn't in the spotlight
Now listen, I preferred you when you weren't in the public eye

Was too addicted to it, said some shit was not right
I was too obsessed with fame, knowing deep down it wasn't right

So when you work so much I couldn't complain
So when you worked so hard, I couldn't voice my complaints

'Til I learnt she was gateway escapin' from the pain
Until I discovered that you were using work as an escape from your emotional pain

The strippers talk to me like I'm their therapist
Strippers confide in me as if I'm their therapist

That scares the good girls away, don't know the hell I get
That scares away the decent women, they don't know the emotional turmoil I experience

Whatever thoughts you contrive, I can't help you with
I can't assist you with whatever thoughts you create

But you've been tossin' it for a year and I derail the shit
But you've been grappling with those thoughts for a year, and I disrupt them

I'm self made, I don't do what I'm told
I've achieved success on my own, I don't follow instructions

The type that needs free reign, to be out of control for real
I'm the kind of person who requires freedom, to be truly uninhibited

'Cause when that's gone I'm lost, let me chill
Because when that freedom is taken away, I feel lost, let me calm down

I like it better when I'm not talkin' over my thoughts, word
I prefer it when I let my thoughts flow without interruption, that's the truth

I've done been down, been down, it's all for you
I have experienced difficult times, everything I've been through is for your sake

Said it's all for you
I'm telling you, it's all because of you

And I don't wanna get in your way
And I don't want to hinder your progress

Said this love is all for you
I'm saying this love is entirely for you

Said this love is all for you

Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EMANNY SALGADO, JOE BUDDEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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