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.
I
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better not talk behind the store front
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
These niggas talking about burners like we don't own those
Blasting this fully automatic, that's soul drums
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
They say if money didn't change you, you ain't make enough
They say if you ain't down to bust then never say it's tough
Got a black bitch with a body, name her Nina Skill
Don't do the back and forth racket, but Serena will
There's some couple rules I'mma share with you two
Know, niggas gon' hate you for whatever you do
To let it off you gon' need a right hand and the right wrist
And using the beam mean there was a chance that you might miss
A nigga wanna send me a message, have it delivered to me
Ticket on the coupe, sheriff ain't even give it to me
They want me killed, I'm ready for it
Means I've written my will, so I'm ready for it
But I'm real so be ready for it
Cans and Desi’s for sport
Camouflage and the cameras, some batteries, we ramming doors
We ain't amateurs at all
I flew but said my mans in the accord
That's tha plan moving forward
Til' I learn to get these hammers on board, dawg?
Let's get some shit out to the forefront
Better not talk behind the store front
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
These niggas talking about burners like we don't own those
Blasting this fully automatic, that's soul drums
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
Tell them bitches they can all come
Three ain't mind sharing as long as I get them all to cum
One was an alcoholic, I swear she was drinking all the rum
Two live together Uptown, but be on Fordham some
Scooped them from the Bronx, in a small bed and breakfast fam
What was ironic was these bitches couldn't put egg to pan
[?] thing got naked to tan
Or maybe to skinny dip but she ain't wanna wear the pants
I mean I pulled up to the block, swore I was never Neverland
Hard wood all over the crib, stepped in the middle and
Gave her the "I've been missing you"-dick, she never left again
Now the bitch depressed again, I don't need the stress again
Steal from Rage might as well send it back
I got shooters everywhere, where you gonna spend it at? murder
Still a reason they made the dress code
Figure I ain't wanna spread bloodshed on nice clothes
Let's get some shit out to the forefront
Better not talk behind the store front
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
These niggas talking about burners like we don't owe those
Blasting this fully automatic, that's soul drums
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
The lyrics of Joe Budden's song "I" are about the rapper's readiness to protect himself and his loved ones against those who would harm them. He takes pride in owning firearms and warns those who would try to intimidate him with their own weapons that they picked the "wrong one." Joe's lyrics are also about his willingness to share with multiple women, satisfied when they all reach a climax. He describes picking up two women in the Bronx and taking them to his hard-wood floor filled apartment, where he gave one the "I've been missing you" dick, and they both stayed. However, he later regrets one of them stealing from his close friend, Rage.
The lyrics depict Joe Budden as a man ready for anything, whether it's self-defense or love. He is not afraid to fight or to open his heart to multiple lovers. The song's chorus is an anthem to his readiness and preparation for any scenario. The last verse of the song is a warning about the dangers of violence and the importance of respecting dress code to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
Overall, "I" is a song that showcases Joe Budden's bravado, toughness, and readiness to face any situation. The lyrics also touch on themes of love, sex, and the importance of respecting others' property.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's get some shit out to the forefront
Let's address some issues directly and openly
Better not talk behind the store front
Don't gossip or spread rumors behind someone's back
You motherfuckers picked the wrong one
You've made a huge mistake in crossing me
Big mistake, I think you niggas made the wrong one
You've made a grave error and will regret it
These niggas talking about burners like we don't own those
Others talk about guns like we don't already possess them
Blasting this fully automatic, that's soul drums
Using a powerful weapon has a powerful impact
Tell them bitches they can all come
Invite all the women over
Three ain't mind sharing as long as I get them all to cum
I don't mind sharing partners as long as they're satisfied
One was an alcoholic, I swear she was drinking all the rum
One of the women had a drinking problem and drank all the rum
Two live together Uptown, but be on Fordham some
Two of the women live together Uptown but sometimes hang out on Fordham
Scooped them from the Bronx, in a small bed and breakfast fam
I picked them up in the Bronx and we stayed at a small bed and breakfast
What was ironic was these bitches couldn't put egg to pan
Ironically, the women couldn't even cook eggs
I pulled up to the block, swore I was never Neverland
I arrived at the neighborhood and felt like I was in a completely different world
Gave her the "I've been missing you"-dick, she never left again
I had sex with her and she never left my side again
Now the bitch depressed again, I don't need the stress again
She's depressed again and I don't want to deal with the stress
Steal from Rage might as well send it back
If you steal from me, you're just sending it back to me (since I have people watching)
I got shooters everywhere, where you gonna spend it at? murder
I have people who can harm you, so where will you spend the stolen money?
Still a reason they made the dress code
There's a reason for dress codes (to prevent violence)
Figure I ain't wanna spread bloodshed on nice clothes
I don't want to ruin my nice clothes with bloodshed
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Ben-Reid
TIMESTAMPS:
0:39 - What has changed in Nicki's life since she last spoke to Joe?
2:38 - The story behind "Are You Gone Already"
12:44 - Why did Nicki decide to make a sequel to "Pink Friday"?
15:37 - Sampling Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on "Barbie Dangerous"
18:24 - A discussion on switching up flows and voices in rap
22:00 - How big of a muse was Nicki's husband when making this album?
23:15 - Collaborating with J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Drake and Future
26:10 - "Gag City" bonus tracks and working with 50 Cent
28:19 - The current state of hip hop and competition among female rappers
38:51 - Thoughts on how "Hip Hop 50" was celebrated
40:20 - Nicki being featured on the cover of Vogue
42:33 - Working with Lil Uzi Vert on "Everybody"
45:17 - Sampling Cyndi Lauper on "Pink Friday Girls"
48:04 - How does Nicki appeal to multiple demographics at once? How does she know what samples will work?
51:14 - Singing vs. Rapping
54:04 - Is making music even still enjoyable for Nicki?
55:08 - Nicki touches on artists, labels and the media weaponing her fanbase
55:59 - Is it socially acceptable for men to attend Nicki Minaj's tour?
57:41 - Preparing for tour and watching her fans age over the years
1:01:07 - What does the future look like for Nicki Minaj's career?
1:03:14 - How did the concept of "Gag City" come about?
1:04:21 - Nicki squashing the beef between Soulja Boy and J. Cole
1:06:01 - TV + Streaming Shows
1:06:31 - When was the last time Nicki cried?
1:07:05 - Will Nicki step away from music now that the album is out and she's going on tour? Will she stay in NYC for a while?
1:09:24 - Joe asks when we'll hear Nicki rap on another posse cut like "Monster" and Nicki speaks on "Seeing Green"
1:13:32 - Outro
@ohemmaAna
I loveee that they went through a lot of the songs on each album and explained things, gives you a new appreciation for PF2(pink print2-Joe 😂🙄). I paused to listen to each song they were talking about then went back to the interview. Very good conversation you facilitated Joe.
Fav songs:
Beep Beep
FTCU
My life
RNB
Barbie Dangerous
Falling 4U
Let me Calm down
@courtscarnival9683
Joe is definitely the perfect interviewer for Nicki. They have chemistry, and he also understands the craft.
@brysonm1342
He also isn’t afraid to challenge her which I really respect
@donaldm9286
Trueeee true✨
@courtscarnival9683
@@brysonm1342 🙌🏿right
@manick5911
But he’s soooooo messsyyyyyyyy
@kimesha1113
The definitely have chemistry
@missthang5654
Seeing Joe stand next to Nicki in that bet freestyle cypher back in 09 and seeing her as a legend now sitting on his couch as the goat hip hop podcaster feels so rewarding and full circle. I love having been around for this whole journey, very nostalgic and beautiful
@MelKhalifa4
💯💯 Real ones remember that cypher
@vavaisca391
Facts 💯
@introvertj.2982
What I got from this interview. Nicki M is very articulate and holds meaningful conversations without using all those noises. She’s serious about her craft. Using organized chaos as one of her processes. And, she’s very aware of the good, the bad, the great, and ugly that comes with being a MegaStar. Yes, Mega!