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.
Mood Muzik Beginning
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm comin, I'm comin, I'm comin
[Joe - talking over background vocals]
Okay... the time has finally come beautiful people
Jeah... I've been singin this tune for entirely too long now
For like, eight or nine years, somethin like that
But I'm here, only to present to you your album
[Joe Budden]
The time is finally near, it's gettin closer I'm finally scared
(?) that the album's out y'all, it's finally here
I repeat myself for the haters y'all, I'm finally here
Every street corner, jail cell, finally cheer
Cause it was y'all that voted me, y'all that noticed me
It's y'all that said I should've been signed to Def Poetry
It was y'all that said yes y'all can flow a tree
Momma raised me proper, the streets just molded me
The streets coded me, made me a better pedigree
Now things are complicated like Avril Lavigne said it be
But I took some time out to get my shit straight
And present to you, jump off seventy minute mixtape
This here's for real, this here's the official
This year it's not a "Best Of," this is the best of
How can I say this? It's sorta like - Hov', 'Pac, B.I.G.
Blended with Bill Withers and Miles Davis
Let's add Al Green, folks I miscalculated
Now it's Ludacris time, "Move - get out my way bitch!"
A rapper's rapper, the kid can do this
To you ignorant muh'fuckers, don't misconstrue this
Everything reversed now, I live in _The Matrix_
So how can I stay anonymous, when it's my job to be famous? (Talk to 'em)
A lot of y'all can't interpret when I'm speakin that language
But some better understand to the rest it's better you can't
Now when you speak of the elite, I feel honored if mentioned
Because the goal is on top, never honorable mention
If Joe's purpose is due, here it is it's no further anew
Enough said with no further adieu
I'm comin, (geah) I'm comin, I'M COMIN!
In Joe Budden's song "Intro," the rapper speaks directly to his fans, announcing the release of his long-awaited album. He acknowledges the support of those who have been with him from the beginning, from the streets to those who voted him on Def Poetry. He reveals that he's taken time off to collect himself and now presents his seventy-minute mixtape as not a "Best of," but better than any of those compilations. He sees himself as a blending of such greats as Hov, Pac, and B.I.G, along with the soulful sounds of Bill Withers, Al Green, and Miles Davis. He proudly admits to living in "The Matrix" and understands that staying famous is part of his job. Although he realizes not everyone can interpret his language and that's okay, he still wants to be considered among the elite and not just an honorable mention.
The lyrics are powerful because they reveal a sense of vulnerability in the artist. At this moment, he doesn't feel invincible or unbreakable but rather nervous about his album release. He also seems to acknowledge that he's come a long way and that although his roots started in the streets and jail cells, he's worked his way up to presenting his mixtape as something great. He blends rap and soulful music together, which is a unique combination that shows his versatility as an artist. Furthermore, he's not content with being a one-hit-wonder or just an honorable mention. He wants his name to always be associated with the best in the industry.
Line by Line Meaning
The time is finally near, it's gettin closer I'm finally scared
I've been waiting for this moment for so long that now that it's almost here, I'm feeling a bit anxious
(?) that the album's out y'all, it's finally here
The album is finally being released and is now available to everyone
I repeat myself for the haters y'all, I'm finally here
For all of the people who didn't believe in me or thought I would never make it, I am proving them wrong because I am finally here
Every street corner, jail cell, finally cheer
Even people who are on the streets or in jail are excited that my album is being released
Cause it was y'all that voted me, y'all that noticed me
It was my fans who helped me get to where I am today by supporting me and believing in my talent
It's y'all that said I should've been signed to Def Poetry
My fans recognized my skills and thought that I was worthy of signing with Def Poetry
It was y'all that said yes y'all can flow a tree
My fans believed in my ability to rap and encouraged me to pursue my dreams
Momma raised me proper, the streets just molded me
My mother taught me good values and morals, but growing up in the streets shaped me into the person I am today
The streets coded me, made me a better pedigree
Growing up in the streets taught me important lessons that helped me become an improved version of myself
Now things are complicated like Avril Lavigne said it be
Life is full of challenges and obstacles that make things more difficult, just as Avril Lavigne sang about in her song
But I took some time out to get my shit straight
I took a break from everything to focus on myself and make sure that I was on the right path
And present to you, jump off seventy minute mixtape
I am releasing a mixtape that is 70 minutes long and is a collection of my best work
This here's for real, this here's the official
This mixtape is the real deal and is the official representation of my talent
This year it's not a "Best Of," this is the best of
This mixtape isn't just a collection of my greatest hits, it's the best of the best
How can I say this? It's sorta like - Hov', 'Pac, B.I.G.
This mixtape is on par with some of the greatest rappers of all time like Jay-Z, Tupac, and Notorious B.I.G.
Blended with Bill Withers and Miles Davis
But it also has elements of soulful musicians like Bill Withers and Miles Davis
Let's add Al Green, folks I miscalculated
I underestimated how much Al Green's music influenced me and should have included him in my list of influences
Now it's Ludacris time, "Move - get out my way bitch!"
It's time for me to take my place among the greats like Ludacris and assert my dominance
A rapper's rapper, the kid can do this
I am a true rapper's rapper and can rap with the best of them
To you ignorant muh'fuckers, don't misconstrue this
To those who don't understand my talent or who underestimate me, don't misinterpret what I'm saying
Everything reversed now, I live in The Matrix
My life feels like it's been turned upside down and I now feel like I'm living in a completely different reality
So how can I stay anonymous, when it's my job to be famous? (Talk to 'em)
As a famous rapper, how can I stay out of the spotlight and keep a low profile?
A lot of y'all can't interpret when I'm speakin that language
Some people can't understand what I'm saying when I'm rapping because they don't understand the slang or the way I'm expressing myself
But some better understand to the rest it's better you can't
But some people do understand what I'm saying and for those who don't, it might be better if they don't try to interpret it
Now when you speak of the elite, I feel honored if mentioned
Being mentioned among the greatest rappers of all time is an honor for me
Because the goal is on top, never honorable mention
My goal is to reach the top of my profession and not just be a footnote or an honorable mention
If Joe's purpose is due, here it is it's no further anew
If people are wondering why I am doing this or what my purpose is, here it is and it's nothing new
Enough said with no further adieu
That's all I have to say for now and there's no need for any further introduction
I'm comin, (geah) I'm comin, I'M COMIN!
I'm here and ready to show the world what I'm capable of!
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: RYAN SEWON JHUN, SOO IN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind