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.
Real Life in Rap
Joe Budden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate why'all duuuuuuudes
That get real life and rap confuuuuuuused
Don't get it fucked up, and don't get shoooot
Tryin to be somethin you're nooooot
My niggaz want war, whatchu think you good for?
Yeah you talk like them threats is real
I only spit what I live, and I play my part, feds know
You just talkin burners cause your A&R said so
Don't play the game like it's just a scrimmage
Don't think that what you hearrrin is just a image
How your songs though? You never spent a day in the bing
Niggaz is movin they mouths but they ain't sayin a thing
Half why'all vets is heartless and rep regardless
Only time you seen a courtroom was pressin charges
How you baggin up white, but won't scrap in a fight
Sheeeeit, see'mon mayne, shit ain't addin up right
When shit's thick, whatchu gon' do with that pound
But real recognize real, you must be new in this town
All I'm hearin is another nigga's life over tracks
And you lames ain't willin to lose your life over rap
[Chorus]
Tired of hearin' 'bout you rap dudes comin' with the guns
Never caught a body, had the smell comin from the trunk
(And umm) I'm tired of hearin 'bout your four's bust
While I was cuffed on a up North bus
Why'all fucked on a tour bus
All them stories 'bout you gettin' money with gangsters
(Guess what?) The shit is pretty funny to gangsters
I'm tired of hearin' 'bout that gat in your boot
'Cause when it's said and done
And you finished that rap in the booth, it's back to the truth
And your shit is glass thug (and you) never outside
'Cause youse a in the lab thug (youse a) pen and pad thug
It sounds good, you ain't pushin work in the projects
But you spittin' 'bout it when you work on your project
Clown answer back, why'all never seen the hammers flash
Just photo shoots when cameras flash
All I'm hearin is another nigga's life over tracks
And you lames ain't willin to lose your life over rap
[Chorus]
In direct beef between rappers, they be all thugs
See each other in the street and dap, it's all love
War stories ain't yours about the pounds your man got
Only time you move bricks is when the SoundScan drop
You ain't never cooked nothin' by that kitchen sink
And the only time you been behind bars was fixin' a drink
You actin a fool, got real life and rap confused
With them ten o'clock songs, you just rappin' the news
But I ain't mad atcha flow, he tryin to stack his dough
But everybody's a thug until them ratchets show
The same dudes that rap about (they get) stuck for all the 1's
And if everybody's a killer, where the fuck is all the punks?
I hope you gettin your loot; just remember
What you spit in the booth
There's other people that's livin' proof
Why'all cats with all the mouth, just stay in your lane
And pray that a real NUCCA don't decide to call you out
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Joe Budden feat. Emanny's song Welcome to Real Life depict the reality of the rap industry in which rappers try to imitate gangsters to look cool and gain fame. The song highlights the difference between real-life experiences and the fantasy world of rap music. The artist conveys the message that the glorification of guns, money, and drugs is not something that should be celebrated, and rappers should not confuse reality with their raps. He emphasizes that rappers who have not lived a tough lifestyle or been in situations such as gangs, prison, or drug dealing should not portray it in their music. The song puts a spotlight on the negative side of the rap industry, where some rappers fabricate their identities to gain popularity, and encourages listeners to stay true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate why'all duuuuuuudes
I dislike rappers who confuse real life with their rap lyrics
That get real life and rap confuuuuuuused
Rappers who glorify their violent lifestyle don't have a clear perception of reality
Don't get it fucked up, and don't get shoooot
Don't mistake their raps for their actual life, and don't get shot for trying to imitate them
Tryin to be somethin you're nooooot
Don't try to portray yourself as someone you're not
My niggaz want war, whatchu think you good for?
My friends are ready for violence, what are you going to do?
Yeah you talk like them threats is real
You speak about violence as if it's real and personal to you
A pine box, closed casket and mommy's black dress is real
Death is real and it affects the people around you
I only spit what I live, and I play my part, feds know
I only rap about my real life experiences, and law enforcement is aware of it
You just talkin burners cause your A&R said so
You only talk about guns because your record label encouraged you to do so
Don't play the game like it's just a scrimmage
Don't act like violence is just a game or practice
Don't think that what you hearrrin is just a image
Don't think that what you hear in rap music is just an image or fiction
How your songs though? You never spent a day in the bing
How can you rap about prison when you've never been there?
Niggaz is movin they mouths but they ain't sayin a thing
You're rapping but saying nothing of real value
Half why'all vets is heartless and rep regardless
Many veteran rappers glorify a violent lifestyle regardless of the consequences
Only time you seen a courtroom was pressin charges
The only time you've been in a courtroom is when you're pressing charges against someone else
How you baggin up white, but won't scrap in a fight
You sell drugs but won't defend yourself in a physical altercation
Sheeeeit, see'mon mayne, shit ain't addin up right
Something doesn't add up about your lifestyle and your lyrics
When shit's thick, whatchu gon' do with that pound
What are you going to do with your gun when a real situation arises?
But real recognize real, you must be new in this town
People who live a real hard-core lifestyle can see through your fake exterior
All I'm hearin is another nigga's life over tracks
All I hear in rap music is the glorification of someone else's violent life
And you lames ain't willin to lose your life over rap
You're not willing to risk your life for the persona you've created in rap
Tired of hearin' 'bout you rap dudes comin' with the guns
I'm tired of hearing about rappers who talk about guns in their songs
Never caught a body, had the smell comin from the trunk
You've never killed someone, nor have you dealt with the aftermath of a murder
Why'all fucked on a tour bus
You engage in sexual activities on your tour bus, but that's not a real hard-core lifestyle
All them stories 'bout you gettin' money with gangsters
Your stories about making money with gangsters are more fiction than they are reality
The shit is pretty funny to gangsters
Real gangsters laugh at your attempts to glorify their lifestyle
'Cause when it's said and done
And you finished that rap in the booth, it's back to the truth
And your shit is glass thug
When you're done rapping, you go back to your normal life, which is not hard-core
You ain't pushin work in the projects
You're not selling drugs in the projects, regardless of what you rap about
But you spittin' 'bout it when you work on your project
You rap about a violent lifestyle when you're working on your album
Clown answer back, why'all never seen the hammers flash
If someone challenges your tough-guy persona, you won't really use your gun
Just photo shoots when cameras flash
You act tough for the cameras, but that's not genuine
In direct beef between rappers, they be all thugs
Rappers engage in fake beef and pretend to be tough
See each other in the street and dap, it's all love
When they meet outside of the context of rap, they're friendly to each other
The same dudes that rap about (they get) stuck for all the 1's
They rap about being robbed, but it's just a story
And if everybody's a killer, where the fuck is all the punks?
If every rapper is a hard-core killer, then who are the actual soft, non-violent people?
I hope you gettin your loot; just remember
What you spit in the booth
There's other people that's livin' proof
Don't forget that your violent lyrics affect real people who live that life
Why'all cats with all the mouth, just stay in your lane
You talk too much, just stick to what you're actually good at
And pray that a real NUCCA don't decide to call you out
Hope that a real violent person doesn't challenge your fake persona
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN POTTER, DENNIS EARLE LAMBERT, JOSEPH ANTHONY BUDDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind