How Joe Budden Became the Biggest Voice in Hip-Hop Media

05 Sep 2024 (3 months ago)

Joe Budden's Early Career and Musical Journey

Joe Budden attended high school in North Carolina at the age of 14 where he sang in the choir and participated in rap cyphers. (2m16s)
Budden credits a rapper named Dutch as his biggest early supporter who introduced him to influential rap music and wrote rhymes with him. (2m49s)
Budden's god brother, Bryce, shared his music which eventually reached the right people and led to a record deal. (4m42s)
Joe Budden's debut album was created with the simple goal of providing listeners with therapeutic music focused on mental health. (7m18s)
Def Jam, Budden's record label at the time, pressured him to create a single for his album after missing the popularity of "Focus" from his mixtape. (7m55s)
Joe Budden signed to Def Jam but faced difficulties due to a lack of understanding of the music industry and legal representation. (13m20s)
Budden transitioned to digital-only releases, facing challenges and skepticism despite early success. (14m4s)
Budden's career included forming the group Slaughterhouse, signing with Shady Records, appearing on Love & Hip Hop, and releasing solo music. (17m3s)
Joe Budden decided to stop touring and focus on other endeavors around 2013. (20m59s)

He believes his podcast, "Everyday Struggle," was one of the best hip hop shows ever created. (23m53s)
Budden believes his podcast was successful because it was different from anything else at the time. (23m44s)
Joe Budden was initially looking for someone he could engage in debates with, with contrasting opinions and delivery styles, when he hired someone for Everyday Struggle. (25m24s)

Kevin Lows advised Budden to stop his radio show, believing that being accessible on the radio would hurt album sales. (11m17s)
Budden's experiences with labor disputes at Complex and his own network have given him a better understanding of both sides of such situations, leading him to believe he would have handled things differently with the benefit of hindsight. (26m59s)
Budden's experience running his own network taught him that he prefers to work with people he has close relationships with and to maintain a smaller-scale operation. (28m25s)
Joe Budden finds "overwhelmed" to be the best word to describe his experience of managing a business with little experience while also being a creator. (31m30s)
Budden believes people may perceive a lack of closure regarding his past business relationships, which he acknowledges resurfaces every few months. (32m20s)
Budden believes the most misunderstood aspect of running a successful podcast is the assumption that it merely involves sitting down and talking, emphasizing that it's much more than that. (35m13s)

Joe Budden believes artists should be aware of their business dealings and appreciate hip-hop culture. (37m53s)
Joe Budden thinks saying an album is “trash” is lazy and people should articulate their opinions with respect. (39m1s)
Joe Budden feels his approach to music analysis has matured since 2017 and he strives to make artists comfortable. (40m18s)
There were periods of time when Joe Budden's business was not doing well financially and the branding was subpar. (43m35s)
Joe Budden's business approach has evolved and he no longer conducts business in a rambunctious or reckless manner. (43m52s)
Joe Budden believes the future of podcasting will involve discovering an untapped approach that revolutionizes the industry, and he sees himself playing a key role in this discovery. (44m24s)