Drink Champs

Joe Budden “Takes The Blame” For Slaughterhouse Demise: “I Ruined Everything”

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We all know by now that a full Slaughterhouse reunion is out of the question, mainly because of Joe Budden. The Shady Records Hip Hop group didn’t even reach their peak before behind-the-scenes moves caused division. Over the years, there have been pump fakes regarding a potential reunion, and although several of the other members—Kxng Crooked, Joell Ortiz, and Royce Da 5’9″—have collaborated, Budden remains on the outside looking in. The podcast host has spoken about Slaughterhouse’s past and non-existent future, but he was questioned once again while on Drink Champs.

Budden’s appearance on Noreaga and DJ EFN’s platform arrives this week. In a teaser, Nore asks Budden about the Rap group. “Gimme the blame. I’ll take the blame. Hey! I ruined everything. Everything that you loved, I ruined that sh*t.” Noreaga chimed in to joke, “I believe you.” Budden added, “I’ll take the blame. It’s just ten years long of just stories and talkin’—ay! I did it. It was me.” EFN wanted to clarify that Budden was speaking about Slaughterhouse specifically. “You’re owning up to that one?” asked EFN. Budden replied, “Yes. It was me.” That wasn’t enough for Nore.

Joe Budden Is “Grateful”

NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 10: Slaughterhouse at John Ricard Studio on August 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by John Ricard/Getty Images)

“Rumor has it, E1 gave y’all a tremendous deal, and Shady Records gave y’all a ‘tretendous’ deal.” Budden responded, “I don’t know what was tremendous and what wasn’t. I think E1 gave us an opportunity, I think Shady gave us an opportunity. Grateful for both.” The clip ends there, but fans anticipate how the complete discussion about Slaughterhouse will unfold. These conversations have lasted, as Budden noted, for the better part of a decade. Prior to Ortiz and Crook releasing their joint project, The Rise and Fall of Slaughterhouse, Kxng talked about Budden causing them to lose out on a lucrative deal.

“Joe was signed to another label and caught up in some paperwork,” Crook told Bootleg Kev last year. “They called over to Shady like, ‘Hey we have him under contract. You have to get a clearance from us to have him appear on the song,’” he added, explaining that everyone was under the impression they were free agents before signing with Shady. “Come to find out, Joe was on the paperwork. He said that they forged his signature and that it wasn’t him. And the group was put on the shelf for a minute while he was fighting Amalgam Digital in court, and we were waiting on Joe because we couldn’t move forward.”

It was just one of several setbacks for the group. More recently, Budden and his former groupmates went at it over Ortiz and Crook’s album. He wasn’t a fan and made it clear during a heated Livestream exchange. Check out the teaser of Joe Budden on Drink Champs above.

Joe Budden Talks Slaughterhouse, Rory & Mal, Charlamagne Beef On ‘Drink Champs’

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It’s time for another captivating episode of Drink Champs, and Joe Budden is comfortable in the hot seat. The rapper-turned-podcast giant knows what it’s like to be on both sides of the interviewing fence. So, when he sat with Noreaga and DJ EFN, he didn’t have a problem addressing controversial topics. The Joe Budden Podcast is a regular fixture on the ‘going viral’ news circuit, and Nore didn’t waste any time. We’ll have to wait a little longer for the entire conversation to hit streaming services, but the teaser is enough to get Hip Hop fans’ tongues wagging.

Drink Champs dropped off the teaser to Budden’s appearance, and it’s shaping to be a must-watch. Noreaga was excited for the sit down with the “Petty King” and asked Budden about his relationship with Charlamagne Tha God. “Nothing,” he said about The Breakfast Club host with a smile. “We just hate each other.” He also spoke on someone who wanted to produce him, but Budden admitted he isn’t easy to work with. He says he is “difficult to produce” because he knows his way around a studio setup.

Joe Budden Hit With Hard Questions

Budden’s tension with former podcast co-hosts Rory Farrell and Jamil “Mal” Clay was also discussed during the conversation. In 2021, the pair exited The Joe Budden Podcast bitterly and detailed their fallout with their longtime friend. N.O.R.E. questioned the “Pump It Up” hitmaker about where they all stand now, but we’ll have to wait for his full answer. It also looks like he’ll tackle all those Slaughterhouse questions, as well, so fans are waiting to hear what Budden reveals about his former collaborators…and Eminem. “I’ll take the blame. I’ll take it. I ruined everything. Everything that you love, I ruined that sh*t,” said Budden. Noreaga quickly joked, “I believe you.”

Elsewhere, Budden touched on the requests for him to return to the mic. “Nah, I think there’s a lot of people that either want to hear me rap or want to tear me down when I start rapping,” he said. Further, he addressed critics who have called him “mean” over his remarks. He denied being a cruel person but said he did “want people to continue to think that.” Check out the teaser above and let us know if you’ll be tuning in.

N.O.R.E Slammed For Seemingly Baiting The Isley Brothers Into Shading Beyoncé

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N.O.R.E. recently had the Isley Brothers on Drink Champs, though some fans feel as though they didn’t get the respect they deserve. Even if it’s sometimes salacious and controversial, N.O.R.E dives into the topics that are on everyone’s mind, which undoubtedly helped Drink Champs become one of the leading podcasts in hip-hop. However, The Isley Brothers are legends who many feel should be treated as such. So when N.O.R.E. brought up Stephanie Mills’ comments about Beyoncé, some felt as though he was trying to set up the Isley Brothers for a viral moment.

The comments N.O.R.E referred to during the Isley Brothers interview stemmed from Mills’ interview with DJ Vlad. Stephanie Mills explained during an interview that Diana Ross and Beyoncé in comparable. Mills said that they share the common aspect of “glamor” but she considered Ross R&B and pop while Beyoncé, who previously sang “Happy Birthday” to Diana, leans towards “hip-hop.” “I consider Beyonce Hip-Hop. And I consider Diana, R&B and Pop, and just … I consider her royalty. I’ve always wanted to be like Diana,” she explained. Though N.O.R.E admitted that he understood what Mills’ said, he explained to the Isley Brothers that Beyoncé’s loyal following began to leap at Stephanie Mills.

The Isley Brothers Remain Mum

Unfortunately, N.O.R.E summoned the BeyHive with his comments. As the Drink Champs host explained to the Isley Brothers that “you can not say nothing about the B,” he described the BeyHive as a “mafia” who are ready to pounce on anyone in defense of Bey. However, throughout N.O.R.E’s speech, the Isley Brothers remained tight-lipped and quietly nodded along. Eventually, N.O.R.E. said they’re lucky that they didn’t come up in a social media era where negativity thrives.

Prior to discussing Stephanie Mills’ comments, The Isley Brothers discussed their relationship with Beyoncé’s family. Ronald Isley told the Drink Champs host that Tina Knowles cried when they reached out to record the remake of “Make Me Say It Again, Girl” from their latest album. “I mean, she’s so talented. I think the people know that. But she works so hard, man. We’re just blown away with the record,” Isley explained. “Her mother cried about it. Her favorite song is ‘For the Love of You.’” Though the Isley Brothers didn’t identify as being part of the BeyHive, there’s evidently a deep mutual appreciation between Beyoncé and the iconic soul group. Check out the comments above. 

Twitter Slams N.O.R.E.

NORE And DJ EFN Deny Calling Will Smith A ‘B*tch’ On ‘Drink Champs,’ Despite What Chris Rock Says

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You may have heard that Netflix recently livestreamed Chris Rock’s new special, Selective Outrage. You may also be aware that the standup comic used the latter third of the special to absolutely ream Will and Jada Pinkett Smith over the slapping incident at last year’s Academy Awards. During that extended bit, Rock — who loves to name-check rappers in his act — cited the controversial hip-hop podcast Drink Champs as one of the reasons Smith was so angry at him that he resorted to violence over Rock’s jokes about Jada.

“Everybody called him a bitch and who did he hit? Me!” Rock complained, apparently including Drink Champs, which did discuss rumors that Jada had an extended “entanglement” with singer August Alsina (she even coined that phrase on an episode of her own podcast, Red Table Talk). However, the hosts want it made clear that they never called Will anything of the sort. In their latest episode preview on Instagram, NORE, DJ EFN, and guest Joe Budden discussed Selective Outrage and the shout-out their show got.

In the clip, NORE asks EFN, “You called Will Smith a bitch?” to which his co-host emphatically replies, “No, man! That was you! Nah, nah. Nobody here called him a bitch.” After playing the Rock joke, Budden offered his view, “I don’t agree with anything he did, but I’m not calling another man a bitch. I’m not going to do that, but Chris Rock said y’all did that, Drink Champs.” For what it’s worth, he has a point there; he just makes “careless” jokes about Megan Thee Stallion’s shooting, asks inane questions about Isaiah Rashad’s sexuality, and hashes out accusations of abuse and sexual harassment. But he doesn’t call men “bitches.” Round of applause for Joe.

The Drink Champs hosts seemed enthused about the reference, though. “I love the way he named us, because he put us in the rapper category,” said NORE, giving his signature catchphrase: “Let’s make some noise for Chris Rock, God damn it!”

You can stream Selective Outrage now on Netflix and watch the Drink Champs preview clip above.

Noreaga Clarifies ‘Drink Champs’ Didn’t Call Will Smith A ‘B*tch’

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The arrival of Selective Outrage has been a firestorm, as Chris Rock unleashed on his foe, Will Smith. The comedian took a moment or two to target the man who slapped him during last year’s Oscars. It was an embarrassing encounter for both superstars, but initially, people felt more sympathy for Rock. Now, audiences are divided regarding their support, even more so after Rock’s latest comedy special premiered.

Pop culture has been dissecting Selective Outrage and all of Rock’s jabs. As expected, he went after the Smiths, mentioning their entanglement with August Alsina and even referring to Will as “Suge.” In the special, Rock also gave Drink Champs a shout-out by joking that the outlet called Smith a “b*tch.” It wasn’t missed on Noreaga and DJ EFN, but they took to their platform to set the record straight.

Respect For Will Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock and Will Smith at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

“This is brand-spankin’ new. Chris Rock—you call Will Smith a b*tch?” Nore asked EFN, who immediately denied saying anything of the sort. After pointing the finger at each other, EFN and Nore clarified that no one referred to the actor as a “b*tch.” Even guest Joe Budden chimed in to say, “It certainly wasn’t me.” He added, “I don’t agree with nothing he did, but I’m not gon’ call another man a b*tch. I’m not gon’ do that.” Then he joked, “But! If Chris Rock said y’all did that that, Drink Champs…”

As the trio laughs through their chat, the world continues to discuss the slap heard ’round the world. All sorts of reports from outlets speaking with “sources” have popped up in recent days. Selective Outrage has thrust the scandal back into the spotlight, and there are reports that Smith and Rock still haven’t spoken. Smith has repeatedly publicly apologized to his former friend and Rock’s family, but it doesn’t look as if it is enough.

Chris Rock Defended By Comedy Peers

Social media timelines were flooded with people telling Chris Rock he needed to let his hurt go. However, his comedy peers like D.L. Hughley and Leslie Jones have come to his defense, telling the public that comedy is how he works through the controversy.

Noreaga Explains Why ‘Drink Champs’ Won’t Do Interview With Keith Murray

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Drink Champs prides itself on being a platform that celebrates Hip Hop culture, but Keith Murray won’t appear anytime soon. The Rap legend is respected for his contributions to the culture, but his most recent interview caused chaos. Murray was a hot topic in January as portions of his The Art of Dialogue interview went viral. The rapper’s wild comments earned a wave of attention, including pushback from artists he mentioned. It made for laughs, and people fired off memes, but elsewhere, fans were concerned about his health.

There was speculation regarding what caused Murray’s behavior, but he hasn’t addressed the gossip. Some suggested Drink Champs needed to be the next platform to host a Murray interview, and Noreaga detailed his concerns. DJ EFN called Murray a “legend” in a video before Nore agreed. “Let’s also be upfront,” Noreaga added.

Noreaga’s Concerns Over Drinking & Smoking

“We’re concerned. His mental health doesn’t seem that we can put him in this environment and smoke and drink and him be [straight]. Now, if he can, we gon’ do it. We gon’ do it if he can sit here and he can smoke, he can drink, he can do all this.” EFN interjected that Murray isn’t required to partake in any vices. “The thing is, we have responsibilities,” said Nore. “We know that there’s a certain amount of people that watch us every week, every month, every motherf*ckin’ year.”

“But why would we put a Rap legend in jeopardy,” he continued. “And that’s what it’s feeling like. It’s feeling like if you come here, at some point he gon’ be like, ‘I ain’t drinkin’, I ain’t smokin’.’ At some point, he gon’ be like, ‘Give me a shot.’” They clarified that they aren’t blocking Keith Murray from the platform but are proceeding with caution.

Kanye West ‘Drink Champs’ Controversy

While this move was applauded, some noted they didn’t have the same energy for Kanye West. Ye’s appearances on the show sparked controversy after he trashed Talib Kweli, said Drake wages “psychological warfare,” and dissed several of his peers. Of those mentioned were Just Blaze, Big Sean, John Legend, Common, and of course, West spewed his political rhetoric. He also spoke ill of George Floyd and made anti-Semitic comments. Drink Champs took a few hits from those who thought they acted irresponsibly.

Noreaga Explains Why “Drink Champs” Aren’t Journalists

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N.O.R.E., also known as Noreaga, and DJ EFN have been running the podcast Drink Champs for years now. Being able to bring on world-famous guests has brought about many intriguing conversations on the show. Both with rich backgrounds in hip-hop, their relationships with star rappers can sometimes be a double-edged sword, though. For example, N.O.R.E. sometimes does not bring on guests that are a conflict of interest for his rapper friends. In a recent Drink Champs clip, he explained how his bond with Joe Budden kept him from interviewing certain artists .”Just cause of my friendship with Joe, I couldn’t interview certain people,” he said. “That has nothing to do with Illuminati. It’s just a friend thing. I have no disrespect towards the other person.”

But, this would not be the case if Noreaga and EFN were proper journalists. Typically when conducting interviews, journalists are required to put relationships and biases aside. So, following this statement, EFN made it clear to N.O.R.E. why his stance could be confusing to some viewers of the show. “I’mma tell you why people get it confused, cause you often say you’re a journalist,” he said. “This is why I always say stop saying that.”

Noreaga Sets Things Straight

When approached by his pal DJ EFN about his policy for interviews, N.O.R.E. responded with vigor. “I’m not a journalist! I’m not a journalist! I never said I was a journalist. I do journalist sh*t and I’m richer than a lot of them journalists but f**k that, I ain’t no journalist. Mothaf**ka!” Although he disagreed with EFN about ever making the claim that he was a journalist, they both agreed with the fact that they are not. “We’re media, we’re not journalists,” EFN responded.

To this, N.O.R.E. agreed. “We’re media! I’ve never said I was a journalist! I just said I do journalist sh*t,” he said. “And guess what? My relationships (are) more important than this.” With this clarification, N.O.R.E. asserts that he does not commit to fully being a journalist because his hip-hop relationships are too important to him. So, even though Drink Champs may give some of the most insightful and enjoyable interviews in the industry, they responsibly make it clear that they are not official journalists. And they prefer it that way.

Noreaga Says Cardi B Confronted Him About “Drink Champs” Comments

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An interaction with Cardi B apparently caused Noreaga to reevaluate how he approaches women in the industry. The Rap icon’s musical contributions to Hip Hop are etched in stone, but his success as a podcast host has catapulted him to new heights. Drink Champs is a leading force in Hip Hop media, and they recently inked a new deal with Warner Music Group’s in-house network, Interval Presents.

Nore was recently a guest on The Joe Budden Podcast, where he revealed that a conversation with a rapper shifted how he approached his interviews. “When I had the conversation with Cardi B, she kinda like, revealed things that I was doing on the show,” said Nore. “It made her think I was dissing her.” He further admitted that other women in Rap took issue with remarks he made on Drink Champs about them, as well. This included Foxy Brown and Lil Kim, who Nore said confronted him with similar concerns.

Read More: N.O.R.E. Invites Cardi B On ‘Drink Champs’: “I Respect Her” 

“It was almost identical. And I realized, one, I’m not playing with females at all,” he continued. “Ever again. I apologize, women, y’all got my whole ears. Apologize. I did not know what I was doing. And when Cardi told me how sometimes these questions, it’s different when you ask it for females. I didn’t realize that ’cause I’m not a female.”

“And I actually—’cause I don’t feel sorry for nobody famous,” Noreaga further shared. “If you famous and rich, I’m sorry, f*ck you. And that was the first time that I was like, ‘I’m sorry.’ Actually, I don’t know if I said that to her, I think I did say ‘I’m sorry, Cardi.’ Because I didn’t realize the same questions I could ask, it’s different when I ask it of a female.”

Read More: Noreaga Denies Shading Cardi B In Recent Tweets: “I Was Talking About Our Culture”

At the end of December, Nore said he welcomed Cardi to Drink Champs after having a “great conversation” with her. At the time, he didn’t explain what the discussion was about, but it may have had something to do with his recent revelation. No word if she’s accepted the invitation, but we’ll keep you posted if it materializes. Check out the clip of Noreaga on The Joe Budden Podcast above.

T.I. Says Young Thug “Expresses Gratitude” More Than His Own Artists

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The “Free Thug” movement hasn’t ceased since Young Thug was arrested with dozens of others on RICO charges. The hitmaker has remained incarcerated as eight others have accepted plea deals, including Gunna. Thugger and 13 other co-defendants hope for freedom after fighting their case in court. On the outside, the rapper’s celebrity peers have continued to rally for his release. While on Drink Champs, longtime friend T.I. advocated for Young Thug.

“He kinda consider—he like, ‘Yo bro, you were the first major artist to rock with me, to believe in me,’” said T.I. “That was a major look for him. At least, according to him. And, you know, he just always express his gratitude and that’s more than I received from a lot of my own artists that’s on my label that I had a hand in they career, for real.”

Read More: T.I. Explains Why He Didn’t Give Young Thug Or 21 Savage Money During Their Come Up

“And, he just…he a real good dude, bro. I don’t think—everything that’s goin’ around, I think it’s a test,” T.I. further said. “It’s a test, and it’s gon’ become his testimony. All he gotta do is continue to stand tall and stay solid, and I believe God gon’ work everything out.”

T.I. shared similar sentiments about Young Thug during his recent appearance on Club Shay Shay. The Rap mogul spoke kindly about Thug to Shannon Sharpe, even revealing that he passed on giving the rapper and 21 Savage money in the early stages of their careers. According to T.I., it wouldn’t have benefited them the way they believed, but now, both artists expressed gratitude for giving them wisdom instead of shelling out money.

“Because if I give you a million, I gotta take back some that’s gon’ be way more, and we ain’t gon’ be able to be friends no more,” he said at the time. “And I always tell them, don’t worry about the money up front ’cause it gon’ come. I remember telling that to Slime, I remember telling that to 21. And even Savage, anytime he see me now, ‘Hey, it came.’” Check out the clip of T.I. on Drink Champs above and stay tuned as the full episode drops later this week.