Joe Budden might not be hitting the studio like he used to, but the podcaster still has plenty of industry intel he’s happy to discuss on his show. Lately, a lot of the 43-year-old’s content has been focusing on the drama unfolding amongst the men of rap. Many are curious why Drake suddenly became public enemy number one to former collaborators like Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar. According to Budden, the reason might be a lot more complicated than it seems on the surface.
“The labels got s**t running through Drake, I’m telling you,” the “Pump It Up” hitmaker alleged on Tuesday’s (April 16) episode of his podcast. “We’re going to find out. One of these ni**as is going to spill the beans soon, I’m telling you. There’s something here that we don’t know enough about yet,” Budden said after a co-host mentioned the father of one’s alleged ties to Gamma. XXL notes that the new company was founded in 2023 by former Apple executive Larry Jackson and record executive Ike Youssef. Rick Ross, French Montana, Sexyy Red, and Usher are all artists on the platform’s roster.
“I think Drake owns some of Gamma,” The Joe Budden Podcast creator told viewers. In the past, the rapper-turned-media personality speculated that the 6ix God is getting paid for showing support to Sexyy, which supports this theory. Additionally, it could explain some of the tension brewing with Montega and Rozay.
At this point, it’s hard to keep up with all the artists who seem to be airing out their issues with Drake. Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar are the most obvious, but there’s also speculation that his fellow Canadian, The Weeknd, was singing some shade on Metro Boomin and Future’s We Still Don’t Trust You. Read our timeline of their drama at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Drake is one of the biggest artists in the world, and over the years, he has certainly had his fair share of run-ins with hip-hop media. Overall, it has been a while since he has actually sat down with a hip-hop publication. Instead, he has mostly focused on doing interviews with the likes of Bobbi Althoff and Barstool Sports. However, he is clearly paying attention to the landscape right now, and he is aware of all of the big names. Consequently, he could probably tell you who his favorite personalities are, right off the top of his head.
In fact, the Big Three of hip-hop media has become a discussion point thanks to Adam22. Recently, he said that the Big Three is himself, DJ Vlad, and DJ Akademiks. He even dissed Joe Budden in the process, which led to an interesting reply from the man himself. Since then, Adam has asked Drake to get in on the fun. While speaking on a recent podcast, Adam says Drake told him who his Big Three is, or at least he implied it. Adam suggested his own list, and it led to Drake saying “Nah you got to give it to [Joe Budden] over Vlad.”
While Drizzy might hate Joe Budden, and for obvious reasons, it seems like he still respects him as a podcaster. Apparently, Drake isn’t too fond of Vlad, who is definitely a polarizing figure. Some love him and his interview style, while others have always felt conflicted by it. No matter what, this debate has been pretty interesting to watch play out. For now, however, it seems like Akademiks is through line for everyone who is taking part in the debate. Given his public perception, it is a unique thing to note.
Let us know what you think of these comments from Drake, down in the comments section below. Do you think that he is correct in his assessment? Who would you have in the hip-hop media Big Three? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
While rap music itself has dealt with a series of massive beefs throughout 2024 so far, the media surrounding the genre is also in the midst of a major confrontation. It began when Adam22 claimed that there was a “big three” in rap media including him, DJ Akademiks, and Vlad. His comments mirroring Kendrick’s recent dismantling of the “big three” narrative surrounding him, Drake, and J. Cole probably wasn’t a coincidence. In his comments he also took shots at Joe Budden by downplaying his influence over the rap scene.
In the days following the claim DJ Akademiks agreed with Adam22. He tried to draw a line between the daily streamers and Budden, who only hosts a podcast. Budden clapped back at him poking fun at the very idea that there was a “big three” in rap media in the first place. Now Adam shared a response to that post via Twitter. “Joe Budden checked Socialblade, realized he’s not in the top 3 and deleted this. Sad day for the Joe Budden fans. Your leader does not stand on business,” his tweet reads. Their beef doesn’t appear like it will be slowing down anytime soon. Check out the most recent shots taken between the two media personalities below.
Joe Budden checked Socialblade, realized he’s not in the top 3 and deleted this. Sad day for the Joe Budden fans. Your leader does not stand on business. pic.twitter.com/aOpTHO2m23
Over the weekend, Joe Budden assembled an emergency podcast to react to Drake’s response song. in the episode he and a few guests shared their real time reactions to Drake’s responses to Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, and Metro Boomin. The episode actually proved to provide some insight into the inspiration behind some of the lyrics. One of his co-hosts also revealed that Drake had no reason to worry about a response from Pusha T as his former adversary has no interest in the new beef.
What do you think of Adam22 picking a fight with Joe Budden over who is more influential to hip-hop culture? Who do you think will come out on top in the beef when all is said and done? Let us know in the comment section below.
Everybody is talking about Drake recently as he’s found himself in a series of beefs. It seemingly came out of nowhere following Kendrick Lamar’s verse on “Like That” where he took shots at both Drake and J. Cole. Since then there have been various levels of disses thrown out by the likes of Metro Boomin, Rick Ross, and even suspected shots from The Weeknd and Future. All of the attention being paid to the rapper’s rivalries has many reminiscing on one of the most memorable beefs of his career when he squared off with Pusha T in 2018.
The pair famously inherited a beef dating back to Push’s Clipse days where his issues with Lil Wayne first began. After throwing out some lyrics aimed at Drake on his album Daytona, Drake his back with his “Duppy Freestyle” a song that admittedly many fans felt was a solid response. But it was met with one of the most notorious diss tracks of all time. Pusha T returned with “The Story Of Adidon: which famously revealed to the world that Drake had a secret child while also taking shots at his own fatherhood. Drake may have been justifiably worried about Push chiming in while he’s seemingly being attacked from all sides. But Push reportedly has no interest in re-sparking their legendary beef. Check out the clip sharing that claim below.
In the wake of Drake’s new response track dropping, Joe Budden assembled an emergency podcast episode to break it down. He grabbed a number of guests to join him to discuss the song. When the subject of Pusha T comes up one of his guests weighs in.
He claims to have just talked to Push and revealed that fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for a response. What do you think of Pusha T sitting out of a spat of recent beefs with Drake? Are you surprised he’s choosing not to weigh in on his former adversary? Let us know in the comment section below.
Overall, Joe Budden is one of the most popular and heralded figures in hip-hop media. While some people seem to be jealous of that, Budden continues to do his own thing. Throughout the past year, he has found himself in feuds with a ton of artists. Ari Lennox, NBA YoungBoy, and even Drake have found themselves at odds with the rapper-turned-podcaster. Now that Drake and Kendrick Lamar are beefing, fans have been looking towards Joe’s opinion on everything. After all, he seems to always have an inside scoop.
This weekend, Joe did a podcast episode with DJ Akademiks. During this episode, Ak tried to get to the bottom of Budden’s previous issues with Drake. As Budden explained, he really doesn’t have any issues with Drizzy. Instead, he respects the man as an artist. He just always has tough love for creators, and that comes through for the megastar. This led to some pressure from Akademiks, who continued to question Budden. That is when Joe revealed that a lot of his Drake intel doesn’t even come from OVO. It actually just comes from escorts.
“I think most of my Drake intel today comes from my love of escorts,” Joe explained. “I’m not trying to be funny. The escorts just always know. The escorts are ground level to it all. The escorts are the CIA of the subway system.” It is a very unique admission, and not one that everyone would be willing to make. However, Budden has always been shameless in the past. That said, this certainly implies something about Drake, and an alleged similar interest. Either way, Budden remains an entertaining figure.
Let us know what you think about these comments from Joe Budden, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that he is too much of a Drake hater? Have you been amused by his back and forths with the megastar? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Joe Budden is someone who has always stirred the pot when it comes to the media world. Quite frankly, the same can be said of his music. Overall, he is an authoritative voice in the world of hip-hop, and he holds a spot that a lot of other media members are envious of. Although some might not like all of Joe’s takes, there is no doubt that he is entertaining while delivering them. For instance, he has been particularly fired up about the feuds between Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake. Now, however, he has people coming after him.
Yesterday, we reported on how Adam22 came out and said Budden was not part of the hip-hop media big three. Instead, that position belonged to Adam, DJ Akademiks, and DJ Vlad. Many disagreed with Adam’s take, especially with the current state of No Jumper in mind. That said, Budden took to Twitter, where he went off on Adam, noting that there is no such thing as a “HipHop media big 3.” Moreover, he channeled Rick Ross’ Drake disses, by calling Adam a “white boy.”
Some you media niggas been trying to force a beef/relationship w me for years now… I’m too at peace for the contrived hootenanny and my God is too good for me to pretend like he isn’t. Pls don’t let me be a distraction to your plans, with a little more focus you maybe can lose…
Joe continued to go off on Adam and others who have tried to come after him. “Some you media n****s been trying to force a beef/relationship w me for years now,” Budden wrote. “I’m too at peace for the contrived hootenanny and my God is too good for me to pretend like he isn’t. Pls don’t let me be a distraction to your plans, with a little more focus you maybe can lose even more!! lol”
Let us know how you feel about this feud between Joe and Adam22, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with Adam that Joe isn’t a top three name in hip-hop journalism? Does Adam and No Jumper belong there? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed on your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Joe Budden has built a media career off of offending rappers, media personalities, and even other podcasters on his hit show The Joe Budden Podcast. This week, Ari Lennox got into it with the 43-year-old podcaster, after Joe Budden mentioned her in his discussion regarding the Big 3 beef. Lennox, who is signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville record label, did not take kindly to Budden’s comments and took to social media to fiercely clap back. This is not the first time this year that Ari Lennox and Joe Budden have engaged in a back-and-forth, though some fans wonder how deep this multi-platformed feud will go. Let’s delve into the statements made by both parties and trace the origins of the conflict.
Ari Lennox seemingly first took issue with Joe Budden’s comments after a 2022 episode of Budden’s podcast, wherein the Mood Muzik rapper sided with radio host MacG in a disagreement with Lennox. It all began when Ari appeared on MacG’s Podcast and Chill, when the South African media figure asked Lennox if anyone was currently “f***ing [her] good,” a reference to her 2019 track “Pop.” On “Pop,” Lennox croons, “If you really love me, I’ll f*** you good/ F*** you good, f*** you good/ Treat you how you should.“
Ari appeared visibly bothered by this question, which she considered invasive. Shortly thereafter, she took to Twitter to announce her decision to cease all interviews. Joe Budden made fun of Lennox on his show following the moment, arguing, “if I say it in a song, it’s in the world. It’s on board to be discussed from people… Once it’s documented, it lives. It exists. That was something I used to battle with as an introspective artist.” Ari Lennox didn’t publicly respond to Joe Budden’s comments at the time, though fans were quick to take to social media in her defense.
The Pair Exchanged Words At The Start Of 2024
Ari Lennox goes off on Joe Budden and calls him a “limp dick stalker” and plans on suing him for his reaction to her experience opening up for Rod Wave on tour pic.twitter.com/E6l9R7UPjH
Ari Lennox and Joe Budden first exchanged words in January, when Ari departed her role as an opener on Rod Wave’s nationwide tour. Lennox explained to her fans via social media that she felt Wave’s crowd was fundamentally different than hers, prompting her to feel unhappy and unwelcome on stage with the Florida rapper. Budden, known for making jokes at the expense of trending artists in the news, ridiculed Lennox for airing her grievances publicly. On-air, he advised her to address these issues with her team behind the scenes rather than discussing them with her fans.
Ari Lennox took exception to these demands, and subsequently took to Instagram Live to respond, stating, “I don’t know what Joe Budden’s obsession is with me, but what I will say is that somebody needs to tell him to stop touching them dogs.” Lennox’s comment calls back to a bizarre September 2020 story that saw Budden come under fire for allegedly touching his pet dogs inappropriately. Ari Lennox continued to say of Joe Budden, “He’s weird, and he’s gross. He has smoke mouth. He’s disgusting! And he’s a failure, like Drake said.”
Budden Offered An Apology… Before Immediately Calling Her “Nuts”
In a January 23 episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Joe responded to Ari’s comments with a mild apology, which many viewers found to be insincere. Before the episode even concluded, Budden fired back at the “Waste My Time” vocalist, using misogynist slurs and referring to her as “a bag of f***in’ mixed nuts.” Budden concluded, “This b**** is all the nuts combined and I think she’s done a great job of proving the exact point that I was trying to make in the last broadcast, and we shower her with love.” To Joe Budden’s credit, he and his cohosts have highlighted Ari Lennox’s music on numerous occasions before this spat, though that obviously doesn’t make his language any more acceptable.
J. Cole’s Latest Headlines Reignite Feud
Some parts of Joe Budden reacting to the J Cole apology and retraction of Might Delete Later diss track at Kendrick. pic.twitter.com/imfYFwruth
Things had gone fairly quiet between Ari Lennox and Joe Budden for a few months, prompting many fans to assume the beef had died out, not with a bang, but with a whimper. That is until J. Cole shocked the world by apologizing to Kendrick Lamar for dissing him on the record “7 Minute Drill.” Joe Budden and his cohosts subsequently reacted to the apology like many other pundits, by clowning J. Cole and stripping him of his title as one of the Big 3 rappers.
During episode 715 of The Joe Budden Podcast, which aired on April 10, Budden stated, “I don’t want to hear no more about that record. It sounded like he didn’t mean it. His voice was trembling like he didn’t mean it. His choice of words as one of the greatest lyricists says he didn’t mean it.” The former Slaughterhouse member continued to drag Ari Lennox back into the discussion, subsequently stating, “I don’t want to hear a f***ing peep out of Earthstone Twitter … Cole is on that — Y’all think I’d be playing with the Ari Lennox, Scottie… They do all that earthy college campus, grass root s***.”
Ari Lennox Fires Back
Ari Lennox reignited her feud with Joe Budden after recent comments he made about her on his podcast.
The singer shared a clip to her Instagram Stories of the moment Joe Budden was punched by rapper Consequence. pic.twitter.com/oaLbtgtlSj
True to her nature, Ari Lennox fired back at Joe Budden via Instagram stories, sharing a clip of a violent 2013 confrontation between Joe and rapper Consequence. In the clip, Consequence runs up behind Budden and punches him in the back of the head, causing Budden’s glasses to fly off of his face as other parties prevent the pair from throwing hands. Lennox spammed the brief video to her story a whopping 24 times in a row.
Lennox captioned the clip with some fiery words, stating “Knocked your little glasses off and everything. Keep my precious name out of your psychotic, animal-abusing, women-terrorizing, demonic trolling, nicotine-encased mouth. All this meth smoke for a woman but not for any man beating your ass in real life. Bald b*tch!” Clearly, neither party is ready to truly bury the hatchet. Joe Budden is likely to double down on his comments in the forthcoming episode of his show, meaning the feud will only continue to drag on.
J. Cole apologized, but Kendrick Lamar and Drake are still set on beef. According to Joe Budden, the two titans are ready to drop “nuclear” diss tracks on each other.
Speaking on The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden revealed that “it’s up.”
“Whatever little rappy s–t you thought was going on, it’s not that and something’s coming,” Budden said. “I think that J. Cole knows that from either Drake, Kendrick or both. And it was time to bow out because we are no longer in the first round.”
He added that he had “good information” that the “nuclear” tracks would end speculation and debate.
“I been saying for a few pods that I’ve seen absolutely nothing from Drake to get me excited enough to think that he will be capable of doing what needs to be done against the likes of a Kendrick Lamar,” Budden said. “I’m here to say there is no longer any need for me to instigate anything. We’re here and apparently he did it and people heard it. I heard it’s bad.”
Ari Lennox and Joe Budden are not fans of each other. The two have long traded insults, with the beef originating with Budden’s criticisms of Lennox’s expression of her experience as an opener on Rod Wave’s tour.
During the most recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden criticized J. Cole’s diss retraction but took a jab at Lennox and Scottie Beam.
“Y’all think I be playing with the Ari Lennox, Scottie, they do all that earthy, college campus, grassroots shit,” Budden said. “If you listen to [Cole’s] raps, he just been trying to be the best rapper, the best MC. But you gotta listen to a n-gga’s story. It’s been college life.”
The mere mention of Lennox’s name set her off, as she shared a loop of Joe Budden being punched by Consequence in 2013. She also fired off a scathing response:
“Knocked your little glasses off and everything. Keep my precious name out of your psychotic, animal abusing, woman terrorizing, demonic trolling, nicotine encased mouth. All this meth smoke for a woman but not for any man beating your ass in real life. Bald bitch!”
You can see it all below.
Aye yooooo Ari Lennox posted Joe Budden gettin swung on in her story a bunch of times pic.twitter.com/U8GSZhAejQ
The latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcastbegan with a discussion around J. Cole’s Might Delete Later. Co-host Lamar “Ice” Burney was reviewing “Pricey” and noted the song features Gucci Mane and Young Dro. Budden interjected, “And Ari Lennox. Don’t do that to Ari. Ari Lennox is on track one as well. Shout-out to her.” It seemed like a well-intentioned shoutout for a split second before Budden added, “Don’t need her to go grab a football helmet again.”
What Did Ari Lennox Say About Joe Budden?
It would appear Lennox did not take kindly to her name coming out of Budden’s mouth. On her Instagram Story, Lennox posted a video of Consequence punching Budden backstage at a Love And Hip-Hop: New York reunion taping in 2013. After 24 Instagram Story posts of the same video, Lennox wrote, “Knocked your little glasses off and everything. Keep my precious name out of your psychotic, animal-abusing, women-terrorizing, demonic trolling, nicotine-encased mouth. All this meth smoke for a woman but not for any man beating your ass in real life. Bald b*tch!”
Ari Lennox’s IG story is just Joe Budden getting punched by Consequence on loop pic.twitter.com/GG0JQsxAmw
Budden dismissed Lennox’s feelings — emphasizing that “it’s a blessing” to be able to tour as a musician and suggesting that Lennox should have told her team that she didn’t want to open for Rod Wave. For reference, Budden’s “football helmet” comment this week was a callback to mocking Lennox’s response to having a bottle thrown at her during one of her Nostalgia Tour sets.
Lennox also clapped back in January. “Y’all, I don’t know what Joe Budden’s obsession is with me, but what I will say is that somebody needs to tell him to stop touching them dogs,” she said on an Instagram Live, as captured here. “I don’t understand why he’s so obsessed. Like, why are you so obsessed?” Budden apologized (sort of).
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