Home Features Illuminati Roundtable: The Curious Case of Joe Budden

Illuminati Roundtable: The Curious Case of Joe Budden

by Pooh Bailey

mgid ao image mtv.com 204423(Photo Courtesy Of Google Images)

This is a story of a man born with the physical characteristics and lyricism of a dope MC. He grows younger and younger as the years pass on, which makes him an outsider to the newer generation. However, that is not to confuse his physical appearances with the heart, mind, and soul of one of the top lyricists of the 21st century. Joe Budden’s lyricism and style, as previously pointed out by others, is merely a blueprint for the current hot MC, who was given the credit only because of Budden being blackballed from the same industry. Beyond that, as Rap fans, I ask you to not even consider record sales and who’s hot, but who truly is a dope MC.

“Pump, pump, pump it up!” Joe Budden had the bars from the jump. (I really wanted to do that.) To borrow a line from Drake (or Quentin or whoever): “But slip up and shoot the wrong f—–g video, and they think they can market you however they decide to.” Unfortunately for Budden, “Pump It Up” was the track that put him on in the mainstream yet stalled him from super-stardom (and whatever reason he was put on the naughty list). As a rapper that is serious about the art, the last thing you want is some gimmicky song to help launch your career. That’s because the newfound fans will want more of the catchy mess than what you truly want to say. Don’t believe me, next time you go to a Hip-Hop show, look at the crowd and see which tracks they go up for. Then see which tracks that they leave and go to the bathroom during. And that is Budden’s main issue (there’s more trust me). 2016, the new Hip-Hop fan don’t care about lyricism or who wrote the lyrics. This is what Budden and his new nemesis, Meek Mill, fail to realize. Or maybe not.

The underground Hip-Hop fan knows that Drake’s original style is Budden’s foundation.  Budden help bring that Emo Hip-Hop in. But for casual fans, it’s not about who established it. It’s about who made it hot in the mainstream. And that my friend, is why this is the curious case of The Mouse. Why? Because like Benjamin Button, Budden’s career is merely going in reverse. With all the hype about him going against Drake and now Lupe Fiasco, Joey is just one hot track featuring Future away from being where he is supposed to have been a long time ago. Pumping it up at the top. –Pooh Bailey

Leave a Comment