Joe Budden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Budden
Budden performing in 2012
Born	(1980-08-31) August 31, 1980 (age 44) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Broadcaster rapper songwriter
Years active	1999–present
Television	State of the Culture Everyday Struggle
Children	2
Musical career
Origin	Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	East Coast hip-hop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Mood Muzik Empire E1 Music Amalgam Digital Desert Storm Def Jam

Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American broadcaster and former rapper. He first became famous for his 2003 song "Pump It Up". The song was a big hit and appeared on his first album, Joe Budden.

His first album was very successful, but it was his only one with the major record label Def Jam Recordings. He later released seven more albums on his own, which were also well-liked by critics. He was also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse. The group signed with Eminem's Shady Records in 2012 and released two albums.

In 2018, Budden retired from rapping to focus on his broadcasting career. He hosts The Joe Budden Podcast, which started in 2015. He also co-hosted the web show Everyday Struggle and the TV show State of the Culture. Because he shares his strong opinions on hip-hop, some people call him "the Howard Stern of hip-hop."

Early life

Joe Budden was born in East Harlem, New York City, on August 31, 1980. When he was thirteen, he moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, with his mom and older brother. He attended Lincoln High School. Budden's father was not around much during his childhood, and he later talked about this in his music.

As a teenager, Budden went to a boarding school in North Carolina. It was there that he started to improve his rapping skills. When he returned to New Jersey, he faced some personal challenges.

By the age of 20, Budden learned he was going to be a father. This inspired him to take his music career more seriously. In 2001, he started working with a producer and releasing mixtapes. One of his tapes got to DJ Clue, a famous radio host who had his own record label.

Music Career

Breakthrough with 'Joe Budden' (2002–2003)

Budden in 2003

After getting noticed for his mixtapes, Budden signed a deal with Def Jam Recordings in 2002. His song "Focus" did well on the Billboard music charts.

On May 8, 2003, Budden released "Pump It Up". The song was a huge success. It was featured in movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious and video games like Madden NFL 2004 and Def Jam Vendetta. The song was even nominated for a Grammy Award.

On June 10, 2003, Budden released his first album, also called Joe Budden. It was a big hit, selling 95,000 copies in its first week. The album's second single, "Fire (Yes, Yes Y'all)", featured the rapper Busta Rhymes.

Working with Independent Labels (2003–2008)

While at Def Jam, Budden released two popular mixtapes, Mood Muzik: The Worst of Joe Budden and Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse?. He also started working on a second album, but he and the record label had disagreements about it. The album was never released, and Budden left Def Jam in 2007.

In 2007, Budden signed with a new company, Amalgam Digital. He released the album Mood Muzik 3: The Album in 2008. Even though it didn't sell many copies, critics loved it because Budden was very open about his personal life in his lyrics.

Joining the Group Slaughterhouse (2008–2012)

Budden performing in 2010

In 2008, Budden released the album Halfway House online. One song, "Slaughterhouse," featured rappers Crooked I, Royce da 5'9", and Joell Ortiz. People liked the song so much that the four rappers decided to form a group with the same name.

Budden released two more solo albums, Padded Room and Escape Route, in 2009. That same year, the group Slaughterhouse released their first album.

In 2011, Slaughterhouse signed a record deal with Eminem's label, Shady Records. The group released their second album, Welcome to: Our House, in 2012. It was very successful, reaching number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Final Albums and TV Appearances (2013–2016)

In 2012, Budden released the song "She Don't Put It Down" with Lil Wayne and Tank. It was his first song to make the Billboard Hot 100 chart in almost ten years.

In 2013, Budden joined the cast of the VH1 reality TV show Love & Hip Hop: New York. He appeared in seasons three and four.

On February 5, 2013, Budden released the album No Love Lost. He followed it up with his seventh album, All Love Lost, in 2015. Critics gave both albums great reviews.

On October 21, 2016, Budden released his eighth and final solo album, Rage & The Machine.

Broadcasting Career

From Rapper to Media Host (2017–present)

In 2017, Budden began co-hosting a daily morning show for Complex called Everyday Struggle. He hosted it with DJ Akademiks and Nadeska Alexis. During an interview at the BET Awards pre-show, Budden had a tense moment with the rap group Migos and walked off the set. He left the show in December 2017.

In 2018, Budden partnered with Sean Combs's media company, Revolt, to create a talk show called State of the Culture. He co-hosted the show with fellow rapper Remy Ma.

During the summer of 2018, Budden officially announced he was retiring from rapping. He signed a deal to bring his popular show, The Joe Budden Podcast, to Spotify. He left Spotify in 2020 over a financial disagreement. In 2021, he moved his podcast to the platform Patreon.

Personal life

Budden has two sons. His oldest son, Joseph Budden III (also called Trey), was born in 2001. His second son, Lexington, was born on December 15, 2017. Lexington's mother is model Cyn Santana. Budden and Santana were engaged in 2018 but later called off their engagement.

Discography

Studio albums

• Joe Budden (2003)
• Mood Muzik 3: The Album (2008)
• Halfway House (2008)
• Padded Room (2009)
• Escape Route (2009)
• No Love Lost (2013)
• All Love Lost (2015)
• Rage & The Machine (2016)

Collaborative albums

• Slaughterhouse (with Slaughterhouse) (2009)
• Welcome to: Our House (with Slaughterhouse) (2012)

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Joe Budden para niños