S. Samuel
Joe Budden recently revealed his Method Man challenge regrets and why no rappers have sent him any battle rhymes since he called out Vibe's "Best Rapper Alive" list last month.
Claiming he has respect for rap pioneers, Joe explained the difference between paying homage and challenging an emcee’s rhyming skills.
“Method Man, Redman, Wu-Tang, they happened to be some of the people who paved the way for Joe Budden to get here,” he explained in an interview. “Which is why I get it, I understand what the uproar is about. I still didn’t think me saying it would cause such an uproar…My statement still stands, I still out-rap 90 percent of the n*ggas that rap and I’m mad it turned into a Joe Budden versus Method Man thing because like I said, it was not directed towards Method Man. It was a comment but I said his name and I shouldn’t have because I was talking to a large amount of people that were on that list…And furthermore, I wasn’t just talking, I said I could prove it and nobody has sent a bar my way yet…Anybody can say what they want in an interview, I don’t pay interviews no mind. And again, I have the utmost respect for Method Man, Redman, Wu-Tang, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, everybody involved that felt they had to chime in on my opinion…But today, in 2009, you send a bar my way…kiss the baby.” (All Access DVD)
Aside from the aforementioned rappers, LL Cool J recently defended Budden’s rap rant.
“Nowadays, [battling] is more about ‘Are you making money, are you a businessman,'” LL explained in an interview. “I think the least important thing in hip-hop now is hip-hop. That’s probably the least relevant thing. So I think Joe Budden has a right to feel how he feels. I think each individual has to make a decision and stand by that decision. So I can’t be mad a Joe for feeling that. I can’t be mad at Busta for feeling the way he feels…You can’t remain a child forever, we all have to grow up. Michael Jordan is not in the Finals this year, that’s just life. We gotta be willing to accept that. Sometimes a part of growing is knowing you’ll be criticized for certain things you leave behind. That just comes with the territory. But for me to pretend to be 24 year-old LL Cool J for the rest of my life, that’s not.” (Global Grind)
CNN‘s Nore also spoke up in Budden’s defense.
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Nore explained in an interview. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion but when you make your opinion public, it sometimes comes across as disrespect. And a lot of people could feel that way but what it is, is you’re entitled to your opinion as long as it’s not public because once it becomes public, it can become the wrong thing. I wasn’t mad at his opinion at all but when he made it public and when it comes across that’s why people really blew it up. He didn’t really say nothing disrespectful. But the fact that it’s in the public eye, the public now has the decision to whether to co-sign it or disregard it but you know, you see what happened with it. It got thrown a little out of proportion. I heard what Busta said, I heard what Method said, Red said. I honestly don’t think Joe meant it that way, in a disrespectful manner.” (On The Air Idiots)
Despite claiming he has no intent for a rap war with Mef, Budden recently released a freestyle taking shots at older generation rappers.
“N*ggas is scared of the truth/They doing interludes in every interview talking about how they prepared to shoot/How thoughtful, won’t resort to getting near a booth,” Joe rapped. “Thought so, what I do to them is unlawful, boss dude ain’t got a higher up to report to, just giving yourself a bad name…Got all them years rapping, nothing else happening/You need a day to day, old heads, with no other way to get paid/They gasping, time-out go take a break from the clay and grab a Gatorade/A bad contract, team can’t make a trade/Majors f*ckin’ you in the a**/You gonna stay a slave…Sh*t is f*cked up and I blame it on the way it was paved/So I’ll chill for the sake of your age/You’re great live, but let me know when that stage get appraised.” (DJ Green Lantern’s OnDaSpot Freestyle)
Check out Budden’s interview below:
Joe Budden Uncut Speaks On Everything
