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Media titan, Grammy winner, unfiltered entertainer, and cultural disruptor Joe Budden sits down for a wide-ranging conversation about ownership, podcasting, and the evolving entertainment industry. Joe reflects on shaking up the internet after publicly revealing how much money he made, and explains why he chose free agency over traditional music and podcast platforms—ultimately betting on himself through Patreon.
He breaks down the difference between taking money upfront versus equity, why Patreon offered long-term value, and how podcasting has grown from an unconventional, often judged medium into a space now being explored by major players like Netflix. Joe speaks candidly about the saturation of the podcast market, the challenge of audience retention, and why he chose to build his own ad team with strong partnerships—despite ads being disruptive—because they fund everything.
Joe also opens up about turning down major money from Spotify, realizing he was underpaid by simply asking the right questions, and shares his perspective on the podcast strategies of Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, the Kelce brothers, Steve Harvey, and Kevin Hart. Calling his current life “living the dream,” he warns that platforms like YouTube should be paying attention as Netflix and others compete for dominance.
The conversation touches on Joe’s experiences with Charlamagne tha God, the personality-driven nature of entertainment, his exit from “Everyday Struggle” on Complex, and his time on Love & Hip Hop. He discusses reconciling with Lil Yachty, critiquing artists after retiring from rap, public disagreements with Cardi B, and remaining passionate about being the best in his field.
Joe weighs in on Nicki Minaj, Erykah Badu, politics, and why artists “won’t be the last to take the check,” addresses the Doechii online controversy, and shares his views on streaming culture—including whether streamers like Kai Cenat are now bigger than rappers. He talks about his son wanting to attend “Streaming University,” their close bond, and the importance of mental health throughout his life.
The episode also explores generational differences in hip-hop, the glorification of jail and prison, his stance on moving away from “the streets,” personal growth, relationships, music taste, sobriety during the Percocet epidemic, weight loss drugs, AI’s role in the future, and advice he’d give his younger self. Joe closes by predicting that in the next 5–10 years, one major streaming company will disappear entirely.
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