Joe Budden responded to Charlamagne Tha God’s criticism of the rapper-turned-podcaster’s negotiation skills by saying they weren’t even having the same conversation. On Episode 376 of The Joe Budden Podcast, the former Slaughterhouse member went on a long rant about Charlamagne not understanding why he’s leaving Spotify.
“Charlamagne, let me help you: I know that you have this healthy obsession with me,” Budden said. “I know that you think we are competing. You might also think that we are fighting the same fight. You would be sadly mistaken in all three of those.”
He opined, “Charlamagne, you’re not gonna get it ’cause I own this. My most valuable, my most powerful, my most accomplished asset, I own it. Ownership. You see all these Black people running around preaching ownership, ownership, ownership? There’s a reason for it. You, my friend, work for iHeart [Radio] and have for 10 years.”
Budden how emphasized having ownership of his podcast put him in a different situation than Charlamagne, who works for iHeart Radio. He publicly addressed The Breakfast Club host about being properly compensated and referred to Charlamagne as “misinformed.”
“Charlamagne, you broke an entire radio station!” he said. “No. 1 morning drive [show], 10 years in a row. I asked him when I spoke to him, ‘Do you think you’re paid properly for the work that you’ve done? How much y’all make up there?’ You ain’t gotta answer it. I know, y’all know. Go to sleep and think about it. But 10 years at No. 1, breaking a radio station, breaking a network because it’s iHeart. They also have a podcast division. See Charlamagne, for me, Joe would never do that because it signifies conflict of interest.”
Budden continued, “I cannot have somebody with a voice as powerful as you just be misinformed on shit. 10 years you’re No. 1, how are you paid? I’m listening to your fucking ads. We’re not having the same fight behind the scenes. It looks the same, but it’s not the same. Don’t be fooled by the cross streets.”
The podcast also revealed the two have been talking to each other behind the scenes. He contended Charlamagne’s criticisms were misguided.
“I’m on the phone with Charlamagne listening to my brother fight for oppression,” he declared. “It don’t make sense. And he don’t even see it still! It bothers me when I have to waste time, turn around and explain some shit to somebody that’s bright.”
Budden also brought up Charlamagne losing HBO and MTV gigs as examples of oppression. He then went on a diatribe about the fundamental difference between The Breakfast Club and The Joe Budden Podcast.
“You’re just talking your network, but you not paying for nothing so what splits you about to get?” the retired MC asked. “That’s what Spotify said to me, Charlamagne! They said, ‘Hey, we wanna participate in something we’re not building.’ And I said, ‘No.’ I’ve never asked for anything. There’s been no negotiation because there’s nothing to negotiate. I’m looking at how [Spotify] treats people.”
He added, “Charlamagne, you’ll never know the true value of Breakfast Club when you’re in a fucking multimedia conglomerate and they’re just gonna cross-collateralize everything in the universe. You’re not gonna see a penny! Y’all just reading ads. Shut up! Stop interrupting me. I’m busy doing real shit that’s gonna affect you. And when I say to you, ‘Aye, don’t worry about it. I’ma show you,’ you just get defensive.”
Budden’s podcasting version of a lecture included a blunt message to Charlamagne too.
“I’m trying to get you to see — never make some white person nine figures so they can come and offer you jewelry,” he stated.
Listen to Budden’s entire response to Charlamagne below.