Joe Budden

About Joe Budden

Born in Spanish Harlem but hailing from Jersey City, New Jersey, Joe Budden spent the first eleven years of his life in the mecca of the hip-hop movement. As an "eighties baby", Joe was naturally influenced by the artists of that era such as KRS-One, Kool G Rap, and A Tribe Called Quest. Joe spent most of his early career rhyming in the mixtape scene primarily with Desert Storm (DJ Clue?) and Cutmaster Cee. As his street presence in the rap game began to grow, record labels started to take interest in his musical style. With a gritty essence and methodic delivery, Joe entered the mainstream market with his debut self-titled album, "Joe Budden", in 2003. The album produced hit singles like "Pump It Up" and "Focus" and sold over 500,000 units wordlwide. In addition, "Pump It Up" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Although Joe's commercial success thrived during this time, the unexplained delay of his second album, "The Growth", on Def jam, made him opt out of his contract in late 2007. During his sabbatical from commercial releases, Joe stayed strong in the streets releasing the "Mood Muzik" series: "Mood Muzik: the Worst of Joe Budden" (2003); "Mood Muzik 2: Could It Get Any Worse?" (2005); and "Mood Muzik 3: For Better or For Worse" (2007). The content of these albums is very personal, as Joe is candid about his struggles with drug addiction and his tribulations with the mother of his child. Joe Budden signed with the Amalgam Digital label in early 2008 and released a commercial retail version of "Mood Muzik 3" in February 2008. He followed up this release with "Halfway House", a digital-only album that was released in October 2008 and featured the hit single and video, "Touch & Go". The success of "Halfway House" is evident as it charted in four different categories in Billboard Magazine. Joe's long-awaited official sophomore album, "Padded Room", will be released on February 24th, 2009. The first single off of "Padded Room" is entitled "The Future" and features Joe's one-time nemesis, The Game. With strong label support and incredible music, "Padded Room" is sure to appeal to both new Joe Budden fans and his already loyal fan base. Joe Budden is back...get ready!