Joe Budden is a polarizing figure in hip-hop. He has a cult fanbase that adores him for putting his life on display as much as he does, but then he also has his detractors who would rather he simply rap instead or being so personal. A strange stint on Love and Hip-Hop New York exposed the New Jersey wordsmith to a broader audience, but before that, it was his 2003 hit “Pump It Up” that put him on the map. However, the song would prove to be a gift and a curse, given the fact that it launched Budden‘s career, but, as the years of label woes progressed, it would also prove to be his only impression on the mainstream audience for quite a while. Nevertheless, fans would be fed with a steady stream of introspective and, at times, frustrated music over the years. When he’s not Ustreaming or cuffing his latest chick, the Slaughterhouse founder is rapping his ass off. Therefore, as we did with Chamillionaire, we’re going to school you on ten Joe Budden songs of which you need to be aware.

“Whatever It Takes”

Joe Budden has never tried to hide the fact that he has suffered from depression in his life. His struggle with it has set the tone for a large part of his music in the past and it has also brought out classic material, including this fan favorite. Clinton Sparks adds a much more soulful backdrop to this record than the original did and it makes for a more memorable and evocative song. In much the same way Joe would do years later on “Follow My Lead,” he attempts to summon the courage to beat his demons.

“Calm Down”

On one of the standout cuts from his overlooked debut album, Budden describes, in vivid detail, the effects his drug use had on his relationships with his mother and his ex-girlfriend.

“Exxxes”

Aside from being able to turn his problems into great music, Joe has a knack for storytelling and metaphor records. Here, he personifies his depression as a troubled woman with whom he has a tumultuous relationship.

“Three Sides to a Story”

Perhaps Budden’s most popular story record among his fans, along with “Secrets,” “Three Sides to a Story” follows a family in turmoil. Each verse is from the perspective of a different person: Derrick, the older brother who was recently released from prison; Sally, the young sister who is being molested by her mother’s new boyfriend and Beau, the molester. The song is a masterful piece of storytelling with plenty of twists to keep the listener’s attention.

“Dumb Out”

Joe Budden went through more than his fair share of label purgatory following his debut album’s lackluster sales. He channeled his frustrations into his Mood Muzik series, which spawned one of his most venomous records in “Dumb Out,” which is over six minutes of lethal shots aimed at a whole bunch of people.

“10 Minutes”

One thing Budden can do perhaps better than anyone else, is keep the listener’s intrigued with records that last an eternity. Here, we get a, you guessed it, a 10 minute song that finds the rapper spitting about everything from his hometown, his father’s absence, and his guilty conscious over an affair with an unnamed woman (who would also be addressed on “I Couldn’t Help It” years later).

“Pray for Me”

Over a chillingly haunting beat, Joey has a confrontation with god where the two exchange their disappointment in one another. The song was undoubtedly the highlight of his Padded Room album and remains a classic in his catalog.

“Who Killed Hip-Hop?”

Back in 2006, Nas got everyone in a tizzy when he proclaimed hip-hop as dead. While some rapers took offense, Joe decided to let loose a by-the-book case fit for the courtroom. The song was released in three parts, but was eventually clipped together by fans as a 15-minute masterpiece.

“Downfall”

In 2009, Budden was hit with a ton of adversity. He had an all-too-public breakup with longtime girlfriend Tahiry and he was infamously punched by a member of Raekwon’s entourage while backstage at Rock the Bells (Mickey Factz was also there for some inexplicable reason). In classic Budden fashion, he channeled all this into a soul-bearing song. It wouldn’t make it on any album due to a sample clearance issue, but it made an impact regardless.

“All of Me”

Ask most fans what their favorite Joe Budden song is and “All of Me” will pop up more often than not. The undying classic from his Mood Muzik series finds the rapper reminiscing over his start in the industry, beef, addiction and death.

The post Deeper than Pump It Up: 10 Joe Budden Songs You Need to Know appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Cole World: The Sideline Story introduced the [commercial] world to an artist who had frustratingly watched his career remain stagnant from the periphery of a major label. It was not an awful debut, but compared to his previous projects, especially Friday Night Lights,  Sideline Story was characterized by some very frustrating internal tensions. While J was supposed to be recounting how he made it into the game from the sidelines, he too frequently looked back at the bench, nearly convincing the listener that that was where he actually belonged. In fact, at the album’s lowest points, he would rap as if he actually was on that bench (See: “Can’t Get Enough”). Born Sinner bring us a J. Cole who has exorcised that specific self-doubt and is now playing the game, skills on full display.

This new found confidence should propel Cole to dizzying heights, but he rarely soars, even when his home-brewed instrumentals give him quite the lift. For instance, on “Trouble,” he dwells on his problems with the ladies while a choir and anxious synths triumphantly blare in the background. It’s a powerful instrumental, but Cole seems scared to match its demands; he languidly alludes to “Set it Off” on the chorus and he raps with clear hesitation in the verses. Why is he holding back? The answer is unclear, but it almost seems as if he doesn’t believe he can do better.

On “Let Nas Down,” one of the most self-deprecating rap songs of the past decade, Cole laments over Nas’ negative reaction to his song “Workout.” Rapping, “Long live the idols, may they never be your rivals,” he works himself up over having disappointed Nas. It’s a strange song, not only because Cole seems genuinely distraught, but because he alludes to Kanye‘s relationship with Jay-Z in the chorus. It’s well-known that Kanye earnestly tried to impress Jay-Z for years, but Kanye used Jay-Z’s indifference as fuel; for Cole, Nas‘ reaction is a solid defeat. Of course, Kanye has a bigger ego than J. Cole, but at one point Cole endorses the adage, “Play the game to change the game.” If that’s the case, letting Nas down is something he should have always been ready for: since it comes with playing the game it should result in overtime, not forfeit.

Cole‘s battle with confidence isn’t always a setback. On “Rich Niggaz” and “Mo Money,” he uses his self-doubts to contextualize his wealth relative to “old money.” This contrast  isn’t new for rap or even rich blacks (Chris Rock has a funny bit on the racial dynamics of his neighborhood), but Cole occupies new ground when he is even willing to contextualize the dizzying wealth of Jay-Z, his label overlord. Cole is a millionaire and Jay-Z is a multi-millionaire, but there are people with even more money than Jay-Z! It’s an obvious point, but Jay-Z is the rap elite, so Cole‘s attention to the elite above the rap elite is refreshing. In the words of Saul Williams, “It’s bigger than rap.”

Interestingly, Cole is at his best when he reaches out beyond rap. On “She Knows,” which features Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors, Cole transforms her soft voice into an ectoplasmic yet soulful whimper. Similar wonders are worked on “Forbidden Fruit,” which features Kendrick Lamar. On paper, this collaboration looks like either a rap blogger’s wet dream or a label’s obvious attempt to make a radio song, but the prodigious pair elects to swim in uncharted waters. Drinking from the same “Mystic Brew” that fueled A Tribe Called Quest‘s “Electric Relaxation,” they produced a whisper of a track that features Kendrick  “lyrically humming.” It’s a brave choice that is only bested by “Power Trip,” an airy track that reunites Cole and Miguel for another reflection on love and its whims.

In the end, Born Sinner is an album that beats the sophomore slump, but it still showcases a J. Cole who is haunted by his own doubts, albeit new ones. Without a doubt, self-doubt can be a useful muse: Joe Budden‘s Mood Muzik series is all about transforming his self-doubt into music that expresses his demons in ways that his actions can’t. J. Cole’s wrestles with his doubts just aren’t quite as productive, at least not lyrically. His production work is top tier, but his lyrics and even the earnestness with which he delivers them, frequently fall short, almost as if he’s giving into his doubts. Given his progression since Sideline Story, for his next go-round, he should be able to either overcome or undermine his doubts. In other words, a three-peat is doubtful.

The post Album Review: J. Cole – Born Sinner appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Joe Budden recently put out a box set compiling the first four installments of his critically acclaimed mixtape series, Mood Muzik. Along with the originals discs, a few additional records were included. We already heard one and now here goes the intro track. Take a listen below. You can still order copies of the box set here.

The post Listen: Joe Budden – <em>Mood Muzik</em> Box Set Intro appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“Forgot what led me here, forgot my history, forgot I was an addict, forgot what that did to me”

Jumpoff Joe Beezy will be releasing a limited edition Mood Muzik box set on May 15. The package will include all 4 installments of his critically acclaimed mixtape series as well as three new songs. This is the first of those new records, produced by The Klasix. You can pre-order the box set here.

The post New Music: Joe Budden – “Going Thru the Motions” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.