Joe Budden Accused Of Disrespecting Kawhi Leonard's Late Father

BYErika Marie48.0K Views
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Joe Budden
Budden first insinuated that Leonard's father was in jail because he was a murderer.

Joe Budden is no stranger to putting his foot in his mouth, but this one takes the cake. On a recent episode of Budden's podcast, the rapper-turned-talk show host discussed a myriad of topics. He was wrapping up the episode and joked that one day he was going to create a documentary about "all of the crews that could kill you that y'all don't know about." He then went on to say that he's intrigued with finding out that people are killers. "Guess who's a killer? Kawhi's dad...it's a fact." Budden said he read in five different sources that Kawhi's father was some sort of shady character.

"Dad is in jail for I think whatever," Budden said. "I won't get into it, I'm afraid. And the uncle is out handling the business [as Kawhi's manager]. When you look at Kawhi and his game and his demeanor, don't it sound right? And, then you're happy to know that." While the others joke about Kahwi and his family, Rory goes online to verify what his co-host is saying. "That's false information, Joe," Rory says, interrupting the chatter. "His father, Mark, was shot and killed January 18, 2008, at the Compton carwash he owned. He may have been involved in something, but he is now passed away."

"Okay, rest in peace to Kawhi's dad," Budden replied. "That doesn't change my story at all. Alright, so he's not here. But guess what? In the articles that I read before he left, he was getting busy. And to my knowledge, I think the uncle's gettin' busy." Then, the three men laugh, joke more about the uncle, and move on to another subject. Social media users were quick to say that Budden was disrespecting Kawhi and his late father with his remarks. "Yeah that was the last straw," one user tweeted. "I’m not rocking with any Joe Budden content for a while. To inaccurately depict Kawhi’s dad as a criminal for sh*ts and giggles when one of the BIGGEST facts about Kawhi’s story is his father being murdered is sickening."

Check out the full episode below. The comments about Kawhi's father begin around the 2 hour, 7 minute mark.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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