Though Joe Budden's breakout single "Pump It Up" has occasionally been used as ammunition against him, those who remember growing up in the early millennium still hold love for the Just Blaze-produced banger. It's easy to forget that the single stemmed from his full-length eponymous debut album, released seven-years ago to this day.
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Boasting tracks like the Busta Rhymes-assisted "Fire," the lengthy "10 Mins," and another Just Blaze collaboration in "Give Me A Reason," the project served as a reasonably decent showcase of Budden's abilities -- albeit tailored heavily toward the mainstream. Though Budden would go on to shed some of those habits on his ensuing Mood Muzik mixtapes, it remains an interesting starting point for one of the game's esteemed lyricists. One that Budden himself, currently enjoying his run as a reigning media mogul, took to Instagram to celebrate.
"It’s called a journey because you have no idea what you’ll embark on," he captions, alongside the Joe Budden album cover. "But you’ll know what to do not only by what you find, but by what those findings do to you. Happy Anniversary to me." All things considered, it has been one hell of a ride for Jumpoff Joey, who has since provided countless gems whether as an emcee or a podcast personality. When all is said and done, we can only hope that the game starts recognizing Joe Budden for everything he has brought to the table. Happy anniversary, Joe!