Rory & Mal React To Joe Budden Being Complex's Number One Hip-Hop Media Personality

BYGabriel Bras Nevares11.3K Views
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The Slaughterhouse MC's former cohosts slammed their former collaborator's recognition.

Rory and Mal, formerly of The Joe Budden Podcast, recently reacted indignantly to their former cohost being named Complex's number one hip-hop media personality. Moreover, they expressed their thoughts on Budden during the New Rory & Mal podcast, going over Complex's whole list. Not only that, but they labeled the Slaughterhouse MC as a "cat burglar" and "thief" in their remarks. While they didn't trash the publication for their choice, they did have some thoughts on who else should be included. Still, their words suggest that they have an issue with their estranged colleague being so high up.

"The thief!” Mal proclaimed. “The cat burglar. Big integrity … look at the cat burglar staring off into the next house he wants to run in. That’s big cat! Quiet as a mouse." Then, Rory gave his own take on the matter. "I’m keeping my non-bias the way I have this entire time,” he explained. “I didn’t wanna defend Adam22, nor do I wanna defend this gentleman, but he should be in the Top 5, and that’s based off what Hip Hop media is now. So I’m not sure if I’m giving a compliment right now by saying I think these people should be in the Top 5."

Rory & Mal Blast Joe Budden After Complex's Hip-Hop Media Power Rankings

The trio had a falling out over seemingly financial issues, with Rory being booted from The Joe Budden Podcast after weeks-long debates in 2021. Shortly after, Mal stepped away. In February of last year, Mal opened up about the chance of a reconciliation on The Personal Party podcast. "I don’t respect him at all,” he maintained. “Shake his hand? I’ll shake the room before I shake his hand. That’s just what it is. It’s not even about the business or the money, it’s a lot of money, it’s a lot of money, bro, that me and Rory walked away from. It’s a lot of money that was taken out of our pockets, it’s a lot of money that still to this day, we don’t have no lawyers going after it. Keep it. We got our own bag."

"But, with that money that we walked away from, with that, what was owed to us that we walked away from, that was also me walking away from a relationship and a chapter of life," he continued. "Once I walk away, you know, that door never opens again." With that in mind, a reunion between the three is highly unlikely. Still, they deal in an industry of discourse, and to see a closed door on that is a sad development. Regardless, come back to HNHH for the latest on Rory, Mal, and Joe Budden.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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