Joe Budden fiends are still suffering from Everyday Struggle withdrawals, despite having access to the cult-classic Joe Budden Podcast. Regardless, he has solidified himself as one of hip-hop's leading commentators, for better or worse. Despite having a reputation as somewhat of a curmudgeon, in truth, the retired rapper is merely misunderstood. That hasn't stopped him from garnering a sizable list of enemies, but that's another story. Either way, the once-again father has clearly been softened by the arrival of baby Budden, recently dubbing the ongoing state of current hip-hop to be "great."
Spurred on by album announcements from J. Cole and Drake, Budden took a moment to reflect on the varying marketing strategies employed by the iconic rappers. "I like the contrast in approach w Cole & Drake," tweeted Budden. "Cole going the 'surprise' route & Drake with an 8 week lead up...Kendrick won a Pulitzer...Hip-Hop is great."
In that regard, he's certainly not wrong. Yet Budden does seem to be suggesting a few things within the subtext. By putting quotes around "surprise," he seems to be suggesting that Cole's release isn't as surprising as we might think. Also, he doesn't exactly specify whether or not he has a preferred release method, or if he's low-key saying one is smoother than the other. Either way, it's hard not to be excited by the abundance of albums coming out way, be they surprise albums or regular ones. And let's be honest. Kendrick Lamar taking home the first Pulitzer Prize in hip-hop history is the stuff of legend.
Consider Joe Budden absolutely correct. Hip-hop is in a great place.