“No beef, no malice, not at all/I got no vendetta for y’all/I mean I only want better for myself/Sometimes I even want better for y’all” – “No Church in the Wild Freestyle”
What’s beef? In this place, this space, with Joe Budden there is no room for that. Jersey’s metaphorical genius is preparing the release of his mixtape A Loose Quarter, Friday (November 23), along with his third studio album, No Love Lost, (January 22), through E1 Music.
Coming off the success of Slaughterhouse’s debut and a multitude of mixtapes, Budden returns with a re-energized zest for music.
AllHipHop.com hung out with Joe in Philly on his “The Second First Impression Tour,” and got him to talk about getting brain, being embarrassed, and beef.
AllHipHop.com: Throughout your career you had a lot of beef – or people had beef with you. Can you speak about the beefs that are going on in Hip-Hop, such as Meek Mill and Cassidy?
Joe: I’m not with the beef sh*t. I can’t judge either one of those brothers; I’ve had my fair share of beefs, so because of that, today I am able to look from a real unbiased standpoint. You can just say a prayer and hope everybody learns from it one day.
AllHipHop.com: So let’s talk about No Love Lost. You seem to be different now, almost zen-like. What’s going on?
Joe: You are like the third person to tell me that today. I’m in a good place. The album’s title speaks exactly to where I am in life. I’m in a place of serenity, with so much gratitude so much to be thankful about. The album is different for me. I don’t have the brain energy to even lend towards bullsh*t. My brain today, at 32 years old, is strictly on the things that matters most to me, and that’s my family, my team, music, God, and myself. If it’s not that, it’s not important.
AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about “Momma Said”.
Joe: Yeah, “Momma Said” is off the mixtape coming out Black Friday, A Loose Quarter. It’s a real direct, real genuine, real heartfelt, basically coming from a conversation with my mom. If it’s one brain I respect most, it’s hers. She always gives sound advice. We talk like friends – not like mother to son. We talk like best friends; there is no information I hold from her.
AllHipHop.com: Name something that you’ve gotten embarrassed about.
Joe: (laughing) I maybe couldn’t get it up one time, ages ago.
AllHipHop.com: When was the first time you got head?
Joe: I was like 13 years old; Lil Nina from West Side Ave. did a horrible job.
Time and experience makes everyone see life through a different lens. Joe Budden is rejuvenated, focused, and ready for anything the world throws his way.
For more Joe Budden, check him and girlfriend Kaylin Garcia on the third season of VH’s “Love and Hip-Hop”.