The Joe Budden Podcast — Episode 857 | “Going On 7”

Release Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Joe Budden & Friends (Joe, Parks, Ice, Flip, Ish, Mark, et al.)

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode is anchored in Joe Budden's birthday celebrations, reflecting on relationships (romantic, platonic, familial), touching on hip-hop and industry dynamics, and featuring a range of candid, hilarious, and sometimes serious conversations. The group discusses everything from party recaps and blended families, to industry beef, co-parenting challenges, recent pop culture headlines, and the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop and media.

The tone, as always, is a mix of comedy, honest opinion, vulnerability, and sharp cultural commentary.

Key Segments, Topics & Timestamps

1. Joe’s Birthday Party Recap

[00:01 – 28:00]

• The crew opens with laughter and energy, recapping Joe’s 45th birthday dinner.
• Stories about the extravagant party (fancy cars, venue, and notable guests); plenty of jokes about the line-up of luxury cars.
• Reflections on the importance and dynamic of celebrating life and friendships as they age.
• Playful ribbing about who attended—shout-outs to those who missed it (especially Flip), and reactions from fans about missing personalities at the event.
• The group highlights the diverse and supportive environment, the quality of the venue and food, and memorable DJ moments.
• Quote:
  “The way that place was staffed, they was putting them plates down and removing them... Y’all moving too damn fast.” — Ish [~17:00]
• Blending family celebration; shout-out to parents, loved ones, and the unity on display.

2. Long-Term Relationships: “Going on 7 Years”

[28:30 – 30:40]

• Joe shares he’s been with his girlfriend for six years and a month.
• Debates the classic partner quirk of saying "going on 7 years" when it’s technically six.
• Panel pokes fun at how anniversaries and relationship timelines get “rounded up.”
• Quote:
  "We celebrated a month ago. Six years going on... going on seven. Make it sound crazy when they start talking about rings and yadda yadda yadda." — Joe [29:30]

3. Versus Talk: Joe Budden vs. Maino?

[41:00 – 54:30]

• Reacting to Maino expressing interest in a potential Verzuz battle with Joe Budden.
• Panel teases Joe about whether he’d win (“Y’all know who y’all talking to?”), discussing song catalogs and battle strategy.
• Joe emphasizes the difference between perception and reality in career legacies.
• Quote:
  "Do y’all know who the f*** y’all are talking to? ...Y’all know who I be, man!" — Joe [46:30]
• Debate about “revenge” Verzuz and hip-hop memories.

4. Young Thug, Leaked Jail Calls, and Street Code

[01:01:00 – 01:40:00]

• Recent surge of Young Thug jail calls being leaked online; implications for street narratives, music business, and relationships.
• P of QC’s public response: distancing from street life and emphasizing his identity as a businessman, not a street dude.
• Discussion about the intersection of hustle, street code, and evolution into business — drawing parallels to Jay Z and others.
• Quote: "All the street niggas is broke, dead or in jail. Why do y’all continue to glorify this sh**?" — Joe, reading P’s response [01:11:00]
• Reflection on Atlanta’s hip-hop unity versus New York’s history.
• The importance (and challenge) of leaving street life behind when reaching higher levels of success.
• Panel explores the criminalization of rap, street cred, and the blurred lines between hustling and crime.

5. Co-Parenting Drama: PJ Washington & Brittany Renner Viral Video

[01:42:00 – 02:17:00]

• Mark brings up the viral Brittany Renner–PJ Washington video: heated baby-mama drama at child pickup, filmed and posted by Renner.
• Debate about conduct, boundaries, public airing of private disputes, and proper co-parenting in front of children.
• Gender dynamics, respect, and navigating emotions during coparenting conflicts.
• Panel gets personal: blended families, own experiences co-parenting, and the need for maturity and peace.
• Memorable Exchange:
  “Why are you taping me when I’m getting my…yo, now you walking me to my… My girl is in the car, she already don’t like you. Guess what? Hey, it’s up with me.” — Joe [01:44:00]
  “Screaming to your child’s mother ‘suck my d***’ is crazy... It’s disrespectful…” — Mark [01:49:00]
• Advice for parents: don’t use pickups/drop-offs to score points; avoid public scenes; children will remember the energy.

6. Corporate Loyalty and Firing Dilemmas: Hot 97’s DJ Enough/Radio Shakeups

[02:19:40 – 02:42:00]

• Discussion on DJ Enough’s departure from Hot 97; rumors of Flex’s involvement.
• Panel debates loyalty, tenure (27 years), corporate restructuring, and ethics of having a hand in someone being let go.
• Analogies to other workplaces and personal anecdotes on being let go/blindsided in media.
• Quote:
  “The way it ends, how it ends, matters.” — Ice [02:37:30]
• Radio industry realities: consolidation, private equity, shifting priorities.

7. Pop Culture, AI in Music, and Recent News

[02:43:00 – 03:30:00]

• Brief review of Trump death rumors, presidential health, and the social media circus.
• AI in music: speculating on new projects, the authenticity of voice, and impacts for returning artists.
• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson’s dramatic weight loss for a serious acting role; discussion on body image, health, and Hollywood dedication.
• Recent recommended films and shows: “The Iron Claw,” “Mission Impossible,” “Hollywood Demons,” and Netflix docs — mini-reviews and cultural takeaways.
• Reflection on reality TV’s roughness ("America’s Next Top Model", "The Biggest Loser"), critique of exploitative storytelling.

8. Drake on Bobby Althoff’s Podcast (Again): Hip-Hop Media Connections

[03:32:00 – 03:51:00]

• Drake returns to Bobby Althoff’s podcast after previously pulling an interview.
• Discussion: Does Drake ‘owe’ hip-hop media interviews, or is he entitled to curate his own press and platforms?
• Contrast between supporting new/indie media versus legacy hip-hop outlets.
• Quote:
  "Hip-hop made you who you are, fam... I think that’s a part of the problem. Where you, not saying him, but anybody—you take from something, get to a certain point, then you forget them, throw them by the wayside.” — Ish [03:46:00]
• How superstars shape, support, or leave their roots.
• Conversation about gatekeeping, evolution, and moral obligations.

9. Music Sleepers & Closing Vibes

[03:54:00 – end]

• Each host selects a new “sleeper” track to close the episode (Raheem feat. Beam – “Wickedest”, Westside Gunn & Brother Tom – “SOS”, Nija – “Heaven”).
• Mellow, reflective mood as Joe winds down his birthday episode: gratitude, generational wisdom, and jokes about aging.
• Quote:
  “Life is a series of moments and moments pass, so let’s make this one last as if it’s all we have.” — Joe [end]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On celebration & friendships:
  “When you work with your friends, it is that [obligatory to come out]…Supposed to be.” — Joe, [10:20]
• On Joe’s growth:
  “I just like getting dressed and having some weirdo… Getting real fly just to have drinks is one of the best sh*ts in the world.” — Joe [54:00]
• On the blurred lines between street code & business:
  “Once you start Talking about millions and millions and millions…What more do you need to put both feet on one side of the threshold?” — Joe [01:33:00]
• On co-parenting:
  “If you have a real concern about your co-parent's parenting, do it privately, outside the earshot of the kid.” — Mark [02:05:00]
• On hip-hop media loyalty:
  “Hip-hop made you who you are, fam...if Newark gave me lots...I feel like if NORC calls me and says, ‘Ish, we need you,’ I'm going.” — Ish [03:46:00]

Highlights & Humor

• Party Recap: The group’s constant roasting of each other about cars, outfits, and who showed up where sets a jovial, celebratory tone.
• Vulnerable Moments: Joe reflecting on six years in a relationship, aging, family, and birthdays adds dimensions to the show’s usual bravado.
• Raw Honesty: Authentic, sometimes controversial takes on co-parenting, jail politics, and music industry drama.
• Insider Hip-Hop Talk: In-depth breakdowns on unity (or lack thereof) in Atlanta/New York music scenes, the changing face of radio, and AI’s effect on music production.

Recurring Themes

• The importance of showing up for friends and loved ones.
• Growing up, owning mistakes, and prioritizing peace.
• The challenge of navigating private drama in public lives.
• The complicated relationship between hip-hop, street credibility, and legitimate business.
• Questions of loyalty, ethics, and gatekeeping in hip-hop media.

Summary

Episode 857 is a blend of funny storytelling (especially around Joe's birthday party), hard-earned wisdom about life and relationships, sharp analysis on music and media, and some pointed cultural criticism — all delivered in the signature, unfiltered JBP style. Whether discussing why "going on 7" in a relationship is a thing, dissecting Young Thug's legal woes, talking baby-mama drama, or debating whether Drake owes hip-hop media anything, the group keeps it real, relatable, and rawly entertaining throughout.