The Joe Budden Podcast | Episode 860 | "Whoopty Doo"

Date: September 13, 2025
Host: Joe Budden & The Joe Budden Network
Main Participants: Joe Budden, Flip, Mark Lamont Hill, Ish, Ice, Parks, and more

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Episode 860 kicks off with Joe and the gang bantering about their new studio furniture, which transitions naturally into the episode's dominant themes: examining identity and belonging through personal stories (notably Mark Lamont Hill's past involvement with the Nuwaubian cult), navigating political violence in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and reflecting on Black cultural narratives in entertainment. The group also reviews current hip-hop releases, ongoing streaming industry controversies, and classic group dynamics—complete with playful roasting and debates.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Studio Upgrades and Group Banter
2. Mark Lamont Hill Reflects on Cult Involvement
   • Belonging, Identity & the Nuwaubians
3. Charlie Kirk Assassination & Political Violence
   • Breaking Down the Facts
   • Hypocrisy in Representation
   • Moral and Emotional Responses
4. Hip-Hop & Black Cultural Narratives
   • The Ongoing "Slave Movie vs. Drug Dealer Movie" Debate
5. Music Segment & Industry Talk
   • New Music Reactions
   • Spotify’s TOS and AI Concerns
6. Joe and Crew: Stories, Memories, and Life Lessons
7. Rapid-Fire Final Topics

1. Studio Upgrades and Group Banter

[00:00–13:00]

• The episode opens with jokes about a new plush couch in the studio and the fate of the old one.
• Lighthearted roasting about studio aesthetics sets the scene for the rest of the show’s camaraderie.
• Quote – Joe, on Mark testing the couch:
  “It’s like a beta version. See if it’s good for the rest of y’all.” (00:04)

2. Mark Lamont Hill Reflects on Cult Involvement

[13:00–37:00]

Nuwaubian Cult Experience

• Mark discusses his teenage and college years involvement with the Nuwaubians, a group led by Dr. York, drawing amusement and genuine curiosity from the rest.
  • “A lot of people did. Apparently they said they were aliens. And he was like, yeah, fuck it, I guess we’re aliens. We weren’t aliens. We just knew that there were aliens.” –Mark (00:18)
  • Mark shares that his involvement stemmed from belonging, identity, and following his brother—a Five Percenter.
    • “Basketball had ended for me… I needed a place to go.” (00:41)
  • He recalls only later grasping the abusive inner circle, describing his learning curve during the cult documentaries:
    • “It was fun at the time. Why does everybody think cults be… all murder? Nah, there was good times too.” (00:20)

Belonging and Identity

• The crew explores motivations behind cult/collective involvement, linking it to broader themes of identity and searching for purpose after life pivots, like lost athletic careers.

3. Charlie Kirk Assassination & Political Violence

[47:00–1:47:00]

The Facts & Media Spin

• Mark brings a breaking update on the Charlie Kirk shooter’s identity:
  • “Tyler Robinson… a 22-year-old, straight, heterosexual, cisgendered, Christian male from Utah, conservative family. White.” (00:50)
• This upends initial media assumptions that the shooter was from a “liberal” demographic.
• The crew discusses the tendency to turn media figures into martyrs after their deaths and the selective application of “political violence” as a term in American discourse.
  • “Let's not turn him into a saint. Let’s not turn him into a martyr.” –Mark (01:00)

Hypocrisy & Social Commentary

• Mark calls out the hypocrisy of American memorialization, equating state and protester violence as equally "political," and suggesting that empathy for Kirk is not reciprocated for figures like Farrakhan.
• The pod highlights the performative side of network responses—e.g., MSNBC firing Matthew Dow for critical comments, illustrating a liberal-vs-conservative double standard.

Moral & Emotional Responses

• Flip reflects on public callousness regarding death, regardless of an individual’s personal politics:
  • “I just didn’t want to see somebody getting shot in the neck and people celebrating…” (01:25)
• Joe and Ish distinguish between not mourning Kirk and refusing to glorify violence as justice.
  • “What you put out to the universe... it’s coming back to you.” –Ish (01:35)

4. Hip-Hop & Black Cultural Narratives

[1:48:00–2:25:00]

Drug Dealer vs. Slave Movie Debate

• The group ponders the difference in community responses to new crime dramas (e.g., Paid in Full) versus the fatigue over “slave narratives.”
  • “People don’t relate to slave movies… but have real-life touchpoints with drug dealer stories.” –Ish (1:48:50)
• Mark offers that romanticization of drug gods is dangerous because it gives a false sense of agency while masking destructive realities.
  • “We romanticize the drug dealers and demonize the drug addict… as if they’re not connected.” (1:55:00)
• The conversation widens to racial double standards in cinematic portrayals of crime, and the power structure behind which stories gain network support.

5. Music Segment & Industry Talk

[2:26:00–3:05:00]

New Releases: Reactions & Roasts

• Timbaland’s AI “The Message” cover:
  The crew debates the value and authenticity of hip-hop covers—general consensus is “stay original.”

  • Key quote – Parks: “There shouldn’t be hip-hop covers. The writing is what makes the genre.” (2:30:00)

• Young Thug & Mariah the Scientist's “heart-on-sleeve” jail calls:

  • “He sound like he pillow talk with the best of ‘em.” –Joe (2:40:00)

• Glorilla diss track and Mariah's 'AI' rumors:

  • Crew debates whether it’s real, concludes Glorilla’s too talented for the track.

Spotify AI & Streaming Rights

• Spotify’s new Terms of Service give the platform “royalty-free, sublicensable, irrevocable” rights over music and all user content—including AI training.
  • Parks: “You’re basically signing a record deal without a lawyer.” (3:02:00)
  • Joe: “Spotify is an abomination of a company.” (3:03:00)
• In contrast, Tidal's “Upload” and other models that better support artists are briefly highlighted.

6. Joe and Crew: Stories, Memories, and Life Lessons

[Throughout]

• The hosts share stories:
  • Nostalgia for hustling days—selling incense, sneakers, doing “menial” and “music” hustles.
  • Joe and Flip describe their mothers taking them out of street life and gangs by force, evoking laughs and shared reminiscence.
• The group pokes fun at each other for being “OGs” and “old heads” but affirms their camaraderie and brotherhood.

7. Rapid-Fire Final Topics

[3:05:00–End]

• NBA ticket pricing, Adam Silver’s “just watch highlights if you can’t afford it” comment.
• LeBron’s prospective retirement-tour speculation.
• High ticket prices for Sixers and Knicks games—“$6500 in the playoffs and that's not even on the floor!” (3:20:00)
• Movie theater nostalgia and recommendations (“Forever” on Netflix, new Conjuring and Long Walk reflections).
• Light debates on who frequents the “hood” more, and playful challenges to one another’s stories.
• Closing notes on love, peace, and family—celebrating anniversaries for Mark and Flip.

NOTABLE QUOTES & MOMENTS

• Mark on belonging and cults:

  “Part of it was basketball had ended for me and I needed a place to go… I needed something to do.” (00:41:10)

• On Charlie Kirk and political violence:

  “Let’s not turn him into a saint... But I do want the people out there… to understand, Charlie Kirk didn’t fuck with y’all.” –Mark (01:03:30)
  “You should not be killed for your beliefs. But it’s not like his beliefs were, ‘I think billionaires should be taxed less’… He had pretty radical racist theories.” –Joe (1:09:00)

• Ish on celebrating death:

  “I just don’t celebrate death. That’s across the board.” (1:24:00)

• On Spotify’s Terms of Service:

  “Imagine this: Spotify can rework [your music], remix it, train their AI with it, or even assign the rights over to someone else without owing you a dime…” –Parks (3:02:30)

TIMESTAMPS OF MAJOR SEGMENTS

• 00:00: Couch banter, icebreakers, and intros
• 13:00: Mark breaks down cult history and personal growth
• 47:00: Charlie Kirk shooting, shooter’s identity revealed
• 1:02:00: Debating martyrdom and hypocrisy in political violence
• 1:48:00: Drug dealer narratives vs. slave movies
• 2:10:00: Paid in Full TV show discussion
• 2:26:00: Music reviews (Timbaland’s cover, Thug & Mariah calls, etc.)
• 3:02:00: Spotify’s AI TOS explained
• 3:15:00: NBA ticket prices and LeBron retirement
• 3:35:00: Movie theater nostalgia; personal stories
• 3:55:00: Crew debates the “hood pass”
• 4:15:00: Final words & family salutes

TONE & VIBE

• Conversational, hilarious, and irreverent as always, with unfiltered real talk on tough topics.
• The hosts’ brotherly teasing and honest disagreement keep the energy lively.

OVERALL TAKEAWAYS

• The pod offers a compelling blend of deep-dive authenticity (on belonging, grief, and public narratives) and trademark humor.
• Listeners are treated to “inside the group” debates, nostalgia, and industry-level knowledge—making this episode especially rich for both old and new fans.

End of summary – For further details, revisit timestamps noted above.