The Joe Budden Podcast
Episode 861 | "The Joe Budden Book Club"
Date: September 17, 2025
Overview
In this episode, Joe Budden and co-hosts Parks, Flip, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Ish, and others bring their signature humor and unfiltered perspectives to a wide-ranging, highly entertaining conversation. The crew discusses viral podcast moments, the Bud Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez fight and its cultural resonance, the state of boxing, viral media etiquette, the importance of standing up for women in media, and the circus surrounding Dame Dash’s Breakfast Club reappearance. Other highlights include debates about pretty privilege, battle rap controversies, Cardi B’s new rollout, the future of ESPN’s Molly Qerim, and, as always, a batch of lively and poignant sleeper song recommendations. The team’s rapport is as strong as ever, blending jokes, arguments, and real talk in an episode that reaffirms the podcast's place as hip hop culture’s favorite barbershop.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Podcast Virality, Etiquette & Inside Jokes
- The crew kicks off discussing viral podcast clips, and the line between content and friendship. Joe emphasizes he won’t exploit his co-hosts for content, especially if it crosses personal boundaries (“Don’t hit each other... we try to respect women and children. Those are my lines.” – Joe, 07:56).
- They rib each other about going viral for funny moments and clarify that many situations are just jokes or misunderstandings.
2. Weekend Recaps: Fights, Kickbacks & the Book Club
- Everyone shares tales from the weekend, from fight parties and sneaking THC drinks to the Montclair Jazz Festival.
- Discussion on how Netflix’s boxing coverage starts events extra late (“Fights started close to 12:45. Jesus.” – Mark, ~34:15).
- Flip, Ish, and others recap attending local events, watching "The Long Walk", and parenting stories.
- Parks’ wife’s “readathon” sparks jokes about literacy, birthing the idea of a "Joe Budden Book Club.”
3. Boxing: Bud Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez Breakdown [42:00–1:13:30]
- A deep dive into the blockbuster fight:
- General consensus: Crawford won convincingly, but Canelo had his moments (“Bud won outright, for sure. But it wasn’t…not interesting.” – Ish, ~49:45).
- Debates about whether the fight was exciting, Canelo’s legendary status, and the payday dynamics (“He rumored to have got $150 million. I’d take that loss.” – Ish, ~54:05).
- Respect shown between fighters in the post-fight pressers was praised.
- The role of boxing in the culture and nostalgia for the “marquee fights” of the 1990s.
4. Addressing Sexual Harassment in Media: The Cam’ron/Mase–Adrien Broner Incident [1:13:30–1:26:15]
- The team commend Cam’ron for removing Adrien Broner from the set for harassing their co-host, discussing the rarity of that kind of stand-up behavior in media.
- “Shout out to Cam for shutting it down. That’s something that does not happen 99% of the time in media.” – Mark, 1:23:30
- Nuanced debate about why the defense of a woman should not depend on her boyfriend’s presence, but also how “whatever works to deescalate, works.”
5. Dame Dash on The Breakfast Club: Instant Classic or Tragic? [1:26:15–2:03:45]
- Lively recap of Dame Dash’s feisty, insult-laden Breakfast Club interview, full of jokes about wealth, masculinity, entrepreneurship, and past street credibility.
- The crew splits between those who view Dame as simply stirring up headlines and those who see his behavior as evidence of a fallen mogul:
- “It does look different if the public now believes you’re broke...” – Mark, 1:36:55
- “I just think it backfired. …You taking yourself from the Dame we once knew, to down here.” – Flip, ~1:41:50
- A meta discussion on the harshness of internet perception, and what aging in public/online means for Black moguls.
- Correction/clarification on Dame’s claim to be Chairman of Revolt—Lauren LaRosa’s fact-check reveals conflicting stories.
6. Cardi B Album Rollout & Feature List [2:04:00–2:13:40]
- The crew debates Cardi’s unique rollout strategy, which includes hand-to-hand promotion in New York (“Hand in hand, promotion is back… I like that angle.” – Flip, 2:08:55).
- Feature list analyzed: Janet Jackson (“first time Janet ever featured on a female rapper’s song?”), Cash Cobain, Kehlani, Lizzo, Meg, Summer Walker, Selena Gomez, and Tyla.
- Joe withholds judgment: “I hope the album is great. I hope I’m wrong about all of the signs and what it looks like.”
7. Other Music and Cultural Moments
- Clips at the Vatican [2:13:40]: First rap group ever to perform at the Vatican; praised as “a proud moment for hip hop.”
- Young Thug surprise album drop rumor; skepticism about timing.
- Jeezy’s Vegas residency & live-streamed Detroit show (“Single me would’ve went out there and had three threesomes…” – Joe, ~2:19:00).
8. Pretty Privilege vs. Pretty Punishment [2:27:00–2:41:40]
- Saweetie claims she suffers “pretty punishment”—being counted out because she’s attractive. The room debates whether “pretty privilege” or “punishment” is more impactful.
- Mark: “Anything comes with a downside, but if the upside is so big, I hate to hear people complain about it.”
9. Battle Rap Recap and Controversies [2:42:00–3:01:10]
- Reviews of Mook vs. Hitman and Calico vs. Rum Nitty.
- Discussion on punching in battle rap: Official punched Coffee Brown after a dead relative bar; the crew argues about battle rap’s boundaries and proper etiquette versus violence.
- Joe: “Battle rap is probably one of the only places where I’m totally fine with blackballing... if you punch someone, you and your crew.”
10. Molly Qerim Leaving ESPN [3:01:30–3:15:30]
- Analyzing Molly’s departure: is it an example of network ageism/sexism, or just contract disputes?
- Mark: “She was one of the few people that actually was able to leave a footprint on one of these shows.”
- Joe pushes for all on-air talent to build their own brands and not rely solely on corporate checks.
Additional Topics / Notable Segments
- Dating app collapse: The crew laughs at reports of major apps “crashing together,” and reflect on hookup/dating culture among younger generations [3:16:40–3:24:00].
- Black man found hanging in Mississippi: The panel expresses universal skepticism about “no foul play” police findings in the South [3:27:42].
- Kirk Franklin’s son: Panel comments on the ongoing, sad public saga with skepticism and a call to keep family struggles private [3:29:00].
- Sleepers segment: as always, the hosts share slept-on songs.
- Humorous closing banter about strip clubs, “pretty privilege,” relationships, and “no shots” at the cast’s women.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Podcast Etiquette:
"Don’t hit each other. And we try to respect women and children... Those are my lines." – Joe (07:56)
On Cam’ron Removing Adrien Broner:
“Shout out to Cam for shutting it down. That’s something that does not happen 99% of the time in media.” – Marc Lamont Hill (01:23:30)
On Dame Dash:
“It does look different if the public now believes you’re broke. ...Those same things you did before get looked at different.” – Mark (1:36:55) “To watch a nigga who was once a mogul...resort to skitty to get algorithms moving is crazy.” – Flip (~1:41:50)
On Boxing:
“Bud won outright, for sure. But it wasn’t…not interesting.” – Ish (~49:45)
On Pretty Privilege/Punishment:
“Anything comes with a downside, but if the upside is so big, I hate to hear people complain about it.” – Mark (~2:36:44)
On Cardi B’s DIY Rollout:
“Hand in hand promotion is back... I like that angle.” – Flip (2:08:55)
On Modern Dating:
“Go talk to women. ...These niggas do not know how to talk to women.” – Ish (~3:21:10)
On ESPN/Corporate Jobs:
“Everybody should be thinking about what they’re doing with the check that they’re getting and how long that check is gonna last.” – Joe (~3:12:00)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Podcast virality/content boundaries: 00:00–09:00
- Weekend/fight recaps/book club idea: 11:00–41:00
- Crawford vs. Canelo fight debrief: 42:00–1:13:30
- Adrien Broner/Cam’ron, media boundaries: 1:13:30–1:26:15
- Dame Dash’s Breakfast Club moment: 1:26:15–2:03:45
- Cardi B album rollout: 2:04:00–2:13:40
- Clips at the Vatican/Jeezy’s Vegas news: 2:13:40–2:23:00
- Pretty privilege/Saweetie debate: 2:27:00–2:41:40
- Battle rap controversies: 2:42:00–3:01:10
- Molly Qerim and ESPN exodus: 3:01:30–3:15:30
- Dating apps/young culture: 3:16:40–3:24:00
- Mississippi hanging case: 3:27:42
- Kirk Franklin’s son issue: 3:29:00
- Sleepers & closing jokes: 3:34:00–end
The Joe Budden Book Club – “First Book?”
Prompted by Parks’ wife’s “readathon” and some barbershop banter, the crew jokingly contemplates starting their own book club. Mark suggests Mehdi Hasan’s “How to Win an Argument” (2:37:45), sparking an ongoing joke about who gets to pick the first book.
Tone & Language
- Rowdy, candid, barbershop energy. Warm but combative—they routinely call each other out or poke fun, but always circle back to respect.
- Unfiltered and at times brash, especially when dissecting viral moments or pop culture scandals. Witty, full of inside jokes, Bronx and Jersey accents, and plenty of “Watch your mouth!” “I violated!” “We just saying anything now!”
- Especially when discussing social or moral issues, Marc Lamont Hill often brings nuance and patience, occasionally softened by the rest of the group’s clowning.
Final Thoughts
This episode is classic JBP: vibrant, wide-ranging, and both hilarious and insightful. While the podcast is full of side-splitting jokes, it doesn’t shy away from weighing in on real issues in culture and media. The unique camaraderie and blend of personalities make even the most serious topics—a viral fight, sexual harassment in media, industry politics—feel approachable, honest, and deeply entertaining.
For More:
- Fights, Music, and Book Picks: 00:41–1:15:00
- Culture Wars & Viral Media: 1:13:30–2:03:45
- Industry Debates & Advice: 2:04:00–3:15:30
- Relationship Rants & Sleepers: 3:16:40–end
Skip: Ads, intros, outros, unremarkable drops—jump straight to real talk!