The Joe Budden Podcast

Episode 867 | "Ingestfest"

Date: October 8, 2025

Overview

In episode 867, "Ingestfest," Joe Budden welcomes back Ish to the group as the crew reunites for an episode filled with their trademark banter, lively debates, cultural commentary, and deep dives into hip hop history and current events. They cover everything from the aging of classic albums, the social intricacies of past relationships, high-profile legal cases, AI's impact on pop culture, sports controversies, and the ongoing question of self-worth in career negotiations. Along the way, the hosts provide an inside look into their distinct personalities and perspectives.

Main Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. Welcome Back Ish & Opening Jokes

Timestamps: 00:33 – 03:00

• The crew excitedly welcomes Ish back after some time away, joking about the way men show affection (often through playful violence).
• Discussion about vacations vs "staycations" and the hustle of business in Q4.
• Early joking about calling the cops and the group's playful paranoia.

2. Which Albums Aged Badly?

Timestamps: 02:57 – 16:00

• The team debates which classic hip hop albums have not stood the test of time.
  • Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” ("Purple Tape"):
    • Ish argues the lyrics no longer resonate in 2025, though everyone agrees musically it remains stellar.
    • "When you start really listening to the words, they don’t resonate like that no more." – Ish (04:49)
  • Biggie’s “Ready to Die”:
    • Joe states his "expert opinion" that some of it aged poorly, sparking friendly pushback.
    • "I think 'Gimme the Loot' has aged horribly. Really horribly." – Joe Budden (12:29)
  • 2Pac’s Discography:
    • The group agrees most Pac albums, except "All Eyez on Me" and "Makaveli", haven’t aged as well.
    • Mark and Parks highlight production as a big factor:
      "Pac’s production, even back then, was not the greatest." – Parks (13:28–13:31)
  • The Fugees' “The Score”:
    • Mark contends it aged worse than "Ready to Die" except for Lauryn Hill’s parts.

3. Cultural Commentary: Identity, Music & Newark

Timestamps: 06:00 – 10:00

• A sidebar exploring Newark’s thriving LGBTQ+ scene and its connection to house music—old-school local culture analyzed with humor.
• Running joke about “cupping” in Newark and playful back-and-forth about church upbringings.

4. Hip Hop Gatekeeping & Knowledge Quiz

Timestamps: 19:00 – 24:30

• The group throws quick "hip hop quizzes" at each other, recalling classic lines from Scarface, Ghetto Boys, and more.
  • "I sit alone in my four cornered room staring at candles…"
  • This segment celebrates nostalgia and gatekeeping in rap.

5. Generations & The Good Ol' Days

Timestamps: 24:30 – 26:55

• Reflects on how much tougher (and less “depressed”) life seemed in the '90s, with jokes about robbing and the "wet block" era in Newark.
• Lighthearted ribbing about the current generation and social media.

6. Weekend Recaps: The Universal Soul Circus & Fishing Trips

Timestamps: 28:36 – 35:07

• Ish recounts family time at the Universal Soul Circus, highlighting how performances have shifted away from animal acts.
• Parks shares stories from his "bachelor party reboot" upstate—fishing, music, and camaraderie—sparking a brief discussion on learning to fish.

7. The Chicken Noodle Soup Era & Rap Careers

Timestamps: 33:59 – 37:33

• Flip reveals details about his brief viral rap career (including “Chicken Noodle Soup Queens Mix” with 3 million+ YouTube views).
• Joe and the gang play the track and joke about rap fads and local scenes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On album aging:
  "Could it be that you don’t resonate with the lyrics because you’re just in a different space in life?" – Ish (05:05)

• On Biggie and Pac discourse:
  "There are people that are not Tupac people. I’ve accepted that too..." – Joe (16:00) "Pac was selling 5 and 6 million albums when you had to go in the store and buy them!" – Mark (16:34)

• On relationships and body counts:
  "Why do we get on these mics as Black men and are afraid to say we’re insecure about certain things?" – Flip (127:05) "I think asking a lady’s body count is whack… but the who's on that list could definitely determine if I really…" – Ish (124:14, 124:21) "I care about the lying. There’s nothing that… that’s going to make me look at this different. Now, if you lied to me…" – Joe (133:10)

• On Ayesha Curry and public marriage critiques:
  "It might be nothing. But it also could be something…" (137:45, Joe on warning signs in relationships) "We can’t tell somebody how to basically describe normalcy in a relationship… But the people that are looking, they're gonna make an opinion with any public relationship." – Ish (94:01)

• On Molly Qerim’s Salary Exit from ESPN:
  "Know your worth is a dice game." – Joe (115:54) "It’s tricky because you… are at a crossroads." – Ish (115:44) "It’s cold out here… and you niggas running around thinking y’all gonna… is a name I wanna say… he ran around thinking it was a nice spring summer day outside. It’s up outside!" – Joe (119:39)

Coverage of Major Current Events

8. David (R&B Singer) and The Ongoing Suspicion

Timestamps: 40:18 – 46:59

• Recap of the David missing persons/murder case: timeline issues, public suspicion, and legal technicalities.

• Group is skeptical of recent “not a suspect” police statements, agreeing to "wait and see".
  "He is a suspect. There’s so much wink, wink, circumstantial evidence…" – Joe (42:11)

• Broader discussion on rap lyrics & criminal evidence:
  "I don’t think it should be the only evidence… If you have other proof, and then in the song they’re saying, 'hey, I did this thing…' – Parks (46:59)

9. Mark Sanchez Case (Retired QB Fights Elderly Man)

Timestamps: 49:35 – 53:00

• Story breakdown: Mark Sanchez, drunk, attacks a 69-year-old oil collector in an Indianapolis alley; both parties are injured and arrested.
  "Safe to say Mark Sanchez probably won’t have his analyst job anymore..." – Joe (51:22)

10. On Guns & Urban Nightlife

Timestamps: 57:17 – 58:59

• A real talk segment about how common firearms are at social events, with group consensus that 75-85% of the time people are around guns unknowingly in urban nightlife settings.

11. Organized Groups, Black MAGA at HBCUs

Timestamps: 62:03 – 63:13

• Brief mention and critique of Black MAGA groups allegedly trying to incite unrest on HBCU campuses.

12. Prize Picks & Fantasy Football

Timestamps: 63:13 – 66:42

• Standard Prize Picks gaming segment, sharing weekly picks and poking fun at industry-standard paid reads.

Lifestyle & Tangent Highlights

13. Injuries, Remedies & "Stepped On" Icy Hot

Timestamps: 66:42 – 68:25

• Joe vents about modern-day products being weaker versions of what they once were: "They stepping on the Icy Hot!"

14. LeBron Retirement Speculation & Bronny

Timestamps: 68:35 – 75:00

• The crew dives into LeBron James’s viral “second decision” promo, his future plans, and Bronny’s NBA prospects.
• Mark asks: "Is this the year we can judge Bronny?" and the gang debates whether it’s fair to critique LeBron’s son so early.

15. Ayesha Curry, Marriage in the Public Eye & Double Standards

Timestamps: 75:32 – 96:16

• They dissect Ayesha Curry’s podcast statements about not wanting to marry early, missing out on certain life experiences, and public reaction to her candor.
• Discussion expands to relationship privacy, gender double standards in public discourse, and the tendency for the internet to build narratives around celebrity marriages.
• Memorable moment:
  • "Let’s play the clip first..." (79:36 – 80:44, playing Ayesha’s podcast statement)
  • "She can go get a job—" (81:10, Corey’s opinion triggers debate)
  • "When you get in relationships that young, I think she could potentially feel like she missed out on a big part of the world..." – Ish (81:39)
  • "If he’s saying 'I’m not embarrassed,' then let’s say it’s bothering us, not that it’s bothering him." – Mark (91:31, on projecting opinions)

16. Molly Qerim, ESPN, and “Know Your Worth”

Timestamps: 101:17 – 118:19

• Discussion of Molly’s abrupt ESPN exit due to a contract dispute.
• Deep dive into media salary caps, gender and role disparities, and the real risks of betting on your value in a cutthroat industry.
  • "The salary cap on each of the roles tells the story... this is not really about Molly." – Joe (107:30)
  • "Know your worth is a dice game." – Joe (115:54)

Cultural Commentary & Real-Life Lessons

17. Cam Newton & Asking for Body Counts

Timestamps: 122:11 – 133:13

• Cam says he wants to know “actual bodies” (including famous names) before getting serious with someone. The group debates practicality, honesty, and whether wanting that information is insecurity or healthy caution.
  • "That shit is weird…" – Mark (127:29)
  • "Why are we afraid to acknowledge insecurity?" – Flip (127:05)

18. Mental Health – Kyron Lacy Case & Suicide in Injustice

Timestamps: 163:50 – 170:43

• Emotional discussion about the tragic suicide of LSU athlete Kyron Lacy, wrongly implicated in a fatal car accident.
  • "A lot of innocent people kill themselves in prison..." – Mark (166:05)
  • Strong message: “If you’re fighting a silent battle, give yourself a shot—tomorrow’s not today.”

19. AI/Sora & Deepfakes – Ethics of Digital Resurrection

Timestamps: 157:22 – 162:05

• Joe and the crew discuss Sora/OpenAI’s lifelike deepfakes, including viral, dark humor Stephen Hawking memes and the legal/ethical quagmires around synthesizing dead celebrities for content.
  • "They could take your likeness and make you fight for something you were totally against." – Joe (162:42)

Pop Culture & Reviews

20. Movies: “The Smashing Machine,” Jonathan Majors, 824 Films

Timestamps: 172:06 – 177:48

• Explains why The Rock's "Smashing Machine" flopped (poor marketing, competition), but the crew plans to see it.
• Talks about the cult status of A24 films, praising their weirdness while joking about “Lamb” (the movie where a woman delivers a goat).

21. Taylor Swift & Cardi B Current Events

Timestamps: 179:41 – 181:44

• Brief teasers on Taylor Swift’s mega-album release and Cardi B “spending more in Starlets than her opp’s streams,” promising to revisit on Patreon.

Final Thoughts & Closing

Timestamps: 183:32 – End

• Shoutouts, event plugs (Ish going to see Tony Rock & Jay Pharaoh, Flip in Baltimore), and reminders to subscribe to Mark’s new Patreon.
• Joe closes:
  "Life is a series of moments, and moments pass. So let’s make this one last as if it’s all we have.” (185:30)

Podcast Flow & Tone

• Language: Authentic, conversational, with classic Joe Budden energy – alternates between serious, insightful, and comedic.
• Dynamic: Features genuine disagreements, good-natured ribbing, and surprising moments of vulnerability and wisdom.

For New Listeners

This episode is a prime example of why fans love (and sometimes debate) The Joe Budden Podcast:

• It’s a melting pot of hip hop nostalgia, current events, barbershop humor, relationship therapy, and real-life philosophy.
• The blend of cultural history, generational shifts, and unfiltered honesty gives both long-time fans and new listeners plenty to chew on.

Quick Guide to Key Segments

• Albums Aging Badly: 03:13–16:00
• Newark & House Music Culture: 06:04–10:00
• Rapper Gatekeeping & Hip Hop Quiz: 19:00–24:30
• Body Count/Insecurity Debate: 122:11–133:13
• Ayesha Curry & Marriage Hot Takes: 75:32–96:16
• Molly Qerim, ESPN & “Know Your Worth”: 101:17–118:19
• AI/Sora Deepfakes Discussion: 157:22–162:05
• Mental Health & Wrongful Accusation: 163:50–170:43

In their words:
"Know your worth is a dice game." – Joe Budden (115:54)
"Life is a series of moments, and moments pass. So let’s make this one last as if it’s all we have." – Joe Budden (185:30)

Skip the ads & intros — listen for the free-flowing, boundary-pushing, sometimes wild, always entertaining group dynamic.