The Joe Budden Podcast — Ep. 874 | "Miley & Molly"

Date: November 1, 2025
Main Cast: Joe Budden, Big Freeze (Ice), Imani, Mona, Mark Lamont Hill
Episode Theme: Post-Halloween camaraderie and costumes segue into candid conversation about current hip-hop, pop-culture hot topics, societal debates, and the power of art, all delivered in the crew’s signature irreverent, energetic style.

OVERVIEW

This episode is a classic JBP mix of humor, hip-hop critique, lived experiences, and wild tangents. The crew—festively dressed up from lingering Halloween spirit—waxes on everything from the customs of Mischief Night and Halloween as adults, to the state of music in 2025 (AI’s impact, billboard drama, and new album drops). Heavy moments arrive as they discuss outing in the LGBTQ+ community, AI’s future in art and life (including grief and mourning), and New York’s mayoral race.

But the tone stays loose. It’s jokes, personal stories, inside-baseball on the music industry, and heated debate about “sensitive” topics—especially Sydney Sweeney, white-girl nightlife, and, as always, who reigns supreme in a Jay-Z “versus”.

KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Halloween Aftermath & Mischief Night ([00:00]–[17:00])

Panel in Halloween costumes, clowning about reactions to being dressed up (“I got a migraine!” Joe, [02:06]).
Old-school Mischief Night memories (egging, toilet paper).
“Do kids still do Mischief Night?” Mona asks. Mark: “Philly, that’s all we used to do… We did that more than Halloween.” ([16:21])
Mark tells a hilarious story of chasing kids who stole his $200 Benihana takeout ([17:14–18:48]).

Notable Quote (on Halloween candy paranoia):
Joe: “Maybe we didn’t search the candy as great as we thought. Hey, maybe they did sneak that fentanyl in the Snickers.” ([23:51])

2. Podder of the Month & Crew Dynamics ([11:33]–[13:16])

Mona is named "Podder of the Month" despite only being on the show for a month.
Joe & the crew banter about Mona’s group-chat etiquette and late replies.

3. Instacart & Male Shopping Fails ([20:46]–[22:28])

“When we get male Instacart drivers, it’s instant rage, instant frustration.” – Mona ([20:57])
Mark complains: “I ordered Albanese gummy bears—they replaced it with a Starbucks macchiato. Dude said, ‘They both $3.79 and got sugar in it.’” ([22:04])
Jokes about shopping incompetence and couple Instacart drivers.

4. Music Industry Talk: Posthumous Albums & New Drops ([40:45]+)

Big L’s Album & Joe’s “Fake” Feature ([41:24]–[42:29])

Mark L. Hill: “Went straight to Joe Budden [on Big L’s album]… Not one bar, not one verse—what the fuck?”
Joe: “Shout out to the Big L project… Did you really believe I was going to stop what I’m doing right now and go rap?” ([41:43])

Other Notables

Praise for Lloyd Banks’ “Halloween Havoc 6” ([46:44]), Westside Gunn’s project (48:03), and Ransom & DJ Premier collab (49:03).
Rant about discovering new music in 2025 and surprise album drops ([52:34+]).
Posthumous albums: Admiration for how Big L’s family involved fans in selecting tracks, and new tech (AI) for vocal extraction ([43:40]).

5. Hip-Hop & Billboard—Crisis or New Era? ([96:51]+)

First time since 1995 no rap song is in Top 40. Dismissed as a “non-issue” by Joe and the crew.

Joe: “If we… in respect to Billboard… My views are—Billboard is a fixed system. They change the rules whenever they want.” ([97:59])

Celebration that artists find “alternate means” and are no longer defined by the charts.
Shoutout to Mass Appeal (Hip-Hop 50 label efforts) as a beacon for the culture ([45:36]).

6. AI, Music, and The Future ([73:40]+)

AI-Generated Sleepers Controversy:
- Ish accidentally picks an AI song as “Sleeper.” Joe: “Does it matter?” Group agrees AI is a threat to real artists’ coin and legacy but admits: “That was a really good song.” ([75:29])
Cautious but frank discussion about AI “robots” as companions, conscious upload, and immortality.
Mark admits he’d consider an AI/robotic recreation of a loved one: “...solitude and loneliness... this seems like an alternative.” Mona: “No, it’s freak.” ([118:15])

[78:09] Mona: “It’s too dangerous, especially when you say it sounds like Imani [AI voice cloning]… Imagine working for years and then you hear this shit.”

7. Offset/Cardi B Divorce Bars, Art-as-Response Debate ([54:29]–[65:10])

Mona: “I appreciate when artists go through and put it in their art... Artists are supposed to respond with songs.”
Debate: Did Offset’s “how you leaving Jordan for Rodman?” line go too far?
Joe: “As a guy, you can have a feeling about it… The way she handles [a breakup] can make me look at you differently.” ([60:52])
Ice/Freeze: “You can’t say I’m not hurt and then throw jabs. That’s not what men do.”

8. Outing, LGBTQ+ Issues, & Hypocrisy ([87:00]–[95:50])

Mark Lamont Hill shares a story about a public Muslim community figure publicly denouncing gay people while secretly attending Pride ([88:19]).
Moral debate: Should hypocrites be “outed”? [Most: No, but can see why some would.]
Mona: “A lot of times, people hate that part of them so they just project real bad… serial killers that’d be gay and then murder the guy right after sex.”

9. Licensing, Artist Rights, and the Modern Music Biz ([110:46]+)

The indie vs. label “money math”—make more selling 13k copies solo than 75k via label.
“If you make music, find a way to sell it. Alleviate the middleman and just do that for your life. I promise you’ll be fine.” — Joe ([111:12])
Side discussion about the money in content creation for kids; praise for “Ms. Rachel” and viral children’s YouTubers ([114:05]).

10. Adidas, Pharrell, and Brand Dilution ([150:03]+)

Pharrell’s highly exclusive “Jellyfish” sneakers quickly replaced by cheap “Squid” copies.
Joe: “This is what Kanye was talking about… you’re cheapening what Pharrell means to culture… for short-term gain.”
Ice: “You’re talking about exclusivity and Ferrari owners. They [Adidas] just care about selling sneakers at volume. Two different markets.”

11. Jay-Z in a Versus: Can Anyone Challenge Hov? ([130:31]+)

Crew debates if anyone could beat Jay-Z in a Versus battle. Shortlist: Drake, Kanye, maybe Future, Kendrick.
Mona: “If we bring Versus back, we need more celebrity boxing… Judge Mathis vs. Judge Joe Brown.”
Joe fantasizes about podcaster boxing matches for charity (“There’s a few out there… come to Central Park and get pause put on y’all for play play.” [136:01])

12. Sydney Sweeney, White Girl Nightlife, and Titties ([174:00]+)

A lengthy, wild, and comically explicit riff on Sydney Sweeney’s viral red-carpet dress (and those who criticized it).
Notable Riffs:
- Joe: “Everybody in here knows when they catch the vibe with the little fly white freaky joint… Halloween’s when we pop these types of…”
- Mark and the crew: “The right set of titties attracts men that aren’t titty men.”
Secondary debate on red-carpet nudity, Megan Kelly’s prudery, and “rules” for displaying areola ([181:14]–[182:00]).
Joe: “I’m not a titty man. I’m a man who can appreciate great tits… maybe I’m a titty guy.”

13. Politics: NY Mayoral Race, Hope, and Skepticism ([199:13]+)

Mark explains the New York mayoral race, Cuomo vs. Mamdani vs. Curtis Sliwa’s trio.
Big Freeze (Ice): “All these politicians sell hope and paint pie-in-the-sky visions they can’t deliver.”
Mark: “But progress starts with a vision… even actionable steps matter.”
Joe (on NY cost of living): “For New Yorkers, it’s just too expensive not to want something radically different.”

14. Closing, Sports, and More Jokes ([212:43]+)

Brief comments on cable/sports network disputes, baseball salary cap debates, and the World Series.
The episode winds down with classic JBP sign-off (“Remember, life is a series of moments… make this last as if it’s all we have…”).

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

“Who’s still checking their kid’s Halloween candy for fentanyl? You know that’s just an urban legend, right?” — Mark Lamont Hill ([24:19])
“Your hands are bisexual.” — Joe/Big Freeze, debating Offset’s divorce bars ([56:08])
“If you make art, alleviate the middleman and just do that for your life.”—Joe ([111:12])
Mona: “I appreciate when artists respond through music, not tweets and interviews.” ([54:39])
“You ever try to put your cat in an outfit and they just look stupid? That’s how Mark looks in this mask the whole intro.” — Imani ([10:31])
“I pray for you. He needed the most. He thinks he’s just running on his atheist beliefs. No, nigga, that’s me.” — Joe ([35:34])
“That’s why it’s called Instacart, not Intellectart.” — Big Freeze ([22:36])
“Sydney Sweeney went viral for what? Titties. Titties bring the world together.” — Joe ([175:39], [179:58])

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

[00:38] – Halloween & costumes complaints
[16:08] – Mischief Night, regional traditions
[17:14] – Mark’s Benihana food-chase story
[23:51] – Halloween candy paranoia
[40:45] – Music starts: new releases & Big L album
[41:43] – Joe “fake feature” story
[54:29] – Offset vs. Cardi B divorce bars art-debate
[73:40] – AI music/deepfake discussion & music industry impact
[87:00] – Outing, LGBTQ+ hypocrisy debate
[96:51] – No rap in the Billboard top 40 since 1995
[110:46] – Indie vs. label music business; content creator model
[150:03] – Pharrell, Adidas, and the Jellyfish/Squid sneaker controversy
[130:31] – Jay-Z “Versus” debate (Drake, Kanye, etc.)
[174:00] – Sydney Sweeney viral moment and white-girl nightlife riffing
[199:13] – NY Mayoral and political segment

TONE & STYLE

Conversational, brash, self-deprecating humor; fast transitions from real social/political analysis to raw, explicit entertainment and culture commentary. The crew’s dynamic is full of mutual roasting, a rotating circle of strongly-held opinions, and running jokes that blend banter with honest insights.

SUMMARY FOR NON-LISTENERS

If you missed this episode, you missed classic JBP: a loud, irreverent, and surprisingly deep discussion bouncing from the lighter side of Halloween, Instacart fails, rapper drama, and white-girl nightlife to genuine debates about music artist rights, AI’s future, sexuality hypocrisy, New York politics, and even the end of humanity as we know it. There are quotables and rants for days—but the core is always about keeping it funny, keeping it real, and embracing both the chaos and brilliance that defines the Joe Budden Podcast.

The Joe Budden Podcast — Ep. 874 | "Miley & Molly"

OVERVIEW

KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Halloween Aftermath & Mischief Night ([00:00]–[17:00])

Panel in Halloween costumes, clowning about reactions to being dressed up (“I got a migraine!” Joe, [02:06]).
Old-school Mischief Night memories (egging, toilet paper).
“Do kids still do Mischief Night?” Mona asks. Mark: “Philly, that’s all we used to do… We did that more than Halloween.” ([16:21])
Mark tells a hilarious story of chasing kids who stole his $200 Benihana takeout ([17:14–18:48]).

Notable Quote (on Halloween candy paranoia):
Joe: “Maybe we didn’t search the candy as great as we thought. Hey, maybe they did sneak that fentanyl in the Snickers.” ([23:51])

2. Podder of the Month & Crew Dynamics ([11:33]–[13:16])

Mona is named "Podder of the Month" despite only being on the show for a month.
Joe & the crew banter about Mona’s group-chat etiquette and late replies.

3. Instacart & Male Shopping Fails ([20:46]–[22:28])

“When we get male Instacart drivers, it’s instant rage, instant frustration.” – Mona ([20:57])
Mark complains: “I ordered Albanese gummy bears—they replaced it with a Starbucks macchiato. Dude said, ‘They both $3.79 and got sugar in it.’” ([22:04])
Jokes about shopping incompetence and couple Instacart drivers.

4. Music Industry Talk: Posthumous Albums & New Drops ([40:45]+)

Big L’s Album & Joe’s “Fake” Feature ([41:24]–[42:29])

Mark L. Hill: “Went straight to Joe Budden [on Big L’s album]… Not one bar, not one verse—what the fuck?”
Joe: “Shout out to the Big L project… Did you really believe I was going to stop what I’m doing right now and go rap?” ([41:43])

Other Notables

Praise for Lloyd Banks’ “Halloween Havoc 6” ([46:44]), Westside Gunn’s project (48:03), and Ransom & DJ Premier collab (49:03).
Rant about discovering new music in 2025 and surprise album drops ([52:34+]).
Posthumous albums: Admiration for how Big L’s family involved fans in selecting tracks, and new tech (AI) for vocal extraction ([43:40]).

5. Hip-Hop & Billboard—Crisis or New Era? ([96:51]+)

First time since 1995 no rap song is in Top 40. Dismissed as a “non-issue” by Joe and the crew.

Joe: “If we… in respect to Billboard… My views are—Billboard is a fixed system. They change the rules whenever they want.” ([97:59])

Celebration that artists find “alternate means” and are no longer defined by the charts.
Shoutout to Mass Appeal (Hip-Hop 50 label efforts) as a beacon for the culture ([45:36]).

6. AI, Music, and The Future ([73:40]+)

AI-Generated Sleepers Controversy:
- Ish accidentally picks an AI song as “Sleeper.” Joe: “Does it matter?” Group agrees AI is a threat to real artists’ coin and legacy but admits: “That was a really good song.” ([75:29])
Cautious but frank discussion about AI “robots” as companions, conscious upload, and immortality.
Mark admits he’d consider an AI/robotic recreation of a loved one: “...solitude and loneliness... this seems like an alternative.” Mona: “No, it’s freak.” ([118:15])

[78:09] Mona: “It’s too dangerous, especially when you say it sounds like Imani [AI voice cloning]… Imagine working for years and then you hear this shit.”

7. Offset/Cardi B Divorce Bars, Art-as-Response Debate ([54:29]–[65:10])

Mona: “I appreciate when artists go through and put it in their art... Artists are supposed to respond with songs.”
Debate: Did Offset’s “how you leaving Jordan for Rodman?” line go too far?
Joe: “As a guy, you can have a feeling about it… The way she handles [a breakup] can make me look at you differently.” ([60:52])
Ice/Freeze: “You can’t say I’m not hurt and then throw jabs. That’s not what men do.”

8. Outing, LGBTQ+ Issues, & Hypocrisy ([87:00]–[95:50])

Mark Lamont Hill shares a story about a public Muslim community figure publicly denouncing gay people while secretly attending Pride ([88:19]).
Moral debate: Should hypocrites be “outed”? [Most: No, but can see why some would.]
Mona: “A lot of times, people hate that part of them so they just project real bad… serial killers that’d be gay and then murder the guy right after sex.”

9. Licensing, Artist Rights, and the Modern Music Biz ([110:46]+)

The indie vs. label “money math”—make more selling 13k copies solo than 75k via label.
“If you make music, find a way to sell it. Alleviate the middleman and just do that for your life. I promise you’ll be fine.” — Joe ([111:12])
Side discussion about the money in content creation for kids; praise for “Ms. Rachel” and viral children’s YouTubers ([114:05]).

10. Adidas, Pharrell, and Brand Dilution ([150:03]+)

Pharrell’s highly exclusive “Jellyfish” sneakers quickly replaced by cheap “Squid” copies.
Joe: “This is what Kanye was talking about… you’re cheapening what Pharrell means to culture… for short-term gain.”
Ice: “You’re talking about exclusivity and Ferrari owners. They [Adidas] just care about selling sneakers at volume. Two different markets.”

11. Jay-Z in a Versus: Can Anyone Challenge Hov? ([130:31]+)

Crew debates if anyone could beat Jay-Z in a Versus battle. Shortlist: Drake, Kanye, maybe Future, Kendrick.
Mona: “If we bring Versus back, we need more celebrity boxing… Judge Mathis vs. Judge Joe Brown.”
Joe fantasizes about podcaster boxing matches for charity (“There’s a few out there… come to Central Park and get pause put on y’all for play play.” [136:01])

12. Sydney Sweeney, White Girl Nightlife, and Titties ([174:00]+)

A lengthy, wild, and comically explicit riff on Sydney Sweeney’s viral red-carpet dress (and those who criticized it).
Notable Riffs:
- Joe: “Everybody in here knows when they catch the vibe with the little fly white freaky joint… Halloween’s when we pop these types of…”
- Mark and the crew: “The right set of titties attracts men that aren’t titty men.”
Secondary debate on red-carpet nudity, Megan Kelly’s prudery, and “rules” for displaying areola ([181:14]–[182:00]).
Joe: “I’m not a titty man. I’m a man who can appreciate great tits… maybe I’m a titty guy.”

13. Politics: NY Mayoral Race, Hope, and Skepticism ([199:13]+)

Mark explains the New York mayoral race, Cuomo vs. Mamdani vs. Curtis Sliwa’s trio.
Big Freeze (Ice): “All these politicians sell hope and paint pie-in-the-sky visions they can’t deliver.”
Mark: “But progress starts with a vision… even actionable steps matter.”
Joe (on NY cost of living): “For New Yorkers, it’s just too expensive not to want something radically different.”

14. Closing, Sports, and More Jokes ([212:43]+)

Brief comments on cable/sports network disputes, baseball salary cap debates, and the World Series.
The episode winds down with classic JBP sign-off (“Remember, life is a series of moments… make this last as if it’s all we have…”).

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

“Who’s still checking their kid’s Halloween candy for fentanyl? You know that’s just an urban legend, right?” — Mark Lamont Hill ([24:19])
“Your hands are bisexual.” — Joe/Big Freeze, debating Offset’s divorce bars ([56:08])
“If you make art, alleviate the middleman and just do that for your life.”—Joe ([111:12])
Mona: “I appreciate when artists respond through music, not tweets and interviews.” ([54:39])
“You ever try to put your cat in an outfit and they just look stupid? That’s how Mark looks in this mask the whole intro.” — Imani ([10:31])
“I pray for you. He needed the most. He thinks he’s just running on his atheist beliefs. No, nigga, that’s me.” — Joe ([35:34])
“That’s why it’s called Instacart, not Intellectart.” — Big Freeze ([22:36])
“Sydney Sweeney went viral for what? Titties. Titties bring the world together.” — Joe ([175:39], [179:58])

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

[00:38] – Halloween & costumes complaints
[16:08] – Mischief Night, regional traditions
[17:14] – Mark’s Benihana food-chase story
[23:51] – Halloween candy paranoia
[40:45] – Music starts: new releases & Big L album
[41:43] – Joe “fake feature” story
[54:29] – Offset vs. Cardi B divorce bars art-debate
[73:40] – AI music/deepfake discussion & music industry impact
[87:00] – Outing, LGBTQ+ hypocrisy debate
[96:51] – No rap in the Billboard top 40 since 1995
[110:46] – Indie vs. label music business; content creator model
[150:03] – Pharrell, Adidas, and the Jellyfish/Squid sneaker controversy
[130:31] – Jay-Z “Versus” debate (Drake, Kanye, etc.)
[174:00] – Sydney Sweeney viral moment and white-girl nightlife riffing
[199:13] – NY Mayoral and political segment

Episode 874 | "Miley & Molly"

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Summary

The Joe Budden Podcast — Ep. 874 | "Miley & Molly"

OVERVIEW

KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Halloween Aftermath & Mischief Night ([00:00]–[17:00])

2. Podder of the Month & Crew Dynamics ([11:33]–[13:16])

3. Instacart & Male Shopping Fails ([20:46]–[22:28])

4. Music Industry Talk: Posthumous Albums & New Drops ([40:45]+)

Big L’s Album & Joe’s “Fake” Feature ([41:24]–[42:29])

Other Notables

5. Hip-Hop & Billboard—Crisis or New Era? ([96:51]+)

6. AI, Music, and The Future ([73:40]+)

7. Offset/Cardi B Divorce Bars, Art-as-Response Debate ([54:29]–[65:10])

8. Outing, LGBTQ+ Issues, & Hypocrisy ([87:00]–[95:50])

9. Licensing, Artist Rights, and the Modern Music Biz ([110:46]+)

10. Adidas, Pharrell, and Brand Dilution ([150:03]+)

11. Jay-Z in a Versus: Can Anyone Challenge Hov? ([130:31]+)

12. Sydney Sweeney, White Girl Nightlife, and Titties ([174:00]+)

13. Politics: NY Mayoral Race, Hope, and Skepticism ([199:13]+)

14. Closing, Sports, and More Jokes ([212:43]+)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

TONE & STYLE

SUMMARY FOR NON-LISTENERS

Summary

The Joe Budden Podcast — Ep. 874 | "Miley & Molly"

OVERVIEW

KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Halloween Aftermath & Mischief Night ([00:00]–[17:00])

2. Podder of the Month & Crew Dynamics ([11:33]–[13:16])

3. Instacart & Male Shopping Fails ([20:46]–[22:28])

4. Music Industry Talk: Posthumous Albums & New Drops ([40:45]+)

Big L’s Album & Joe’s “Fake” Feature ([41:24]–[42:29])

Other Notables

5. Hip-Hop & Billboard—Crisis or New Era? ([96:51]+)

6. AI, Music, and The Future ([73:40]+)

7. Offset/Cardi B Divorce Bars, Art-as-Response Debate ([54:29]–[65:10])

8. Outing, LGBTQ+ Issues, & Hypocrisy ([87:00]–[95:50])

9. Licensing, Artist Rights, and the Modern Music Biz ([110:46]+)

10. Adidas, Pharrell, and Brand Dilution ([150:03]+)

11. Jay-Z in a Versus: Can Anyone Challenge Hov? ([130:31]+)

12. Sydney Sweeney, White Girl Nightlife, and Titties ([174:00]+)

13. Politics: NY Mayoral Race, Hope, and Skepticism ([199:13]+)

14. Closing, Sports, and More Jokes ([212:43]+)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

TONE & STYLE

SUMMARY FOR NON-LISTENERS