The Joe Budden Podcast – Episode 876 | "Squint Off The Vert"

Date: November 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, "Squint Off The Vert," finds Joe Budden and his crew—Mark Lamont Hill, Parks, Big Mona, and Ericson—settling into a hilarious, insightful, and at times profound conversation. The episode captures their signature blend of hip-hop industry discussion, pop culture commentary, life anecdotes, mental health talk, and playful roasting among friends. Major topics include the Grammy nominations, Kanye West’s apology tour, the dynamics of mental illness in the Black community, and a recurring, riotous debate about chicken hoarding at the office.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fashion, Age, & Matching Your Cup to Your Fit

(00:28–04:22)
- The episode opens with a lighthearted discussion on “matching your cup to your outfit,” an act Joe and Big Mona both admit to.
  - Joe: “No, I buy my cups in the colors that I wear.” (00:37)
  - Mark: “[On matching] That's some old nigga shit, right? The kids ain't doing it.” (00:45)
- The group pokes fun at each other about aging, style, and grown-up fatigue.
  - Joe reflects on his body not letting him party two nights in a row, pushing the conversation into how the crew deals with being “washed up.”

2. Celebrating Personal Wins & Parks’ New Modeling Gig

(06:08–08:01)
- Parks reveals he’s now a model for Levi’s and Mass Appeal.
  - “I'm a model now…shout out to Levi.” (06:37, Parks)
- The crew congratulates Parks, teasing him about mastering the “Ish squint” in his photoshoot.
  - Mark: “You got the squint off the vert.” (07:59)

3. Grammy Nominations Deep Dive

(22:01–55:55)
- The team goes category-by-category through the newly announced Grammy nominations, offering predictions and snubs.
  - Best Rap Album: Discussion includes the merits of Glorilla, Kendrick Lamar, Clips, and Tyler the Creator.
  - Melodic Rap Performance: Luther tipped as the likely winner; discussion on Meek Mill and Fridayy’s “Proud of Me”; Drake brushed off as being absent again.
  - R&B Album: Giveon and Leon Thomas are favorites; Parks predicts Thomas will walk away with a win or two.
  - Best Alternative Album: Tyler's “Don’t Tap the Glass” and how genre placement at the Grammys is often a strategic move.
  - Song/Album/Record of the Year: Arguments over Bad Bunny's massive year versus Sabrina Carpenter's star power and pitches for deserving underdogs.
- Recurring concern: The group debates how Grammys reward differing genres, artists who "transcend" categories, and speculate over industry politics and recency bias.

4. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

On Parks Modeling:
- “You got the squint off the vert.” – Mark, (07:59)
On the Grammys:
- “The MC could never say, ‘Hey, ChatGPT, write me an 8 bar of fire,’ hear it, and use it.” – Joe, (150:18), on AI in rap.
On chicken hoarding in the office:
- “That was the—he stole the chicken thief, bro.” – Joe, (90:27)
- Group stages a ‘homie court’ over Mark’s alleged chicken theft, with dramatic and comedic mock trials, evidence presentations, and outbursts. (85:00–98:50)
Regarding mental health and forgiveness:
- “I believe Kanye to be sick. I’ve never heard him openly speak like that, acknowledging and kind of owning that I'm sick and this is what my sickness is.” – Joe, (60:36)
- Extended, nuanced group discussion about Kanye West’s public apology, the timing with his album/Yeezy drop, mental illness accountability, and whether redemption is genuine or strategic. (55:00–74:00)
- Big Mona and Ericson add powerful anecdotes about the invisibility of mental illness, especially in Black communities.
Mental health and sports:
- “The fucked up people are gonna do fucked up shit now. Sound like I'm caping for them and I don't want to do. That's not my a[ngle].” – Joe, (109:04), in the context of Antonio Brown and broader mental health failures.
- Tearful tribute and reminder: “To anyone struggling, please hold on to the light. Please know there’s always help and hope.” – reading from Solomon Thomas re: Marshawn Neal, NFL player (114:47)

5. Hip-Hop Culture, Lists, & ‘Best Of’ Debates

(120:18–133:44)
- The group debates the “best rap song of all time”: classic picks include “The Message,” “T.R.O.Y.,” “Juicy,” and “Nuthin’ But a G Thang.”
- Dissects Pitchfork’s new “100 Best Rap Albums” list, roaring with laughter and outrage at various placements.
  - Consensus: The lists are flawed but a fun source for debate.

6. Kanye West’s Apology Run

(55:27–74:00)
- The group scrutinizes Kanye’s recent apology to the Jewish community, shared in a filmed meeting with a rabbi ahead of his album drop/relaunching Yeezy sales.
  - Mark expresses skepticism over the timing and sincerity.
  - Joe and Parks discuss the intersection of mental illness and public responsibility.
  - Ericson: “If you say racist shit in public, the apology has to be just as loud as the offense.” (62:53)

7. Office Hilarity: The Chicken Hoarding “Trial”

(85:00–98:50)
- Mark is accused (with mock legal zeal) of taking an excessive amount of chicken home for himself rather than just “a plate for his wife.”
- Evidence is debated, exhibits presented, and Joe and Parks lead the prosecution, while Mark and Ericson mount a spirited defense.
- This roast fest exemplifies the show’s friendship, pettiness, and ability to turn anything into compelling content.

8. Antonio Brown, Mental Health & Policing

(100:39–110:18)
- Reacting to AB’s arrest in Florida, the crew discusses the pattern of erratic behavior that aligns with CTE/mental health struggles and society’s lack of empathy (especially for Black men).

9. AI and the Death of the Real MC

(149:45–152:44)
- Young Jock tests out AI rap lyrics, proving to the group that technology can’t replace the craft of real lyricism.

10. New York Politics & Victory Speeches

(153:01–167:14)
- Breakdown of New York’s new mayor Zohran Mamdani’s historic win, with praise for his victory speech and a roasting of Van Jones for his tepid response.
- Mark: “That was the most impressive Democratic speech I’ve heard since Barack Obama.” (157:36)

11. Pop Culture (Sydney Sweeney Ad, Kayla Nicole Tweets, Cancel List)

(184:16–195:10)
- Sydney Sweeney and Kayla Nicole both face recent controversies and “canceling”—the former for an awkward interview dodging race questions, the latter for old tweets and alleged pettiness.
- The group questions how much it matters and who really gets canceled in the long run.

12. Nostalgic Reflections: Freaknik, Spring Break, and the Loss of Youth Culture

(197:12–202:28)
- The crew reminisces on wild, pre-social media party eras (Freaknik, Greek Fest, MTV Spring Break) and agree that FOMO online is no substitute for actually being there.

13. Rounding Out: Show Wrap-Up, Plans, and Final Roasts

(218:39–221:17)
- Crew shares lighthearted weekend plans and teases future Patreon content (including a forthcoming debate over the new Michael Jackson biopic).
- Sign-off features a blend of classic R&B, inside jokes, and signature gratitude to the fans.

Important Segments and Timestamps

00:28: Matching cups to outfits—sign of aging and fashion
06:08: Parks’ Levi’s modeling gig
22:01–55:55: Grammy nominations deep dive
55:27–74:00: Kanye’s apology tour and mental health/forgiveness
85:00–98:50: Chicken hoarding “homie court”
149:45–152:44: Young Jock and AI’s impact on hip-hop
153:01–167:14: NYC election reactions and Van Jones’ comments
184:16–195:10: Pop culture cancel list (Sydney Sweeney, Kayla Nicole)

Notable Quotes (with timestamps)

On Matching Cups to Outfits: “No, I buy my cups in the colors that I wear.” – Joe Budden (00:37)
On Age: "My body just is not letting me do it… I was supposed to go out two nights in a row. My body just is not letting me do it." – Joe Budden (02:01)
On Grammy Strategy: “It may not be to your advantage, but for Tyler, it may be.” – Parks (37:56)
On Mental Health: “The fucked up people are gonna do fucked up shit now… We just have to acknowledge that more.” – Joe Budden (109:04)
On MC vs. AI: “The MC could never say, ‘Hey, ChatGPT, write me an 8 bar of fire,’ hear it, and use it.” – Joe Budden (150:18)
On the Power of In-Person Experiences: “Seeing it and being it ain’t the same.” – Joe Budden (199:51)
On Weekend Plans: “I’m inside. Still getting better, right?” – Mark Lamont Hill (217:41)

Tone & Style

The episode blends high-energy, sarcastic, and irreverent humor with unexpectedly thoughtful, often personal, commentary on social issues. It’s a free-wheeling group chat characterized by running jokes, Philly-vs-NYC banter, and cultural takes rooted in hip-hop.

Summary

"Squint Off The Vert" captures the Joe Budden Podcast in full stride: a mix of pop culture news, music industry analysis, and vividly entertaining group dynamics. The crew dives deep into the 2025 Grammy nominations, debates new music and rap classics, roasts each other mercilessly about everything from spotting gray hair to hoarding chicken, and explores nuanced territory around mental illness and public redemption (with reference to both Kanye West and Antonio Brown). Capping everything off are discussions about politics, “cancel culture,” throwback party culture, and the bittersweet realities of aging in hip-hop. For listeners—new or old—the show remains proof that insightful conversation doesn’t have to take itself, or life, too seriously.