The Joe Budden Podcast: Episode 885 | "I Don't See Beauty"

Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Joe Budden & The Joe Budden Network Crew

Overview

Episode 885 of The Joe Budden Podcast serves up the usual blend of sharp banter, social observation, and hip-hop culture, with Joe and the crew diving into everything from concert experiences and dress codes at the gym to infamous viral moments and music industry news. The episode’s recurring themes: navigating public life as Black men, societal double standards, the ever-evolving entertainment landscape, and the importance (and myth) of "the streets".

The crew for this ride includes Queens Flip, Mark Lamont Hill, Ice, Big Parks, and guest spots from Erick Sermon. The episode is marked by candid conversation, comedic detours, and plenty of quotable lines, all while never taking themselves too seriously.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Art of Joking and Group Dynamics

• Opening segments find the crew ribbing each other about relationships, dress code, and Mark’s supposed time in a “cult,” setting the tone for a loose, playful episode.
• (01:19, Ice):

  "All his jokes be—I don't think y'all hear him."

2. Concerts: The Perils and Pleasures of Live Shows

• Mark laments about difficult white crowds at an Erykah Badu concert:
  (14:48, Mark Lamont Hill):

  "Erica was great, okay let me say that first...White people, man. They stood up the whole show for the slow jams, doing this Charlie Brown dance. My wife couldn't see. There was a 6'-5" dude in our way—had to switch seats."

• The debate on standing at concerts leads to broader convo about the right seating (balcony, box, etc.), crowd etiquette, and performer vs. audience perspective.

3. The Changing Age of Style: Hoodies, Crewnecks, and Code Switching

• Discussion ensues about trading hoodies for crewnecks as they age, the subtle class and age signals in clothing, and how code-switching (especially for Black men) plays out in public spheres.
  (24:48, Joe Budden):

  "Parks cold code-switches, right? The hoodie code-switch. I never even thought that he would say something bad about a hoodie..."

4. Gym Dress Codes, Phone Bans, and 'Cameltoe Culture'

• The group discuss viral debates on gym attire for women.
  • Should gyms have a dress code?
  • Do camera phones and tripods make gyms unbearable?
  • The men reflect on male gaze, boundaries for compliments, and the awkwardness of being caught looking.
• Notable quote/exchange:
  (28:24, Joe Budden):

  "Do you look at cameltoe when they got it out out?"
  (28:48, Ice):
  "All jokes aside, I wanna look up, and now it's weird if we catch eye contact."

5. Complimenting Women in Public and Relationship Boundaries

• Is it "allowed" to compliment women out and about, at the gym, or at the bank? Crew debates the etiquette and perception of innocent vs. suggestive comments, especially from married men.
• (33:07, Mark Lamont Hill):

  "No, no, and no...nothing about her's appearance in my comment. Would you tell your wife what?"

• The flipside—accepting the attraction and humanity of others—is also discussed, relating it to honest, secure relationships.

6. Social Media Algorithms, Finstas, and Liking Thirst Traps

• The struggle is real: avoiding temptation and 'liking' questionable Instagram posts when the algorithm seems out to get you.
• (39:40, Joe Budden):

  "How do y'all avoid looking when your algorithm gets in one of those modes where it's sending you nothing but the chicks that you would..."

7. Art Basel, Busta Rhymes & the Era of Content Pranks

• Recap of viral Art Basel moment where a fan mistakenly (or on purpose, as a prank) calls Busta “Tracy Morgan.” The conversation delves into prank culture, the line between playful and disrespectful, and Busta's "zero tolerance" for foolishness.
• (47:05, Mark Lamont Hill):

  "I think after the first—that was right after the first situation."

• The crew defends the right of celebrities like Busta to react as they see fit, while also observing that sometimes the best moment is to make it funny.

8. Viral Racism: The 'Cinnabon Lady' and Corporate Accountability

• They discuss the viral video of a Cinnabon employee openly targeting a customer for their hijab, and how quickly she was fired.
• The crew muses on the ongoing presence of "old-school" racism, performative corporate accountability, and the fatigue of having to discuss every new instance online.
• (54:53, Joe Budden):

  "All right, little miss White lady. That'll be your very last Cinnabon for the day."

9. Platforming White Supremacists: Should We Air Their Views?

• Debate whether platforms like Piers Morgan's should give airtime to racists and white nationalists like Nick Fuentes; weighing the value of exposing vs. inadvertently validating extremist ideologies.
• (59:14, Mark Lamont Hill):

  "I struggle with it. I see both sides of it, like putting them on air because somebody's gonna watch that and still get something from it..."

10. The Streets are Done: Street Mythology, Snitch Culture & Morality

• Joe and the crew dissect whether “the streets” as a code/way of life for Black men is dead, and what values are left to pass on to the next generation.
• Notable exchange:
  (90:02, Joe Budden):

  "When I say the streets is done, I guess what I'm saying is we've learned more."
  (93:24, Mark Lamont Hill):
  "We appreciate those values like loyalty, honor, respect..."
  (95:29, Joe Budden):
  "It's not wrong if that's where you want to be. If that's where those people want to be and they don't have plans on leaving... But when I talk to street niggas now... none of that be healthy. Yo, I love what you’re doing out here..."

11. Fame: Snoop, Shaq, and the Most Famous Person Debate

• The crew debates a viral tweet about the world's most famous celebrities—who makes the list? Is Snoop Dogg in the elite tier? Is Shaq? Does fame = Instagram followers? Does "face card" transcend borders?
• (101:16, Ice):

  "Snoop is one of the most famous people on the planet just in terms of knowing who he is."

• Spirited arguments about where Snoop, Shaq, Oprah, Michael Jordan, LeBron, Trump, and Barack fit in the all-time fame rankings.

12. AI in Music: Artistry vs. Algorithms

• Joe admits he’s started buying AI-generated R&B songs; the table debates if this threatens real human musicianship, or is just the latest in a line of technological disruptions (sampling, Autotune, etc).
• (172:18, Big Parks):

  "As someone who spent the first... of my artistic life... sampling records, I can't listen to this and be like, 'That's blasphemy,' ... it just in a different technological format."

• They address whether the consumer even cares about "genuine" artistry anymore.

13. Major Media Moves: Paramount, Warner Bros, Netflix—and Streaming Wars

• They break down the blockbuster news of the Paramount hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery ($108 billion), Netflix’s competitive offer, and whether these mergers are monopolistic or just next-level business.
• (185:14, Joe Budden):

  "Regulatory filings show that Ellison family and Redbird Capital will backstop 100% of our equity commitment..."

• Joe and Ice reflect on the significance: “It’s making people choose between new and old guard.”

14. Streamer Awards and Lack of Diversity

• Recap of the Streamer Awards, including cringe jokes (e.g., Diddy comparison to Kai Cenat), India Love’s turn as “little mama”, and an overall lack of writers/structure/professionalism—plus the notable absence of Black winners in major categories despite Black streamers’ dominance.
• (197:17, Joe Budden):

  "You don’t take one of our most beloved, famous, young, successful Black streamers... and compare him to the most horrific doc available right now."

15. Miscellaneous Highlights

• Relationship boundaries: when is it OK to follow or interact with a friend’s partner on social media?
• Cassie’s legal troubles: Ducking lawsuits from an ex-escort over "sex trafficking" and emotional distress—crew debates whether her accuser is a "victim".
• Sleepers: Eric Sermon/Redman/Meth, Tory Lanez, and Joe’s pick of rising R&B artist Ambré.
• Holiday bonuses and “pop” (being broke): Crew jokes about tough times, transferring funds, and buying expensive toys for the kids.
• Wrap-Up: The episode ends with their trademark blend of banter, random anecdotes, and “sleepers.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Gut Busters & Sharp Observations

• (05:54, Joe Budden):
  "Yeah, I guess you can’t have a PhD in average."
• (28:24, Joe Budden):
  "Do you look at cameltoe when they got it out out?"
• (51:31, Joe Budden):
  "Well, we caught the car. Teamwork."
• (90:02, Joe Budden):
  "When I say the streets is done, I guess what I'm saying is, is we've, we've, we've learned more."

Candid Social Commentary

• (60:02, Big Parks):
  "I hate hearing both sides. I don't want to hear his side. I know enough. I've seen him wear a Nazi flag and I'm cool."
• (87:41, Joe Budden):
  "Yo, the streets are done, man."
• (157:11, Joe Budden):
  "How do some of these phrases stay in Society for 700 years...Crack the whip?"
• (176:21, Erick Sermon):
  "We get so caught up in just enjoying the consumption of something for our personal shit and not look at the long term effects of what it does to the industry itself."

Important Timestamps

• Concert Etiquette:
  14:48–18:45 — Mark's Erykah Badu concert experience
• Should Gyms Have Dress Codes?:
  26:32–32:07 — Gym attire, tripods, and awkward social rules
• Art Basel Viral Moment/Prank Culture:
  43:04–46:30 — Busta Rhymes/Tracy Morgan
• Debating “the streets”:
  88:07–95:51 — The street code, morality, and generational change
• Famous People Rankings Debate:
  100:17–107:44 — Snoop, Shaq, Jesus, Trump, Oprah, and more
• Cassie Legal Trouble:
  134:54–146:22 — Cassie, lawsuits, "victim" blame
• AI in Music:
  171:11–178:49 — AI-generated R&B, sampling, artistry vs. consumption
• Paramount/Warner/Netflix Takeover:
  184:17–191:45 — Billion-dollar streaming wars
• Streamer Awards (Racism, Structure, Jokes):
  192:28–197:43 — Racist jokes, Black streamer representation, awkward moments

Episode Wrap-Up

Despite a playful, unserious start, Episode 885 tackles the fraught realities of public life, fame, racism, industry change, and what it means to grow wiser—and sometimes softer—over time. The rapport between the crew, especially as they spar about boundaries, morals, and cultural shifts, makes this episode both entertaining and sharply relevant.

“There's other ways to gain respect.” – Joe Budden (94:27)

Sleepers

(204:07–212:22)

• Joe Budden: Ambré – “She”
• Ice: Tory Lanez – “Variables”
• Big Parks: Eric Sermon (Dynamic Duos album) ft. Redman & Method Man – “Look at Him”

For fiery conversation, real cultural talk, and the ever-bouncing dynamics of random friends—this is a can’t-miss, trademark JBP episode.