The Joe Budden Podcast — Episode 905 | "Hertz Platinum"
Date: February 21, 2026
Host: Joe Budden
Guests/Co-Hosts: Mona, Mark Lamont Hill, Ish, Keith (plus mentions of Parks, Po, Corey, Erickson, Tanner, Savon)
Episode Overview
This episode continues the Joe Budden Podcast's blend of sharp music criticism, unfiltered stories, and candid debates between Joe and his rotating cast of friends and guests. With playful banter, hot takes on recent albums, deep commentary on music industry business deals, and an array of social issues, the crew covers everything from the economics of nail techs to UMG’s D2C music moves, viral social moments, and the ethics of using rap lyrics as evidence. Casual, honest, chaotic, and hilarious, this episode is classic JBP energy: wild digressions, real talk, and plenty of jokes.
Main Themes:
- Music industry trends (direct-to-consumer, streaming, major label maneuvers)
- New music reviews (notably Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar, and others)
- Social controversies (nail tech discourse, Cat Williams, lyric usage in court, viral moments)
- Personal anecdotes (dads & daughters, “child prodigies,” hot tub sex, parental care)
- General life, pop culture, and relationship advice
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Hilarious Banter: Cars, Nail Techs, and Real-life Flexing
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The "Hertz Platinum" Flex:
Mark Lamont Hill gets called out for bragging about his Hertz Platinum rental status, which devolves into a group roast about adulthood, rental cars, and traveling."You Herz Platinum. What the is you talk about?" – Ish [01:11]
"Sometimes when you go in Hertz, they got a young nigga working. He don’t know all the rules... 'You know I’m a member.'" – Joe Budden [01:58] -
On Nail Techs and Parental Disappointment:
The crew revisits a previous podcast controversy about whether they’d be disappointed if their daughters became nail techs after paying for expensive educations. Ish doubles down; Mark provides nuance about nail techs’ earning power; Mona pushes back and brings comedic relief."Some nail techs make more money than doctors." – Mark Lamont Hill [04:05]
- Nail techs (and their advocates) in the audience are acknowledged and half-heartedly apologized to.
- Discussion of career expectations versus actual outcomes, with class tension.
2. Real Money Talk: Weekend Earnings and Losing Cash App
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The group brags and jokes about how much money they made last weekend, hitting everything from gig payments to live shows. Joe claims $60K, Mona $30K, and so on, always with a sly tone.
"Probably about 60 grand. I made about 60 grand." – Joe Budden [07:35] "30 piece." – Mona [07:48]
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On Losing Cash App:
Mona tells of losing Cash App access, prompting commiseration and a run of stories about online payment bans and hustles. Joe jokes about old scams and the blurred line between bad business and "scamming.""To lose the Cash app...you don't have to do anything wrong..." – Mona [09:00]
3. On Scamming, Bad Business, and Internet Hustle
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The crew debates the difference between "bad business" and outright scamming, especially in the music industry and influencer world. Mark brings up artists who take money for features they never record; Mona redefines bad business as walking away from a deal if the "client" is being disrespectful.
"To me, that's bad business. That's not scamming." – Mona [10:42]
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Ish recounts a near-scam with an aspiring interview subject (Glorilla’s sister), who continually lowers her appearance fee. The whole crew laughs at the negotiation—and the brazen requests for upfront payment.
4. Music Roundtable: Baby Keem, Kendrick, New Projects
- Baby Keem's ‘Keem's Casino’: The group does a deep dive listen to the new album, noting strong sequencing, the Kendrick feature, standout tracks, and a refreshing brevity ("concise, straight to the point").
- Strong praise for the album’s first half, some reservations about the back end, but a consensus it’s “a good project.”
"I like the first half of this project more than the second half." – Joe [35:04]
- Shoutouts to Other New Albums:
- Mozzy & ESTG’s ‘Not a Chance in Hell’ (short but solid; Mozzy shines)
- Alchemist, Curren$y, Larry June collaboration—classic laid-back West Coast vibes.
- Jay-Z “Dead Presidents I” finally on streaming.
- Young Miami’s new “Tea Time” track (made for TikTok; the group jests about how viral songs work culturally now).
“This song was made for TikTok.” – Ish [43:00]
5. Industry Talk: UMG x Even and Label Evolution
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Discussion of Universal Music Group's partnership with Even (a D2C platform), with debate over the implications for artists and labels, major shifts to direct-to-consumer, and what value, if any, the majors add.
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Labels are “watching what the indies are doing,” adopting strategies from Bandcamp, United Masters, etc.
“They’re watching all of it...just consider yourself surveilled.” – Joe [47:17]
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Streaming "not great" for most artists; music usage/performance revenue (ASCAP) is up; DistroKid likely to be acquired, and speculation on the trend of consolidation.
6. Social Spotlight: Using Rap Lyrics in Court (Lil Durk Case)
- The group weighs the controversial admissibility of rap lyrics as evidence—Lil Durk’s trial specifically—and the chilling effect it can have on creativity and fairness in the justice system.
“Artists' lyrics shouldn’t be used against them...I think the risk outweighs the reward.” – Mark Lamont Hill [56:40]
- Parallels to other art forms are explored, with Mona raising concern over "where does it stop?" and the power imbalance when jurors don't understand rap/hip-hop culture.
7. Viral Clips & Docs – Untangling Reality
- Joe and the group walk back critiques of a victim depicted in the Tyra Banks/America’s Next Top Model doc after revisiting original footage (suggests the doc misrepresented what happened).
"This girl wanted it...because she was very clear on camera saying..." – Joe [88:00+]
- Debates around documentary bias, narrative framing, and the rush to judgment.
8. Life Talk: Elder Care, Marriage, Prodigies, and Sex Jokes
- Hilarious digressions about “child prodigies,” hot tub sex, who’s responsible for aging parents, and relationship confessions.
- The older crew reflects on the challenges of caring for sick or elderly parents—debate over in-home care versus senior living.
- Playful back-and-forth on medical checkups, prostate exams, and age milestones.
9. Sports: NBA Tanking & Rule Changes
- Rundown of the NBA’s issues with tanking, possible rule fixes under discussion: pick protection, lottery odds, and playoff incentives.
“Something's going to happen next year.” – Ish [75:12]
- Anecdotes about bad luck at Knicks games, MVP picks, and the comedic chaos of being a loyal fan.
10. Viral Stories & Internet Culture
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Jim Jones eviction viral saga: Jim vs. landlord, 50 Cent’s trolling, the difficulty of rolling back a narrative once viral.
“Once that video goes out, you spend the rest of your life trying to explain some shit, and you can't roll that shit back.” – Ish [114:27]
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Uncle “Tenderism” gets business advice: the perils of viral fame, licensing, and generational business wisdom.
“It's not about the taste, it's about him. He's the show.” – Mona [108:36]
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Olympic-level sex in the athlete’s village: tangents on condoms, biathletes, and cheating confessions.
“10,000 condoms in three days...all Olympians.” – Mark Lamont Hill [129:10]
11. Life Advice: Dads, Daughters, and “Problem Kids”
- Listener letter: Navigating co-parenting, stepchildren, and boundaries when a teenager expresses hostility toward new siblings. Mona shares her story, group debates on the boundaries between venting, protecting, and parenting.
“At the end of the day, that's all on the dad.” – Mona [157:59]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On UMG watching indie trends:
"Just consider yourself surveilled. They're watching all of it." – Joe Budden [47:17] -
On TikTok virality:
"This song was made for TikTok." – Ish [43:00] -
On the justice system vs. rap music:
“I don't want illegal evidence being used against me in court. Cause I don't trust jurors.” – Mark Lamont Hill [59:50] -
On caring for elders:
"I love helping my Aldrich... but when she got like 10 minutes away... that's better." – Ish [125:96] -
On documentary bias:
“It’s always in the eyes of the documentor. Whatever they trying to convey, that’s what they convey, period.” – Mona [95:15] -
On NBA tanking:
“Something's going to happen next year.” – Ish [75:12]
Timestamps of Major Segments
- Hertz Platinum, Nail Tech Controversy, Banter: 00:30 – 05:30
- Money Talk, Cash App, Hustles: 06:10 – 10:00
- Scam Stories, Interview Hustle: 11:00 – 15:00
- Keem’s Album Review: 25:00 – 36:00
- New Music Roundup: 37:45 – 46:00
- Industry D2C, UMG/Even: 46:00 – 54:00
- DistroKid/Label Consolidation: 51:14 – 54:00
- Lyrics as Evidence, Durk Case: 54:40 – 65:15
- Hot Tub Sex/Relationship Tangents: 91:00 – 105:00
- Care for Elderly Parents: 125:04 – 128:34
- NBA Tanking Rules Discussion: 74:45 – 83:18
- Jim Jones Eviction, 50 Cent Trolling: 112:39 – 120:45
- Listener Advice Segment (step-kids, boundaries): 145:42 – 155:37
Tone & Atmosphere
- Language: Unfiltered, raw, honest, and often profane.
- Energy: Chaotic, funny, fast-moving; frequent crosstalk, running jokes ("child prodigy," "Herz Platinum"), and good-natured ribbing.
- Perspective: Street-savvy meets business-minded, pragmatic but emotional, willing to double back on takes and admit new information.
Conclusion
This episode of The Joe Budden Podcast is a quintessential mix of critical music analysis, hot takes on real-life drama, and hilarious storytelling. With deep dives into industry news, culture wars, family confessions, and viral shenanigans, it’s a tour through hip-hop’s cultural now—never afraid to change lanes and always entertaining. Whether you want music recommendations, backroom music biz insight, or just a reason to laugh, JBP 905 delivers.