The Joe Budden Podcast

Episode 912 | "Heaven Sent"

Date: March 18, 2026
Host: Joe Budden & Friends
Episode Overview:
This episode dives deep into the crew’s life updates, the 2026 Oscars (including Michael B. Jordan’s landmark win), social media culture, hot-button political and economic issues in NYC, inheritance tax debates, and the latest TV and music moments, all with their signature blend of banter and honest takes.

Main Themes

• 2026 Oscars reaction and Black Excellence in Hollywood
• Navigating adulthood, relationships, and finding personal happiness
• NYC politics, inheritance tax, and the city’s affordability
• Social media trends and backlash (esp. Jack Harlow)
• TV/Film/Music reviews and culture
• Camaraderie, aging, nostalgic moments, and family life

Key Segments

1. Warm Up / Life Catch-Up (00:40–05:49)

• Crew shares weekend stories: Flip celebrated his dad’s 70th birthday (“Once the cane comes out, I put you at 75, minimum.” — Flip, 00:54). Joe details his food poisoning from Italian food and the “smart toilet.”
• Aging discussion—slow recoveries from going out, one-night limits, and the need for personal time: “You don’t got two nights in a row no more.” — Flip (05:00)
• Elmira shares a dope weekend with learning about the Rastafarian movement.
• Married vs. single life: men decompressing in parked cars before entering home, and carving out personal space. “Home alone is ideal, but since you can’t get home alone, you need some car alone.” — Mark Lamont Hill (09:45)

2. Oscars Deep Dive: Celebrating Black Wins (19:57–43:16)

Main Discussion Points

• 00:57: Oscars as the main event. Shoutout to Michael B. Jordan’s career-defining win for “Sinners.”
• The crew skipped watching most of the ceremony live, only catching major moments and Black award wins (“My mom was giving me real time updates, but I watched it afterward. I just skipped all the white people, except for the people that worked on Frankenstein and Sinners.” — Flip, 20:30).
• Reactions to predicted wins & snubs, especially the competitive category for supporting actors (Delroy Lindo vs. Sean Penn): “Sometimes with the Oscars, the best person don't get it. Especially when it comes to us.” — Mark Lamont Hill (26:02).
• Michael B. Jordan’s heartfelt speech as a career milestone, expertly reenacted and discussed by the crew:
  • “For somebody to continue to develop their craft ... and where the public can see the improvements rather rapidly, that’s the stuff that resonates.” — Joe Budden (32:29)
  • “How could you not be proud of a guy like this?” — Joe (32:48)
• Black American vs British Black actors: “For one night only, get these British motherfuckers the fuck out of here.” — Flip (34:18)
• On Teyana Taylor’s overly animated reactions and social media’s reaction: “If you don’t say anything, they say you’re a hater. If you cheer for the person that wins, they say you’re fake.” — Mark Lamont Hill (44:21)
• Noting how rare it is for horror films (“Frankenstein,” “Sinners,” “Weapons”) to sweep the Oscars: “It was pretty cool to see horror being celebrated on this kind of stage.” — Parks (49:24)

Memorable Quotes

• “Even the devil was heaven sent.” (LaRussell) — and the crew’s breakdown of why the ‘heaven sent’ analogy, especially when applied to historical villains, was a lyrical misfire (87:53).
• “I think he’s positioning himself to not be successful in music.” — Flip on LaRussell’s recent viral but questionable bars (92:58)

3. Social & Music Commentary: Jack Harlow Backlash (72:39–84:54)

• Jack Harlow’s new album gets roasted on Black Twitter, generating a slew of viral nicknames (“IRS 1”, “Tone Death”, “Luka Vandross”, “Music Stolechild”, “White Thought”, “Proud Boys II Men”, etc.).
  • “If you’re Jack Harlow, how are you feeling about it? Is it like free promo?” — Flip (75:26)
  • “I think he put his heart into it and it’s not trash... but there’s nothing on there that makes me go back.” — Mark Lamont Hill (78:54)
• The discussion expands into the difficulty of experimenting musically, referencing Future’s approach to contractual obligations vs. sabotaging releases (77:59).
• The difference between “good” albums and “returning to” albums—does replay value equal greatness? Split opinions.

4. TV, Pop Culture, Nostalgia (99:07–151:40)

• Heavy praise for HBO’s “DTF St. Louis” (“That last episode was amazing TV.” — Parks, 145:28).
• “Paradise” recap, chat about Nicole Kidman's new show, and general reactions to TV cliffhangers and acting.
• Spring Break “then” vs. “now”—crew reminisces about Miami, Houston, and the "broke spring break" experience.
• The #90sChallenge on social media and its evolution into corny territory.

5. Relationship Launch & Social Dynamics (51:13–62:06)

• When is the right time to introduce a significant other publicly? Triggered by Ava DuVernay’s "soft launch" at the Oscars.
  • “You need a softer launch than the Oscars.” — Parks (54:13)
  • “You go out with the person, people used to seeing y’all together. Then the next step is social media.” — Mark Lamont Hill (54:57)
• Hilarious hypotheticals: Would you let your partner attend the Oscars as an actor’s date? “I tried that before. Not the greatest.” — Joe (58:32)

6. NYC & National Issues: Politics, Taxes, Affordability (157:53–199:57)

Tax & Inheritance Debates

• NYC’s inheritance tax and proposed mansion tax (proposed at 1.425% on $500K+ transactions; 5.325% for sales above $25 million).
• Flip and Ish strongly oppose, arguing it disproportionately impacts Black and brown communities using real estate for generational wealth.
• Mark pushes for better laws but admits “the devil’s in the details”—it's not just about collecting more tax, but enforcing it fairly.
  • “If my grandmother or my mother's been paying property taxes for the last xyz amount of years, my mother's already paid a share of the estate tax to the state. Now she passes away, I'mma get hit on that...” — Freeze (189:08)
  • “These are important vehicles for closing the wealth gap.” — Freeze (193:17)

NYC Politics and City Life

• Discussing NYC’s potential lowering of speed limits from 25 to 20 mph: “He’s serious.” — Flip (201:16)
• Debating whether $1M/year in NYC still amounts to being ‘rich’ (203:05)
• Rising cost of living and the symbolism of “old” New York, referencing radio host debates (63:05), and Noreaga v. Rosenberg over who gets to claim NY.

7. Closing Moments: Family & Legacy (169:07–171:44)

• Joe reflects on enjoying his family, his dad’s birthday, and the milestones of his younger siblings—one about to study abroad in Japan: “That’s the scariest thing I ever heard in my life. It is amazing. It is scary, but it’s a good scary.” — Joe (171:15)

8. Political Update (173:49–177:08)

• Mark’s “political segment” – Trump’s continued unpredictability; proposing a 51% tax for $1M+ earners in NYC; updates on Iran, Cuba, and global tensions.
  • “Trump can say and do whatever. I'm only bringing this up cuz I want people to keep their eyes on this because this is getting crazy.” — Mark (177:02)

9. In Memoriam: Kiki Shepherd (135:53–139:44)

• Mark gives a heartfelt eulogy for the late Kiki Shepherd, forever linked to Showtime at the Apollo.
  • “She was our Vanna White, except she was bigger and more important to us at a time where there weren’t more of us.” — Mark Lamont Hill (137:10)
  • “We lost a legend.” — Mark (136:01)

Notable Quotes & Funny Moments

• On decompressing after a long day (Parked Car Time):

  • “Home ideal is home alone. But since you can't get home alone, you need some car alone... that’s, like, the best you could get.” – Mark Lamont Hill (09:45)

• On Black excellence at the Oscars:

  • “How could you not be proud of a guy like this?” – Joe (32:48)
  • “For one night, even if only one night only. Get these British motherfuckers the fuck out of here.” – Flip (34:18)

• On inheritance tax and generational wealth:

  • “Inheritance is a very, very, very important vehicle that we are using to close the wealth gap.” – Freeze (193:17)

• Oscars “Loser Cam”:

  • “That’s one of my favorite things from award shows, the loser cam zoom in on the loser.” – Flip (27:22)

• On the Jack Harlow slander:

  • “IRS 1”, “Tone Death”, “January 6th & Park”, “White Thought”, “Proud Boys II Men”, “Stevie Wonder Bread”

  • “If you’re Jack Harlow, how are you feeling about it? Is it like free promo?” – Flip (75:26)

• Joe on TV recaps:
  “Jason Bateman, you did it again. Are you caught up?” (145:24)

• Kiki Shepherd Eulogy:
  “She was more than just the person on stage; she helped break acts... She was a philanthropist. She was a giver.” — Mark (137:10)

Key Timestamps

| Topic | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Weekend catch-up, aging & recovery | 00:40–05:49 | | Intro & Oscars preview | 19:57–25:18 | | Michael B. Jordan’s career arc, Oscar speech | 27:03–34:53 | | The Black British Actor pipeline | 34:18–35:04 | | Social Media, Jack Harlow Album/Backlash | 72:39–84:54 | | Inheritance tax/mansion tax/NYC politics debate | 157:53–199:57 | | Kiki Shepherd eulogy | 135:59–139:44 | | TV reviews (DTF St. Louis, Paradise, Scarpetto) | 142:01–151:52 | | Fatherhood, family, studying abroad reflection | 169:07–171:44 | | Political Update (Trump, NYC taxes) | 173:49–177:08 |

Tone & Language

As always, the JBP crew delivers a heady mix of unfiltered honesty, roasts, inside jokes, and occasional moments of vulnerability. They jump from irreverent to heartfelt seamlessly (e.g., their eulogy for Kiki Shepherd), and aren’t afraid to walk back hard opinions, own up to missed takes, or challenge each other—keeping the energy conversational and real for listeners.

Final Thoughts

This episode stands out for its mix of cultural commentary, personal vulnerability (reflections on aging, happiness, and family), and a detailed, often hilarious take on the week’s biggest events—from Oscars triumphs to trending rap album slander, and the nitty-gritty of what really matters for people trying to build legacies in New York. An essential listen for anyone following contemporary Black pop culture and urban life, served up with equal parts comedy, insight, and barbershop-style banter.

Not sure what’s funnier—the viral Jack Harlow names or the image of 45-year-old men circling Houston gas stations for spring break!