The Joe Budden Podcast
Episode 925 | "At Risk Youth Diet"
Date: May 2, 2026
Host: Joe Budden
Co-hosts: Mark Lamont Hill, Mona (Don't Call Me White Girl), Parks, Cheyenne Bryant
Overview
This episode captures the classic Joe Budden Podcast vibe: a chaotic, energy-filled blend of jokes, personal stories, hip-hop culture, and spontaneous debates. The cast—Joe, Mark Lamont Hill, Mona, Parks, and Cheyenne Bryant—navigate topics ranging from petty office snack thefts and “at risk youth diets,” to the meaning of authenticity in hip-hop, viral moments in sports, controversial news, and more. As usual, the crew balances hilarious anecdotes with impassioned commentary on music, trending news, and social justice.
Table of Contents
- Opening Banter: The Great Dr. Pepper Caper
- At Risk Youth Diet & Mona's Return
- Music Announcements and Podcast Dynamics
- Spring Bonuses, Massage Parlor Antics, and Handys
- NBA Playoff Recaps: Knicks, Sixers, and More
- Versus Battles: Ross vs. French, Meek vs. Wale
- New Music Discussion
- Racial Profiling & Uber Stories
- Tipping Culture and Race
- True Crime: David Guilty Case Breakdown
- Current Affairs: Voting Rights & Social Justice
- Viral Drama: Lexie Brown v. Meg & Clay
- Hip-Hop Discussion: Aging and Authenticity
- Listener Mailbag: Making Classics Then vs Now
- Closing Jokes & Weekend Plans
1. Opening Banter: The Great Dr. Pepper Caper
[00:00–08:24]
- The episode opens with a playful whodunit over a missing 12-pack of Dr. Pepper, a running in-joke among the cast.
- Parks, Mark, Mona, Cheyenne, and Joe jokingly accuse each other, counting sodas and Slim Jims as evidence.
- Joe is roasted for his handwriting while listing podcast topics.
- Mona reveals that Ish (not present) probably drank the missing Dr. Peppers:
“I got calls all week…if you plan on having a Dr. Pep when you get back, chances are slim to none.” – Mona [03:31]
- Crossover into discussions of snacking habits, with Mona’s “at risk youth diet” (oatmeal pies, Slim Jims, Dr. Pepper) highlighted.
- Emotional reunion with Mona, recently absent from the podcast:
“Mona, I’m glad you back.” – Joe [08:29]
2. At Risk Youth Diet & Mona's Return
[08:25–10:35]
- Mona’s unusual snack preferences become a running theme, called an "at risk youth house diet."
- Laughs about who’s eating what in the podcast studio; lighthearted ribbing continues about snacks disappearing.
- Welcoming Mona back officially, with a nod to her own podcast:
“Make some noise. Mona, from the Don't Call Me White Girl podcast.” – Joe [08:35]
- Debate about appropriate podcast introductions and representing the Joe Budden Podcast brand at outside events.
3. Music Announcements and Podcast Dynamics
[10:36–12:55]
- The cast riffs on recent internet lists naming Joe among the “richest rappers,” poking fun at the inaccuracies:
“That list is not real, you guys. ... My worth should be popped right there.” – Joe [11:08, 11:41]
- Jokes about company spring bonuses and office culture:
“Treat you like you steal candles and toilet paper...I’m leaving here with something.” – Mona, quoting Denzel [12:44]
4. Spring Bonuses, Massage Parlor Antics, and Handys
[13:00–18:37]
- Joe tells an elaborate, innuendo-ridden story about a “suspect” massage parlor experience.
- Debate over etiquette—asking directly vs using signals—for negotiating “extras” at massage spots:
“I think the best way to ask is to just, like, show them that you’re hard.” – Mona [13:37]
- Comedy on “taking a dick pill to go anywhere,” with jokes about the risks of big, strong masseuses.
“Take a little dick pill...I take a dick pill to go anywhere. I’ll take a dick pill to go to Starbucks.” – Joe [17:15, 17:23]
- Running gags about massage boundaries, full-body massages, and strip club stories.
5. NBA Playoff Recaps: Knicks, Sixers, and More
[38:22–47:15]
- Intense recap of the Knicks blowing out the Hawks (“Thanksgiving kid in your bag...Dead birds all around” – Joe [39:35])
- Joe playfully taunts Mark (a Sixers fan) about prospects in a Celtics/Knicks/Sixers bracket.
- Deep dive into the matchup implications for Knicks, Celtics, and Sixers:
“Joel Embiid gonna injure 1 to 3 Knicks for sure. Tyrese Maxey is a matchup problem.” – Joe [46:07]
- Prideful and conflicted Sixers/Celtics debates ensue.
6. Versus Battles: Ross vs. French, Meek vs. Wale
[49:44–57:34]
- The “Versus” topic brings up the recently announced Rick Ross vs French Montana match-up.
- The cast is mostly unimpressed:
“That’s stupid...It’s a weird matchup, bro.” – Mona [49:54, 50:06]
- They campaign for an Alternative: Meek Mill vs Wale, discussing behind-the-scenes reluctance to battle:
“People make up different reasons why they don’t want to do it and really just be scared.” – Mona [52:02]
- In-depth analysis on artist feature catalogs for Versus strategies.
7. New Music Discussion
[61:46–71:12]
- Reactions to new singles and albums: Chris Brown & Leon Thomas (“Falling”), Kehlani’s “uncut” album, Currency & Harry Fraud, Isaiah Rashad, and The-Dream's new single.
- Praise for the production, maturity, and arrangement of specific tracks:
“I love the song. I just don’t know if I love it right now.” – Joe on Chris Brown’s new record [64:30]
- Rapid-fire mentions of upcoming releases: Givion Deluxe, Drake, Kaylani.
8. Racial Profiling & Uber Stories
[74:41–80:46]
- Parks narrates a wild Uber ride with a Black driver and boisterous music, sparking a discussion on racial and class profiling in rideshare services:
“Y’all see Black faces like your own and say another driver?” – Mona [79:03]
- Lively analysis of Uber vs. Lyft standards and car quality, with comic anecdotes about vehicle selection.
9. Tipping Culture and Race
[81:32–86:50]
- The crew debates the merits of tipping before vs after receiving service, sparked by an online “wealth” guru’s argument.
- Discussion includes how tipping biases affect Black customers and staff:
“A lot of times we get bad service because there’s an expectation that we’re not gonna tip.” – Mark [85:16]
- Mona and Mark recall industry stories about racism and coded language in restaurant work.
- Consensus: customer service should be the minimum, but the system is flawed.
10. True Crime: David Guilty Case Breakdown
[86:54–92:22]
- The crew reacts with horror to the ever-worsening developments in the David case (chainsaws, pools, text messages, child exploitation).
“This story gets worse and worse. Every new detail that you hear.” – Joe [87:27]
- Reflections on mental health, legal maneuvering, and the pain for the victim’s family.
11. Current Affairs: Voting Rights & Social Justice
[149:50–154:38]
- Mark reports on the Supreme Court’s dismantling of the Voting Rights Act:
“Now they’re like, no, Black people don’t just have to be fucked over. We have to have proof that the people wanted to fuck Black people. Which nobody says.” – Mark [152:20]
- Somber acknowledgements of what’s being lost and a discussion of the difficulty of the “long game” in U.S. racial justice.
12. Viral Drama: Lexie Brown v. Meg & Clay
[138:32–147:20]
- Discussion of Lexie Brown demanding Meg Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson clear her name regarding cheating rumors.
- Who has a responsibility to speak? The crew debates whether Meg “weaponized” her fanbase by going public:
“If it don’t apply to Lexie Brown, then unfortunately, yeah, you just gotta stay low, too.” – Joe [146:33]
- Conversation extends to how mental health is only “performed” online, but rarely prioritized offline.
13. Hip-Hop Discussion: Aging and Authenticity
[125:10–136:28]
- Jay Z’s NYT interview clip on aging in hip-hop prompts reflection on the value of authenticity, introspection, and evolving subject matter:
“If you’re trying to make young music and you’re not, you know, you’re not young, it’s gonna be inauthentic. And people could feel that.” – Jay Z (clip) [125:28]
- Joe, Parks, and Mark agree, with Parks noting the difference between artists and rappers who chase hits over growth.
- Critical mention of artists like Future who continue “young” music despite age, and the realities of commercial incentives versus art.
“I think there’s more people playing a rap business game than the rap artist game today.” – Parks [171:18]
14. Listener Mailbag: Making Classics Then vs Now
[165:09–172:50]
- A listener asks if it’s harder to make a classic album nowadays. Cheyenne and Parks argue streaming killed classic album longevity, but Joe counters:
“When a classic hits, it’s easier to tell that this is a classic versus a classic in the 90s, when everything is damn near borderline classic.” – Joe [168:29]
- The group reminisces about release days, the value of physical albums, and “maxi-singles” versus today’s instant music distribution.
15. Closing Jokes & Weekend Plans
[174:00–end]
- Announcement of Ish winning "Potter of the Month" and banter about the fairness and competitiveness of the podcast’s in-house awards.
- Mona plugs her Detroit show and everyone discusses their (mostly domestic) weekend plans.
- Final laughs, HR-violating jokes, and music send-off.
“Y’all hold it down out there, man… Be safe, stay on your P’s and Q’s... Life is a series of moments and moments pass. So let’s make this one last.” – Joe [175:32–176:23]
Memorable Quotes
Snack Theft Saga & Diets
- "She got an at-risk youth diet: oatmeal pies, lemonheads, Dr. Pepper, Black & Milds…" – Mark Lamont Hill [06:09]
On Massage Parlor Etiquette
- “The best way to ask is to just, like, show them that you’re hard.” – Mona [13:37]
- “I take a dick pill to go anywhere. I’ll take a dick pill to go to Starbucks.” – Joe [17:23]
On Keeping It Authentic in Hip-Hop
- “If you’re trying to make young music and you’re not, you know, you’re not young, it’s gonna be inauthentic. And people could feel that. You can smell it.” – Jay Z (clip) [125:28]
On Rideshare Racial Profiling
- "Y'all see Black faces like your own and say another driver?" – Mona [79:03]
On Tipping and Black Patrons
- “A lot of times we get bad service because there’s an expectation that we’re not gonna tip.” – Mark [85:16]
On the Downfall of Classics
- “All you gotta do...is four new albums came out this week that you didn’t have to go buy with your money.” – Parks [166:39]
- “When a classic hits, it’s easier to tell that this is a classic versus a classic in the 90s, when everything is damn near borderline classic.” – Joe [168:29]
On Social Media Weaponization
- “That Instagram post was designed to weaponize her fan base.” – Parks [145:01]
Notable Segments & Timestamps
- Dr. Pepper Theft & Diet Debate: [00:30–08:24]
- Massage Parlor Stories: [13:00–18:37]
- NBA Playoffs Recap: [38:22–47:15]
- Versus Battles Debate: [49:44–57:34]
- Hip-Hop Longevity & Jay Z Clip: [125:10–136:28]
- Voting Rights and Social Justice: [149:50–154:38]
- Classic Album Listener Question: [165:09–172:50]
Tone & Vibe
- Irreverent, hilarious, quick-witted banter with moments of intellectual gravity and heartfelt honesty.
- Regular roasting among cast members, especially over food, shoes, or hip-hop opinions.
- Seriousness present in social justice and mental health topics but always balanced with comedy and personal anecdotes.
This summary encapsulates the episode’s madcap spirit, spanning snack-table mysteries, incisive music industry talk, hard laughs, and real-life debates—the unmistakable signature of The Joe Budden Podcast.
