Joe Budden Expresses Disappointment With Druski's BET Awards Hosting

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Joe Budden Disappointment Druski BET Awards Hosting
Jul 12, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Social media influencer Druski of the American League congratulates rapper and singer Wisin (21) of the National League after a home run during the 2025 All Star Celebrity Softball Game at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Other hosts on "The Joe Budden Podcast" were more praiseful of Druski's hosting gig at the 2026 BET Awards, but Joe had a slight complaint.

Druski had a great time hosting the 2026 BET Awards. But the gig didn't come without its fair share of criticism. During the most recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, its titular host expressed disappointment in the comedian's execution, as caught by DUB HERE on Twitter.

"Listen, we absolutely love Druski," Budden remarked. "That's my Prize Picks brother. He's already there, but he's on his way to do even more amazing things. I'm super happy he got that opportunity. It did feel good to see a fresh face. It felt good for BET to acknowledge Internet lore... Druski was like BET saluting not just Druski, but the digital era and the Internet and what's going on. So I absolutely love that. But, the awards, this was one of those times where you see the difference... [Hosting] is [different]. You know what gave that away for me? When Keke Palmer made her joke about, 'I should've hosted this. Why'd they even ask you?' When she took the mic, she sounded like a host... Shout out to her. And I did enjoy Druski. But I'm okay if I don't see him host there again. [...] And I wish they just would've came up with new skits."

Joe Budden's Druski & BET Awards Take

The other JBP hosts were more praiseful, although they had their nitpicks, too. Marc Lamont Hill said the comedian did a great job, while Parks said the skits didn't land as comically for him as the social media counterparts did. Ish, however, posited Druski could do this again and succeed more if he takes notes from the 2026 BET Awards gig and sees where he could've been better. Most of the hosts seemed to agree with Joe's point about rehashing already successful skits.

Speaking of skits, Druski had more than a few. He gave an impression of Jay-Z at one point, and also dropped a controversial spoof trailer for a Joe Jackson movie during the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Joe Budden is catching heat for charging $500 to clippers sharing his podcast's content online. We'll see how that plays out with a massive audience tuning into the group's latest takes and discussions.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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