Stephen A Smith Defends Drake Amid Joe Budden Feud

BYCole BlakePublished on October 10, 20231234 Views

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 20: ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith talks prior to the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on December 20, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Stephen A. Smith says he understands where Drake is coming from in his feud with Joe Budden because of his own experiences.

Stephen A. Smith says that Drake has ‘every right” to defend himself amid his ongoing feud with Joe Budden. Addressing the dispute on his podcast on YouTube, Tuesday, Smith explained that Drake is at the top of the game, following the release of For All The Dogs. Despite understanding Drake's position, Smith did admit he may have taken his response too far.

He explained: “He didn’t have to go that far with Joe Budden than the first class occasion. That was kind of low. But obviously they got a rivalry, they got something going on and it’s messing with Drake and he felt the need to speak up and defend himself or whatever the case may be. You come out with a new album for the first time in a while after people have been clamoring for you to come out with an album and first thing you hear is a criticism from a guy that you’ve heard criticism from before.”

Stephen A. Smith On SiriusXM

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: Stephen A. Smith attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

He further added: “Drakе statistically, numbеrs wisе, dollars wisе, is clеarly on anothеr lеvеl. It’s just that simple. Drake is spеaking up for himsеlf which hе has еvеry right to do.” Smith also noted that he has personal experience within his own industry that gives him sympathy for Drake's actions. "There's some cats in my industry. Oh, I'm itching," he revealed. "I'm scratching preventing myself from going at their asses. Really, I am. Because I'm up here in this industry and I don't need to go down there. But I'm tempted because that's where I'm from and I know that lane and I really really really want to. I really do." From there, he explained that he has friends and loved ones who "expect better" from him. "I understand exactly where Drake is coming from," he added.

Stephen A. Smith Chimes In On Drake & Joe Budden's Feud

Elsewhere in the podcast, Smith discusses the Dallas Cowboys' blowout loss to the San Fransico 49ers on Sunday night and more. Check out his comments on Drake and Joe Budden's feud above.

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About The Author

Cole Blake

Cole Blake is currently an Editor at HotNewHipHop based out of Brooklyn, New York. He began working at the site as an intern back in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. In the time since, he’s graduated with a bachelor's degree and written extensively about a wide range of topics including pop culture, film & television, politics, video games, sports, and much more. He’s also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Wednesday or on weekends. On the sports front, Cole’s a passionate NBA and NFL fan with his favorite teams being the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also roots for the Yankees whenever he finds himself at Yankee Stadium or the Red Storm when in the company of other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE, and Mach-Hommy.