"The Joe Budden Podcast" Questions Jay-Z's Relationship With Meek Mill

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Joe Budden Podcast Questions Jay Z Relationship Meek Mill
Jay-Z, with daughter Blue Ivy Carter, accepts the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the Grammys in Los Angeles on Feb. 4, 2024. © Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Jay-Z and Meek Mill are connected not just via music, but also via their REFORM Alliance with Roc Nation for criminal justice reform.

Meek Mill has been defensive of Jay-Z amid many media attacks against him, but some folks still think something might be up. Most recently, The Joe Budden Podcast had a discussion about Meek's work with the REFORM Alliance with Roc Nation for criminal justice reform.

More specifically, the hosts wondered whether or not this was a mutually beneficial relationship that broke down without the full fruits of their labor. They basically posited that the Philly MC saw support from this partnership for his legal situation, that the higher-ups used his cultural capital, and that things didn't end up panning out as long-form or as sustainably as they could've. The hosts brought up the concept of "future-bombing" as a way to get what both sides wanted in the moment and leave impactful possibilities on the table.

"I want to know the Meek [and] Hov story," Joe Budden expressed, as caught by joebuddenclips/fanpage on Twitter. Then, Ice chimed in.

"There's something there, bro," he remarked. "For Hov to say, 'I could never beef with him, I freed him from a whole bid.' For him to even feel like he needed to address it and say it in that manner, it's something, dog. He just said, 'He can't beef with me.'"

Then, Emanny questioned if maybe Jay feels like he's done all he can for Meek and wants Meek to take his individual step up. Meek Mill's also spoken about being independent, so maybe this is a respectful two-way street that still champions camaraderie. Budden also expressed interest in knowing about Jay-Z and J. Cole's alleged dirt. The JPB hosts also said Hov might subliminally reference this in a verse, and they also spoke on the number of their collaborations likely disproving their assumptions.

Why Was Meek Mill In Jail?

All in all, they chalked up their discussions to business divergences rather than any personal beef. We will see if anything emerges in the future to add to this narrative.

For those unaware, Meek Mill was in prison due to probation violations over a 2008 drug and gun conviction. Authorities arrested him in 2017, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted him bail in 2018 after serving five months of a two-to-four-year sentence.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z and Roc Nation are in legal trouble these days. They are currently facing legal scrutiny over the contract of their representation rights regarding soccer player Yan Diomande.

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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