When Eminem called out Joe Budden on the "anybody can get it" anthem "Fall," many wondered if Em's shots would be enough to pull Budden from retirement. Unfortunately, a recent IG live session has dispelled any and all notions of that nature.
"Em is one of the best rappers in the world," says Joe. "Arguably one of the best rappers ever, right? Right this second, he's trying to prove to people he can rap." When asked how he's going to respond, Joe confirms that he'll be keeping true to his retirement, much to the dismay of those praying on Budden Vs. Eminem. "If anybody wanted Joe to respond to them in a rap, all they had to do was say Joe name two years ago, three years ago, four years ago...Don't do it now."
To be fair, during the timeframe Joe provides, Em would have had little reason to diss him at all. In fact, Joe was enjoying life on Shady Records as a member of Slaughterhouse; rather than criticizing Em's music, he was penning homage tracks in the form of "Slaughtermouse." While he's absolutely right about people wanting smoke now that he's out of the game, he seems to be missing one essential fact. When one positions themselves as a critic, they are wholly responsible for how scathing they choose to be; the mantle of critic does not absolve one of their accusations, and it's not entirely surprising that artists and critics can occasionally bump heads.
Em has taken his fair share of lumps from the press, who have made a habit out of attacking his character over his music. It's not fair for Joe to act like Em should have said his name three years ago, when Budden's incendiary comments came during his stint on Everyday Struggle in 2017. Still, few can dispute that it would be a lyrical clash for the ages. Look for Joey to address the situation further on his upcoming Joe Budden Podcast on Wednesday.
