It's been a while since the animosity between Eminem and former Shady Records signee Joe Budden was at a boiling point, with the pair having exchanged heated shots circa the Kamikaze era, but things have since cooled down. And with the retired Joe Budden having hung up the mic in favor of expanding his media empire, many have wondered whether or not he and Eminem would ever bury the hatchet and sit down for an extensive man-to-man conversation. After all, there are many unresolved issues between Slim and Budden, who once paid extensive homage to Em on "Slaughtermouse."
"Plaques and charted tracks won't take me away from them, So I hope you understand / Fuck this record deal, you inspired me as a man / I'll cut it short, before I start feelin' like a Stan" - Joe Budden, "Slaughtermouse."
Though Jumpoff Joey once found inspiration in Em's guidance, the temperature shifted as Slim became directly involved in Slaughterhouse's debut album Welcome To Our House, a project that found the group experimenting in a different sonic direction. As the dust settled, it became clear that Joey had come to harbor resentment toward the label, namely Eminem and Paul Rosenberg. For those who want further details on the unraveling between the two emcees, check out our complete history right here.
Slaughterhouse, back in the Shady days -- John Ricard/Getty Images
Despite Joey's hard feelings, KXNG Crooked never quite felt so slighted -- in fact, his relationship with Eminem appeared to have strengthened following the group's departure from Shady, to the point where he once argued with Budden over how the circumstances played out. Now, Crook has connected with EPro to discuss the possibility of reconciliation, for which he remains hopeful. "[Joe] got to understand and that’s what I always tell him, “You have a huge voice in the game. So if you say something, that sh*t is going to resonate,'" explains Crook. "He just got to be careful, his voice is big."
"One day I’m hoping that he and Em will be able to sit down," continues Crook. "They don’t got to be friends again, they don’t got to be none of that. Just be men and sit down. Because guess what, these two, they cut from the same cloth. They are really deep artists, they love their craft. If you listen to Em’s “Stan” and Joe’s “Fan”, it’s a lot of similarities. And they’re good dudes trying to do the right thing. I feel like all that was for no reason. I really wish that they would sit down and that might happen. But anyway, I think Joe will get back in the booth."
We can only hope. For what it's worth, seeing Eminem's Slaughterhouse reunion "I Will" occur without Joe did feel a little strange -- though the song remained a banger all the same. Check out Crook's reflection on the possibility of a reconciliation below.
