Exclusive: Joe Budden ‘UB Interview’

Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst is the latest release & fourth installment of the “Mood Muzik” mixtape series by New Jersey‘s own Joe Budden! It features appearances by all 3 fellow members of hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse as well as other big-name artists Fabolous and Lloyd Banks.

In 2003, Joe Budden released the first installment of what would become one of the premiere selling mix-tapes series of all time entitled Mood Muzik: Worst of Joe Budden. With massive street notoriety, Joe Budden signed to Def Jam Records in that same year and released major hits from his self-titled album, such as the timeless 2003 Grammy– nominated hit “Pump It Up” in the category of Best Male Rap Solo.

Winner of the 2003 Vibe Next Award, Joe went on to consecutively release the legendary and still unrivaled Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse? (2005), the critically acclaimed Mood Muzik 3: For Better or For Worse (2007) and Mood Muzik 3: The Album (2008). The resurgent Budden once widely considered a casualty of the kind of major -label machinations that have derailed so many promising rap careers, has proven irrepressible, bursting back into public prominence with a landslide of vivid new verses. Since 2007, in addition to his mixtapes, he has released two CDs (Escape Route and the narrative-heavy “Padded Room”), the internet-only LP (“Halfway House”), and a spirited collaboration with hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse.

Recently Joe spoke with new UrbanBridgez.com journalist Tishelle about the latest and past ‘Mood Muzik‘ mixtape series, his debut as a recording artist, performing in one of this years cyphers on The BET Awards, Slaughterhouse, blogs and more!

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UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about the new mixtape ‘Mood Muzik 4?’
Joe Budden: A lot of people don’t know I started this in 2005, so it’s really just me continuing where I left off. I have a story to tell!

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the latest on the next album ‘The Great Escape,’ what can fans expect as far as the vibe?
Joe Budden: I can’t really say right now, because the album is so premature at this point. Nothing has really been set in stone. Right now I’m just recording and trying to figure out other people’s schedules to get them locked in!

UrbanBridgez.com: ‘Pump It Up’ introduced you to the world, take us back to that time. What was the best part about recording your debut album?
Joe Budden: It was the newness of it all. It was my first album so it was all new. It felt really good.

UrbanBridgez.com: How do you think being born in Harlem & growing up in Queens prepared you for a career in music?
Joe Budden: It didn’t prepare me at all (laughs). I was young when I was in Harlem & I wasn’t really doing much music in Queens back then.

UrbanBridgez.com: You did a great job in the cypher on this years BET Hip-Hop Awards. How was it rhyming with Nicki & the others?
Joe Budden: Well really that’s what we do, so it was good to be apart of it. But it was no different than doing it with any other rappers.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the latest with Slaughterhouse?
Joe Budden: We’ve been recording and working on new music.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’ve been a hot topic on the blogs recently dealing with your personal life. Is there anything about that situation (Child Support Case) you would like to set straight?
Joe Budden: No not really (laughs)! That would take hours to explain, so I’ll just leave that one alone.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some of the Hip-Hop artists you’re feeling right now?
Joe Budden: I don’t really listen to Hip Hop in my home, but music is an art so I respect anyone displaying their artistry.

UrbanBridgez.com: What are your goals in the next year?
Joe Budden: To not be so hot (laughs)! To work on not getting so heated at blogs and things like that.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Joe Budden: Not really. I have some of the greatest fans in the world. I have some of the worst fans in the world (laughs). But they know me and they know what I’m about. They continue to support me!

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‘Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst’ In Stores & Online Now! (E1 Music)

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