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Joe Budden Talks Upcoming Battle With Hollow Da Don

blame it on Shake May 2, 2014
Joe-Budden-2011

As you may already know, Joe Budden is stepping back in the battle scene and squaring off with Hollow Da Don for the launch of Eminem and Shady Records’ Total Slaughter battle league. During a chat with Angry Fans Radio, Joey spoke on his decision to battle, responds to Cassidy’s “I’m above battle rap” status, his thoughts on Hollow, and more. Check out some choice quotes and take a listen to the full podcast below.

On making his return to the battle scene:

Initially, my first reaction was, ‘I’m not fucking battling this kid. I got an album I’m working on. I’m working on the Slaughterhouse album. I have a mixtape out. I have a Slaughterhouse I’m putting out. Where’s the time to do it? Where’s the time for me to battle him?’ I would like for the playing field to be even. Don’t get it fucked up, I don’t sleep at all. [Hollow Da Don] somewhere in a house able to write all day. I’m unable to do that. So that was my initial reaction. As things started to progress a window opened. I thought to myself, ‘I think I could.’ It’s always been on my bucket list to do it. I came up as a battle rapper. I got my record deal as a battle rapper. It’s always been on my bucket list to get on stage and do it. Just like the adrenaline rush from getting on a roller coaster. I’m not the only artist that feels that way. We just saw Ab-Soul Tweet earlier that he would love to do the same thing. I would encourage him to do it. We gotta start getting rid of the fear of what would happen when you get on the stage. The fear of your image being tainted. I feel like it’s perfect for me because my image is always been ‘I don’t really give a fuck about my image.’

On Cassidy’s stance that he’s “elevated” from Battle Rap:

Cassidy is saying he wouldn’t do it because he feels like it would be a step backwards. That’s bullshit. You have to be able to recognize bullshit when you see it. Cassidy is not getting paid Loaded Lux money right now from anywhere. I’m just talking logic. This is no offense to Cassidy. No disrespect to him and his ability. But you not getting $50,000 from anywhere. So why would you not take advantage of your ability in a culture that applauds lyricist? Why would a JR Writer not wanna do this? Why would a Fred the Godson now wanna do this? I could name plenty of people that maybe got gobbled up in the mainstream machine of labels and politics that thanks to SMACK and Norbes and and King of the Dot and all the leagues that have been here before Total Slaughter have now opened an avenue for.

On his battle with Hollow Da Don:

I got blue blood. There’s ice in my veins. There’s absolutely nothing anybody can say that will rattle me. In my humble opinion—and this is only my opinion—the second he does that he loses. I think I would have to take some points away from Hollow if he did that because it’s a very novice route to take. My 14-year old son would think to do that. You know, ‘Let me talk about him getting punched in the face. Let me talk about him proposing.’ I can tell you everything that he would talk about in that instance. ‘Let me talk about “Pump It Up.” Let me talk about everything that’s been broadcast.’ Because I’ve lived my life in the public for over a decade that would backfire… that means I’ve been successful for that long and you have not. So now I can grown-man you for three rounds.

I can’t give away too much of what I’m thinking, but I could care less about Hollow’s character’s defects. You on lean and I popped pills and did angel dust for a long time, so it’s kind of even playing field. I could see you in that area if we talk about drugs. But I don’t care about that.

I’ve already mapped out every possible variable in this battle. So I’m worried about it all, personally. When you talk about an emcee as seasoned as Hollow, he’s great in every area. He’s great at freestyling. He’s great at rebuttals. He’s great at performance. He’s great at jokes. He’s great at personals. He has bars. He has schemes. He has punches. There’s not anything that he cannot do. So you have to factor these things in. It has to be a concern.

I’m the underdog which I expected. I love it. My dick gets hard every time I fucking think about being an underdog. Cause I’m not often the underdog, so this is wonderful. But, there are some people that really don’t know about my penmanship. They are going to find out.

Peace to BattleRap on the heads up.