Joe Buddens is that rare breed of rapper. He’s got all the makings of a star, yet there’s something very different about Joe Buddens. Yes, his resume reads like your average superstar rapper: he gets love in the streets, he’s got an incredible flow, his lyrical content is as deep as your average backpack rapper, and he’s dated Gloria Velez. His credibility and wit are on par with Hov, his ability to get introspective is second only to Eminem, and his use of metaphor and punchlines are enough to make Jada crack a smile. Not bad for a rapper who’s self-titled debut album barely went gold. Yet there’s something unmistakably different about “Regular” Joe. He’s one of the few current rappers who are working to shift the paradigm in hip hop. He’s giving us real music rather than a pre-packaged product that was put together by a major label or your local A&R rep. Furthermore, his story is one that America can relate to. He’s suffered through drug addiction, depression and the general devastation that comes with growing up in the hood and not only has he managed to overcome it all, he uses rap as a vehicle to share and detail (without glorifying) his experiences. Finally, with the lackluster performance of his first album, he’s somehow managed to put himself in an underdog position. Hip hop breathe a sigh of relief, your future is in safe hands. America say hello to Joe Buddens.

Despite everything outlined above, we’ve been waiting a long time for JB to drop his second album; The Growth. He’s managed to keep the streets happy with various freestyles and underground bangers like “Whatever It Takes” and “Dumb Out” both featured on his Mood Muzic mixtape series and available on our site. But it’s been over 2 years since he dropped his first album. No doubt, he’s had his fair share of drama with his label Def Jam. A couple months ago he complained about his label stating, “I ain’t gonna spend all this time making classic records for y’all to rush out to make a quick buck. Fuck y’all niggaz. Make sure everything is right and then I’ll come out.” Yet, in a recent XXL article, he claimed “I Love Def Jam”. Confused. So are we. Let’s dig a little deeper.

His sophomore album was initially supposed to come out in July of 2005 but when his single “Gangsta Party” failed to generate interest, he asked for an August release date. This, however, meant he’d release around the same time as Kanye West’s second effort: Late Registration. Knowing that this could spread the Def Jam staff too thin, the label pushed the release back to an undetermined date in 2006. In part, the reason Def Jam has been waiting so long to release Joe’s album is that they understand the importance and potential of Joe Buddens as an artist. Jay-z has gone on record to express his dissatisfaction with how the first album was promoted and affirm his belief in Budden’s potential. “If the money spent was low, and the videos were low, they would’ve been able to go further in that project. I believe he’s an artist. I believe he can keep going. But it ain’t seem like it, because the project (his first album) had to get shut down” Hov’s cosign notwithstanding, Def Jam also realizes that America will embrace Joe Budden’s background story and his ability to appeal to a wide audience. At age 13 he was stabbed by his brother, he was clinically diagnosed with depression as teenager, and he’s had more than his fair share of baby mama drama. Finally, Def Jam sits in a very interesting position. Hov’s reign as president started off rocky with disappointing releases from Memphis Bleek, the Young Guns, and Tiara Marie. Yet, of late, Def Jam’s been on a winning streak of sorts. With platinum releases from both Kanye and Young Jeezy and a gold release from Juelz Santana, the table is finally set for Jumpoff Joe Buddens to springboard into the realm of superstardom.