One of Hip-Hop’s most interesting rumors has come to light again. Joe Budden can’t confirm that Jay-Z wanted $250K for a verse on Joe Budden’s 2003 hit “Pump It Up.”
Was Jay-Z ever worth that money?
JOE BUDDEN SAYS $250K JAY Z VERSE IS ‘A RUMOR’ HE CAN’T CONFIRM https://t.co/SARPd4Ue6z via @YouTube
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When Joe Budden released his introductory single in 2003, the New Jersey rapper was one of the hottest prospects in the game. The single’s rap battle-style and catchy hook smashed the charts, making him a major player in the industry.
The song eventually included Jay-Z, who notably joined the track and delivered what many perceived as sharp lyrical criticisms towards Budden.
According to the rapper, when his team asked Jay-Z if he could be featured on Budden’s track, Hov requested a hefty fee for the verse.
As a young artist, Budden was not aware of how high features could go for. In fact, he was unaware that a single verse from Jay-Z would cost $250K.
In an interview on the Flip Da Script podcast, Budden said that at the time, he was a rookie in the industry and did not know how much a feature could cost.
Is the rumor true?
However, Budden says that Hov’s request was justified and fair at the time. He added that the rapper’s demands were “justifiably big.”
During an interview with Kevin Hart, Jay-Z echoed this mindset. He told the comedian that he tries to “dish out way more nos than yeses,” and that he doesn’t want to take advantage of people.
It’s no surprise that the rapper’s business ethic has improved over the years. Having built strong relationships and business partnerships over the course of his career, Hov has risen to the top of the music industry.
He’s also a successful media personality, releasing his own podcast in 2015. While the rapper has monetized his digital content as an entertainer, he said he’s never had a desire to create music himself.
Was Joe Budden making it all up?
But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t listen to other artists’ work. In fact, he’s even been known to check out music from other genres, like R&B and hip-hop.
Aside from his own songs, Budden also shares snippets of upcoming tracks with fans on his social media platforms. In addition, he regularly retweets other artist’s posts and shares them on his Twitter account.
The rapper has a lot of talent and his music is critically-acclaimed. In fact, he has been referred to as one of the biggest artists in the 2010s by critics and the general public.
He also became a successful media figure, gaining a large audience through his podcast and other digital content. While he’s not currently working on a new album, Budden says he’s heard the calls to release another studio record.
In the past, Budden has appeared on a variety of popular shows, including Revolt TV’s Drink Champs. He’s also a frequent guest on the Slaughterhouse Emcee Podcast, where he recently called out Freddie Gibbs over his recent tweets.
