Joe Budden is facing criticism online after saying on The Joe Budden Podcast that he does not know Rome Streetz, suggesting he may have heard the rapper’s name for the first time just a day earlier.
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The remarks came during a conversation with 3 Letterman, as Budden pushed back on the expectation that he should cover or break down Rome’s music on his platform.
The exchange frustrated fans who view the Griselda-affiliated rapper as an established voice in underground hip-hop. Some pointed to Rome’s collaborations with Ransom as another reason they found Budden’s unfamiliarity surprising.
Others questioned why Budden, whose own rap career emphasized lyricism, appeared dismissive of the expectation that he spotlight similar artists. Some commenters went as far as calling him a “sellout.”
The reaction has sparked a broader debate about whether successful rappers who move into media have a responsibility to champion underground talent.
JOE BUDDEN SAYS HE DOESN’T KNOW WHO ROME STREETZ IS AND HE LETS 3 KNOW THAT HE NO LONGER CARES ABOUT LYRICAL HIP HOP DID JOE BUDDEN SELL OUT? 1.) AS A EX LYRICAL RAPPER JOE REALIZED THAT SIDE OF RAP AS PURE AS IT IS MOST FANS DON’T REALLY CARE ABOUT IT ENOUGH.. SO HE STOPPED CARING ALONG TIME AGO 2.) IT’S A LET DOWN BECAUSE WHEN A LYRICAL HIP HOP GUY THAT JOE USED TO BE GETS A BIG PLATFORM YOU WOULD THINK HE HAS THE POWER TO NOW PLATFORM TALENTED RAPPERS THAT REALLY DO THIS HIP HOP SHIT LIKE A ROME STREETZ FOR EXAMPLE 3.) HE’S RICH NOW AND COULD GIVE 2 SHITS ABOUT THE PURITY OF HIP BECAUSE MAYBE THAT WAS ALWAYS HIS SUBCONSCIOUS INTRINSIC MOTIVATION ANYWAY AS A RAPPER JOE EVEN CLOWNED 3 FOR CARING ABOUT LYRICAL HIP HOP TOO MUCH
— MASTER STUDENT🤲🏾 (@MUSICANDBUILDS) October 27, 2026
