
Source: Johnny Nunez/Sean Drakes / Getty
On Saturday’s airing of The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal, the “Leftover Lust” episode, Joe Budden made a comment about women who get excited to take part in Carnival and Carnival-inspired festivities. He said they can’t wait to put on the feathery, colorful and admittedly minimalist costumes so they can “be hoes.” When word got out about what he said, the criticism was pretty swift and passionate.
It all started when one of the co-hosts, Rory, said that TLC member Chilli was his first crush. Chilli, Lil Kim and Mya were recently seen hanging out in Trinidad for Carnival while filming their upcoming VH1 show Girls Crew. Ashanti was also there.
After the crush admission, Budden asked, “What’s up with Mya?” It was pointed out by Rory that Mya was “doing that little Carnival sh-t. She looked aight,” to which Budden responded while laughing, “These chicks can’t wait to put on these Carnival outfits and be hoes.”
It was totally out of left field. Budden was called out for never actually going to Carnival by his friends/co-hosts, and was hit with responses that included everything from “And what are you saying?” to “You mad?” and “I have yet to see a problem.”
That was the extent of the conversation between the men on that topic. If you don’t believe us, just know we listened to the entirety of episode 228 to get to that part for context purposes. There was really no context.
You can find his comments at the 128:00 mark on the Spotify podcast, or at the 2:04 mark on the YouTube video below if you wish to hear it for yourself:
Despite his comment just being random and some serious slut-shaming, Budden claimed people got what he said all wrong. When pushback became intense on social media, the 38-year-old retired rapper issued something of an apology while maintaining that his comment was part of a bigger discussion that people distorted to use against him (maybe they edit these really long podcasts, but we didn’t hear a bigger convo).
“On my most recent podcast we were having a conversation about ‘other’ ppl appropriating Culture they weren’t apart of (as we normally do). We were not discussing Carnival, Caribbean Culture or anything of the sort and never would as I’m well aware of the strong and proud history & heritage,” he said in a now-deleted IG post. “To anyone who heard that conversation and felt offended I’d like to humbly apologize, that’s just never my intention. To those of you outraged by this 7 second clip of audio being matched w pictures of beautiful women to push a narrative we aren’t adding to let me say, I didn’t publish that, those are not my thoughts or sentiments and I don’t feel that way. I can assure you your anger is misplaced. That isn’t journalism, it’s cheap clickbait to weaponize emotions to push an agenda. It’s irresponsible and in extremely poor taste but bullsh-t spreads fast so this needed to be said (I LOVE me some US)…Again I apologize to anyone I may have offended, Salute to most of y’all that know what time it is w me fr & the rest of y’all can feel however you may, it’s your right. Peace & love.”
With that unconvincing apology, you can imagine that people are still peeved, Caribbean women in particular. Hit he flip to see the many passionate responses to his very clear and not misconstrued “These chicks can’t wait to put on these Carnival outfits and be hoes” comment:
Whether Joe Budden was coming for West Indians or Americans, any expression of "hoe" is wrong.
Idk who hurt these men but it's tiring how they feel the need to berate women because they see more than ankle skin.
Get over your selves and accept that we do what we want to do!!!— W.I. Rudey (@E4RudeGyals) March 10, 2019
This is why I wish some of these women would stop buying into being FETISHIZED based off their ethnicity/nationality.
Joe Budden & his comment on Carnival shows that males like him love “foreign/exotic” women but they don’t respect their culture & he don’t respect women PERIOD.
— low budget kelis | droskie don dada (@___dro__) March 10, 2019
The craziest part of that Joe Budden thing is the fact that he doesn’t realize even if he wasn’t intentionallly trying to slander Caribbean/carnival culture he did. Saying American women only partake to “act like hoes” means that you think carnival culture is hoe shit Joe. 🥴😕
— Punanny Dasani 💦 (@bella_donna242) March 10, 2019
I AM SO MAD at what Joe Budden said about women can't wait to put on Carnival "outfits" to be hoes….
Like you sir don't know ANYTHING about the culture…
— 👑 No. 10 | iamtenika (@iamtenika) March 10, 2019
You disrespect and entire culture and community due to your ignorance on a subject and wanna call it narrative shifting when you get called out for it? Grow up my G…
— Tony Sopranos 3rd Cousin (@maximus1914) March 10, 2019
Also Joe Budden can always shut the entire FUCK UP. He’s been a rampant misogynist to African American women so him having dumb shit about any place black women are happy and out of his control isn’t shocking. I also don’t give a damn
— 🇬🇾disobedient . out of order Black Gorgon 🗽 (@Blackamazon) March 11, 2019
Now Joe Budden slut shaming Carnival? Chwww boi if you don’t
— Mauve (@syncedbliss) March 10, 2019
Re: Joe Budden slut shaming Carnival attire…I hate a cultureless and ignorant muthafucka with an opinion and an audience. pic.twitter.com/xaOVphwYNp
— Lauren (@listentolala) March 10, 2019
Joe Budden really said women wearing mass costumes for Carnival are dressing like hoes?? Smh. This is why I say culture is everything. If you don’t understand the culture then don’t speak on it!!
— STYLE DOLL NYC (@DollyLoves2Play) March 11, 2019