How much Joe Budden worth? The American hip-hop artist turned Podcast host has made a name for himself and is now worth six figures.
Gaining recognition for his single “Pump It Up” in 2003, he has become recognized worldwide. The 42-year-old also found success due to his straightforward attitude, gaining him the nickname of the “Howard Stern of Hip Hop.” As of 2023, Budden’s net worth is approximately $6 million.
This post discusses how Budden achieved such wealth, fame, and success.
An Overview
Joseph Anthony Budden II, aka Joe Budden, is a hip-hop veteran. He’s a retired rapper and TV personality. Now, he runs a self-titled podcast and YouTube channel.
Budden’s released tracks since 2001, giving him over 20 years to work on his wealth. As a result, he now boasts a $6 million net worth in his 40s.
The journey started for Budden when he decided to take music seriously in 2001, with his first child on the way. But it wasn’t until Budden signed up with the record label Def Jams Recordings that he experienced commercial success. From here, Budden released banger after banger, earning him massive wealth and fame.
Music aside, Budden has appeared in several TV shows, most notably Love & Hip Hop: New York. And he also voice-acted for two Vendetta games.
Despite being long retired from music, Budden remains relevant thanks to his podcast efforts.
Early Life
Born on August 31, 1980, Joseph “Joe” Anthony Budden II grew up in Harlem, New York. But at 13 years old, he moved to the nearby Jersey City in New Jersey with his mom and older brother. Despite his mom’s best efforts, Budden grew up to be a troubled youth. After all, his father was absent most of his life, which Budden expressed through his tracks.
Although Budden attended Lincoln High School, he didn’t last long as he got sent to a boarding school in NC. It was here that Budden started honing his rapping skills.
Unfortunately, the boarding school didn’t help, considering Budden got into drugs years later. Budden developed a severe addiction to angel dust when he returned to Jersey City. Luckily, he checked himself into rehab after a family confrontation. Despite all these, Budden didn’t finish his diploma and became a father at 20.
With his firstborn on the way, Budden finally started taking music seriously. And he started releasing mixtapes and demos in 2001, beginning his fruitful career.
Career
Joe Budden started his rose to fame and fortune with music. He began gaining traction in 2002, securing a massive deal with Def Jam Recordings. But it wasn’t until he launched his single “Focus” that he started becoming mainstream. The song stayed on the US Billboard Hot R&B chart, peaking at no. 43 and remaining there for 17 weeks!
However, it wasn’t until 2003 that Budden became viral with his commercially successful single “Pump it Up.” The track reached number one on the US Rap chart and two on the R&B, and it sat at no. 38 on the Hot 100. Despite being new to the scene, this song got nominated for Grammy, skyrocketing Budden’s rise to fame!
He released a few more tracks with Def Jam, but because of the delays and disagreements, Budden left the record label. In 2007, he signed up with a new brand, Amalgam Digital, where he also experienced commercial success with his music.
Two years later, Budden started a “Slaughterhouse” hip-hop group with Crooked I, Royce Da 5’9″, and Joell Ortiz. And throughout all these, Budden collaborated with other artists, ranging from Eminem to Busta Rhymes.
While working on his music career, Budden also dabbled in TV shows, featuring in popular titles like Love & Hip Hop: New York. Aside from that, he also lent his voice to two video games.
Nowadays, Budden runs his podcast show and YouTube channel.
Personal Life
Joe Budden is a father to two kids with different mothers. His firstborn, Joseph Budden III, was born on May 11, 2001, making him a fully-pledged adult today. His other child, Lexington, born December 15, 2017, is his kid with his estranged wife, Cyn Santana.
During one of his podcast episodes, he proposed to Santana a year later, and she said yes. Unfortunately, the two have since broken off, leaving Budden single.
Despite his successful career, Budden has faced several run-ins with the law. His unlawful activities ranged from something as innocent as not paying a parking ticket to physical abuse allegations. One of the biggest scandals Budden got involved in was when he got charged with grand theft auto and assault. This issue made Budden appear in Manhattan Criminal Court, where the jury found him not guilty.
Crimes aside, Budden also struggled with drugs, admitting to having an MDMA and PCP addiction. But as he grew older and fought these temptations, he since stopped. Now, Budden advocates against drug use.
How Much Joe Budden Worth? (2023 Joe Budden Net Worth)
Throughout the years, Joe Budden has released several albums and singles. And he also collaborated with several artists, including huge celebrities like Lil Wayne. Budden has earned millions on music alone but also built up his net worth on other things.
Most notably, Budden runs a self-titled podcast, which earns him around $15,000 to $25,000 per stream a month. Also, Budden runs a YouTube channel with over a million subs, making him nearly the same monthly.
Combining all these has likely helped Budden earn around $14 million, including assets. But he had to pay a hefty tax of about 44%, leaving him approximately $6 million.
How Much Does Joe Budden Make?
Joe Budden got most of his wealth from his music, making millions from selling his albums and singles alone. And some of his songs also got featured in famous movies and video games, earning him more. Aside from that, he gets royalties from tracks he worked on or made.
He began his professional life and music career in 2003 when he released his first self-titled debut solo album. Although it wasn’t the most significant launch, it became a commercial success. Mainly because of his many hit singles getting nominated for awards.
Budden’s “Pump It Up” was nominated for a Grammy the same year, making his name mainstream.
But he didn’t start making more money until he released a soundtrack feature in “2Fast 2 Furious” in 2007. It was so successful that the song also got featured in video games like Madden NFL. Because his music got used in several hit films and games, Budden’s profile grew just from his first album.
After, Budden released eight more studio albums and collaborated with other artists. And these slowly helped him amass his net worth today.
Despite retiring from the music industry in 2018, Budden still gets royalty checks.
Although Budden accumulated most of his wealth with his music, he’s also earned a lot as a broadcaster. Moreover, he worked on many projects, including writing a book and starring on TV shows. But most notably, Budden rose to fame outside of music thanks to this appearance on Love & Hip Hop: New York.
Surprisingly, Budden also lent his voice to two video games, Def Jam: Vendetta and Fight for New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much Joe Budden worth in 2023?
A: Budden currently boasts over $6 million net worth.
Q: Does Joe Budden have a wife in 2023?
A: Joe Budden’s most recent marriage was with fellow Love & Hip Hop star Cyn Santana. The two got engaged in 2018 after Budden proposed in one of his podcast episodes in New York. But despite welcoming a child into this world, they didn’t last long. Currently, Budden is single and seems to be lying low in the dating scene.
Q: Why are people linking Joe Budden with Alicia Keys?
A: Recently, Budden joined in on a conversation on Twitter about the famous singer Alicia Keys. The topic discussed one of her songs from 2003, “Diary.” And Budden agreed that Keys “got cooked” on the song, saying, “Lowkey lol.” Either way, it was a harmless move that seemed to excite her collaborator, Tony.
Q: What record label did Joe Budden sign up with in his career?
A: Surpassing the ripe age of 40, Budden has worked with many record labels throughout his career. And this includes Def Jam, Shady Records, EMPIE, MNRK, Desert Storm, and Amalgam Digital. Moreover, Budden is a part of an iconic Hip Hop group called the “Slaughterhouse.”
Q: Who launched Slaughterhouse with Joe Budden?
A: Slaughterhouse consists of several rappers, including Royce, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz. They formed the group in 2008 after they appeared on Joe Budden’s song “Slaughterhouse.” And the four took their group name from it.
Q: Does Joe Budden have any children?
A: Joe Budden has two kids from different mothers. His eldest, Joseph Budden III, born on May 11, 2001, is already an adult. Meanwhile, his youngest kid, Lexington, is still a toddler, born on December 2017. He had Lexington with his latest estranged wife, Love & Hip Hop co-star Cyn Santana.
Final Words
How much Joe Budden worth? With the hip-hop artist finding much success in his rapping career, it’s not surprising to see him stand at a net worth of $6 million years later. Collaborating with other artists and forming his ” Slaughterhouse ” rap group also contributed to his immense wealth today.
After retiring from music in 2018, Budden didn’t stop and continued his grind. He launched a successful podcast named “The Joe Budden Podcast,” running to this day.
Despite his rough start, Joe Budden didn’t falter and continued to work on his music, growing his fortune and fame. He has unbeatable flow, lyrics, rapping skills, and a likable yet stern personality, earning him a loyal following.
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