Just when you think respected rapper turned curmudgeonly podcaster, Joe Budden, is finally turning over a new leaf, he makes sure to remind you why he’s one of the culture’s most controversial figures. During the same episode of his podcast in which he praised Cardi B as a superstar, he tore down her “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion, denying her the same appraisal on the basis of album sales — something he never had much of himself.
The question of whether or not hip-hop has any modern superstars was originally broached on Twitter by TDE President Punch, who posited that there might not be any. He was quickly shouted down on that app, though, by fans who pointed out that all the superstars are women, an oft-overlooked segment of hip-hop. However, even as women have taken over with endorsement deals, acting gigs, and a host of business plans, Budden still found a nit to pick with Megan’s outstanding record.
“You’re not a superstar if you can’t sell an album,” he declared. “What the f*ck are we talking about right now? What stops her from being a superstar if we’re taking out sales? She ain’t sold sh*t. Got every brand deal in the world, but also has all the backing from different people. She’s got a lot going on. That’s the game today.”
That’s… a weird way of looking at a Platinum-certified debut, Good News, two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, and a slew of Top 40 singles as both a featured artist and lead artist over the past three years. Of course, this could be just another example of Joe Budden’s decades-long case of sour grapes (and his longstanding issues when it comes to women), but Meg’s resume speaks for itself in this instance.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
