“They told me that if I don’t come with another one, I’m going to get dropped.”
Some artists have the curse of the debut album that they are unable to escape. If they are able to nab a classic piece or work, it is almost impossible for any future releases to ever amount to that first offering and they are forced to find a way to reach those heights once again.
In the case of rapper Joe Budden, however, it was the single “Pump It Up” that gave the first impression of the artist. Although it was able to ignite his career, he has been unable to shake that first song that was delivered to the public as he has tried to expand on his personal side with releases after.
While on the road with Slaughterhouse and Tech N9ne on the KOD tour, the Jerz native spoke on how the track came about with Just Blaze and how he was able to make a hit out of a beat that nobody else wanted.
“You’re Just Blaze. Just play some Shyte out of your fu**ing computer. I know you got Shyte in there. He starts going through beats and he plays the beginning of the “Pump It Up” beats and just goes to the next.”
Something must have sparked his interest as he told the producer to go back. Giving the account of Blaze through Budden, the producer seemed perplexed to the rapper actually wanting the beat.
“I think it’s crazy, but I tell you that I have played this beat for every single person that I have ever done a session with and nobody has wanted it. I played this beat for the world. As a matter of fact, I personally made this beat to be the single after “Roc the Mic.” It was supposed to be for Jay, Beans and Freeway and they didn’t want it.”
Shortly after Budden released the music video for the single, his popularity catapulted to new heights for the track over the airwaves. Jay-Z seemed to want in, after the fact, when he released a freestyle calling it a “jack move” as if showing Budden what he was SUPPOSE to do with the instrumental.
“That just added fuel to the fire.”
A battle ensued over the beat as Budden saw it funny that Jay didn’t initially want the beat, but then chose to jump on it. Everything between the two after that is in the history books.
Since 2003, Budden has used the likes of Mood Muzik to show that he is far from the gimmick rapper that seemed to be when he first hit the scene. No matter what, like that classic debut, it’s quite a feat to escape that first impression.
