Drugs have certainly played a role in Joe Budden’s life and career. The emcee has acknowledged that he has had to battle with addiction for years, most recently relapsing in the summer of 2012. In a recent interview, Budden opened up about being high at concerts and having people around him, like Eminem, to help guide him to recovery.
“I started with drugs very early, maybe 12 or 13 years old,” he shared with FUSE. “I checked into rehabilitation at 16, was released at 17, got a record deal at 20 and went 14 years without a drink or a drug. It was never an issue at all. Nobody ever knew anything. I spoke about it on songs like ‘Calm Down’ on my debut album on Def Jam, songs like ‘Walk With Me’ so if you were listening intently enough, you knew. I had a little issue over the past summer with a relapse. I thought it was important to share that because people out there may have been going through the very same thing.”
Budden also acknowledged that his Shady Records boss Eminem and others around him really helped guide him to sobriety.
“Em has his own struggles so he identifies. So that was great to have somebody…You’re on a label with someone that identifies with those problems because we’re unique people. We think a tad bit differently,” Budden added. “All of the people around me were instrumental in micromanaging me to where I needed to be.”
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“I was definitely on stage at Summer Jam last year, being micromanaged, high out of my mind,” he continued. “Definitely saw some other artists backstage that couldn’t barely stand up. But the fans don’t see that. You still have to go out and do your job. You still have to perform. You still have to make a living.”
In the interview, Budden also addressed his feud and fight with Consequence.
“I thought about fucking [Consequence] up everytime I saw him at one point but we have a lot to lose today so I’d rather not look like that. So I don’t want any issues with anybody at all. But if I see him again and he would like an issue, I’ll fuck him up again.”
The entire interview can be viewed below.
RELATED: Joe Budden Says He Doesn’t Do Drugs, Just Had “Drug-Induced Summer”
