Joe Budden Accused Of Disrespecting Kawhi Leonard's Late Father

BY Erika Marie 47.8K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Brian Ach/Getty Images
Joe Budden
Budden first insinuated that Leonard's father was in jail because he was a murderer.

Joe Budden is no stranger to putting his foot in his mouth, but this one takes the cake. On a recent episode of Budden's podcast, the rapper-turned-talk show host discussed a myriad of topics. He was wrapping up the episode and joked that one day he was going to create a documentary about "all of the crews that could kill you that y'all don't know about." He then went on to say that he's intrigued with finding out that people are killers. "Guess who's a killer? Kawhi's dad...it's a fact." Budden said he read in five different sources that Kawhi's father was some sort of shady character.

"Dad is in jail for I think whatever," Budden said. "I won't get into it, I'm afraid. And the uncle is out handling the business [as Kawhi's manager]. When you look at Kawhi and his game and his demeanor, don't it sound right? And, then you're happy to know that." While the others joke about Kahwi and his family, Rory goes online to verify what his co-host is saying. "That's false information, Joe," Rory says, interrupting the chatter. "His father, Mark, was shot and killed January 18, 2008, at the Compton carwash he owned. He may have been involved in something, but he is now passed away."

"Okay, rest in peace to Kawhi's dad," Budden replied. "That doesn't change my story at all. Alright, so he's not here. But guess what? In the articles that I read before he left, he was getting busy. And to my knowledge, I think the uncle's gettin' busy." Then, the three men laugh, joke more about the uncle, and move on to another subject. Social media users were quick to say that Budden was disrespecting Kawhi and his late father with his remarks. "Yeah that was the last straw," one user tweeted. "I’m not rocking with any Joe Budden content for a while. To inaccurately depict Kawhi’s dad as a criminal for sh*ts and giggles when one of the BIGGEST facts about Kawhi’s story is his father being murdered is sickening."

Check out the full episode below. The comments about Kawhi's father begin around the 2 hour, 7 minute mark.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

Comments 20
Page was generated in 1.4207239151001