Saturday, March 12, 2011

Nonparallel: Mood Muzik ≠ Emo Music



Forget "Pump It Up" and witness the growth and genius of Joe Budden, a rapper from Jersey City, New Jersey.

In 2004, Joe Budden released "Mood Muzik: The Worst of Joe Budden" which is the first installment of his infamous Mood Muzik series. This mixtape showed a different side of him, a side that eventually took his career to another direction. In 2005, the second installment arrived, "Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse?" which again solidified Joe Budden as one of the best lyricst to ever do it. After releasing the second installment, conflicts with his major record label, Def Jam Recordings which is an American hip-hop record label, owned by Universal Music Group, Joe Budden and Def Jam went separate ways. Around this time, Joe Budden used the internet to market himself which led to presently having a cult following with his fans who enjoy his music. In 2007, the third installment, "Mood Muzik 3: For Better or for Worse" became available for fans. Three years later in 2010, Joe Budden released "Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst".

Mood Muzik I (2004)
Mood Muzik II (2005)
Mood Muzik IV (2010)

Highly criticized as a mixtape series that heavily underlines depression and encourages depression, this writer fan heavily disagrees. Although, the series deals with depression it's quite the opposite if encouraging it. This series provides therapy, it provides the listener an outlet of reinforcement, it promotes hope. "And I'm not saying to not have a Benz son, rings that shiny whateva things timely/those things help to unwind me/ but no, those things don't help define me/ aim at the baiscs, aim you can make it/ because even when the whole game seems tainted/ I'm a star without the chains and the bracelets", is how Joe Budden ends his third verse to the song "Star Inside of Me".


Joe Budden - Star Inside of Me

Mood Muzik is like a musical platform that tangles it self with the life of the listener and integrates Joe's frustrations with those of the listener. It's bares this amazing ability to cope with the listener and express emotions for the listener. To me, Mood Muzik isn't emo music, it is usually associated with promoting depressive symptoms and encouraging suicide, and it isn't depressive.

Here is a teaser released before "Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst" was released, in order to give the fans an idea what they were anticipating. This is teaser number 2.



Recently Joe Budden has released a love story song which is split into two parts. The track is vintage Budden venting his ups and downs within a relationship. He’s at his best when he's pouring all of his emotions and personal experiences on a beat. The song is inspired by Sade, "No Ordinary Love". Below you will find Part 1 and 2 blended into one song.


Joe Budden - Ordinary Love Shit Part 1 & 2

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