Joe Budden – Padded Room

It’s been six years since Joe Budden dropped his eponymous debut LP. During the delay, he’s graced us with his acclaimed Mood Muzik series and diss tracks aimed at Ransom to hold us over until the next album offering. He makes his long-awaited return by strapping himself into a straight jacket and putting on the Hannibal Lecter mask for his sophomore album, Padded Room. The album is, indeed, a little crazy, if his goal is to sell albums (which he says is the label‘s concern, not his). The producers are largely unheralded, the only high-profile feature is The Game, and there is nothing on the course of a club track, something for the ladies, or at least anything that is somewhat radio-friendly. But that’s not truly Budden’s style. Instead, he takes you inside the mind of a New Jersey rapper with some well thought-out concepts and an improved delivery.

The songs seem like psychiatric evaluations, with Joey as the patient and the audience as a fly in the psychiatrist’s room. The album unravels his dark and dreary thought processes. While many MCs today just throw a bunch of words together and see if they stick, Budden goes deep within himself and truly puts his thoughts on wax. “If I Gotta Go” addresses his thoughts on death through a haunting hook. His conversation with God on “Pray for Me” is the most thought-provoking and best written of the bunch on the album. It will strike a chord with anyone struggling with their own lives and seeing nothing but negativity around them while wondering where God is. Call me crazy, put me in a padded room, or whatever, but there absolutely are some answers in this song. The bonus track, “Family Reunion,” has a touch of irony, with guest verses from former rival Ransom and Fabolous; and a Fabolous guest verse is never a bad thing.

The album does have a good amount of filler, but none is more out of place than “Happy Holidays,” which really belongs on a compilation with “Christmas in Hollis” and “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto.” The heavy metal-infused “Adrenaline” also sticks out like a sore thumb, and not in a good way.

The majority of drawbacks on the album come from the production. The album suffers from “Canibus Syndrome,” a common affliction of good rappers’ albums suffering from sub-par production. Many hip-hop heads would fail to recognize at least one producer on the album, but recognition has little to do with good production; if it’s hot it’s hot. To put it simply, the beats aren’t that hot. Production is always a crucial part of an album and is usually used to engage the listener. But without something to draw the listener in, such as the occasional Just Blaze joint (which is nonexistent here), heads are left to almost force themselves into the album. It’s really a shame, because Budden’s writing is on point throughout the entire album.

72/100

Standout Tracks:

Pray For Me

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Exxxes

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Blood on The Wall

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.