N.O.R.E. and Joe Budden Face Backlash for Combat Jack Comments

N.O.R.E and Joe Budden are facing backlash after N.O.R.E. went on a rant on Joe’s podcast and dissed late hip-hop podcast pioneer Combat Jack’s business model.

The episode of The Joe Budden Podcast originally aired on Feb. 1, but is now goning viral, with people calling out N.O.R.E. and Joe for the comments. During the episode, N.O.R.E. boasted about his podcast deal’s superiority and how much money he’s getting from cohosting Drink Champs.

“It’s probably the best audio deal in rap podcast history,” said N.O.R.E. at the 27:20-mark in the video below. “I’m keeping it 100. And we still own our IPO. I said, ‘Before me, they gave they YouTubes for free. Them IPOs, they didn’t own, only me and [DJ EFN].”

However, he went from patting himself on the back to dissing the profits of early podcasts like The Combat Jack Show and Taxstone’s Tax Season, both of which were on Combat Jack’s Loud Speakers Network.

“A lot of y’all dudes was out here giving y’all YouTubes away for free,” N.O.R.E. continued. “Y’all was signed to… what’s that shit, Sound? What was the shit that Tax and all them niggas was signed to? What’s that label? A dude named Matt ran it. Combat, Tax, all of them was on this label giving they YouTubes away for free. I’m the first dude that had a three-deal for the same crack.”

Joe Budden egged on the situation by continuing to drop gunshot sound effects and laugh.

People have been taking exception to N.O.R.E‘s words about Combat Jack, who paved the way for rap podcasts with his The Combat Jack Show podcast that debuted in 2010. Born Reginald Ossé, Combat died in 2017 following a battle with cancer.  Taxstone, an early podcast contributor in his own right, is currently in jail and will soon be facing trial for a 2014 shooting.

“I’m very disappointed in @noreaga,” one Twitter user wrote. “You really shooting at Loud Speaker Network? I clearly remember you on the Combat Jack show. Remember? I’m taking it personal because Reggie Osse was a mentor to me. And didn’t Tax help you start podcasting??”

Rah Digga even weighed in with disappointment.

“I thought podcasting was a great way to keep Hip Hop history alive and documented by us and for us. Sadly, it has become something else,” she tweeted. “Certain people just can’t be replaced. Like Combat Jack…or Alex Trebek… but I got some good references in this thread so I’ll start movin around some. Thanks guys.”

“How you bring up a man who passed away to big up your big tooth self????” someone else wrote. “When Combat and Tax introduced podcasting to you monkeys it wasn’t the multi million dollar company it is today so WTF are u talkin bout Mr. WHAT WHAT?! @noreaga.”

Guys Next Door Podcast cohost Mouse Jones also touched on the topic along with former Combat Jack Show cohost Premium Pete.

“Be clear idiots” Jones tweeted. “Combat Jack wasn’t ‘giving away youtube’ for free, podcasting was brand new for that audience. A PODCAST was audio only, so no1 really knew what to do with the visual component. W/o Tax & Combat blazing the trail that they did, NO1 would be having 3 deal shows..This is the definition of what a podcast was. In 2010, when Combat Jack started the platform, this was the intent. AUDIO. A youtube show was not the same thing. So this idea that NORE is 1, intelligent, or more business savvy than the undisputed podfather is absurd.”

Premium Pete added, “What a Time to be alive Many will have amnesia. Been in rooms back then where people laughed at me and Reggie when we said were podcasters now everyone started podcasting its comical. See the funny thing is you cant erase history when it resonated worldwide… Whether they like it or not, you always keep it real and that’s why I’m always sending blessings your way!! people will think money will make everything history. Nah it’s a brick by brick thing. we should always celebrate those who helped inspire us, never knock them down.”

“Ego is a terrible thing,” Pete continued. “Combat Jack gave his YouTube away, How sway? He was too busy building a house brick by brick for everyone today to live in & eat. To talk bad about a man who is not here is beyond me. Gun shots, laughing, but then post his bday or anniversary FOH.”

Joe Budden caught wind of being called out by Jones and responded to one of his posts.

“That’s hate. And you don’t fight well enough for this,” he tweeted, also claiming to have footage of Jones losing a fight.

XXL has reached out to N.O.R.E.’s camp and Joe Budden for comment.

See More Reactions to N.O.R.E.’s Joe Budden Podcast Rant Below

See Rappers Named After Notorious Crime Figures