Joe Budden Quotes

Singing allowed me to express myself in ways that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise.

As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow, naked hope... These things don't fit on a comedy stage and if you act you'll get to express them once in a while. Music is a place for the intensely personal.

I am not brave enough to not pay my income tax and risk going to jail. But I can say rather freely what I want to say with my art.

Songwriting is like a therapy, it's a connection that you have with another person, and I'm not scared of it at all for some reason.

All my shows are therapy, trying to navigate interesting subjects so I can work them out and to be honest and say some things are beyond the wit of this man.

Getting on stage is a bonus, that's my therapy, that's when I can tell stories and it all makes sense.

I refuse to confide and don't like it when people write about art.

When people like your music because it has vulnerable honesty, and you're able to comfortably admit to flaws and imperfections, then that's the most liberating thing about being an artist.

Music is art to me, and you don't censor art. You don't go into a museum and censor things.

It's always cathartic for me to write music.

Sometimes I believe that the reason I have been able to do such exemplary work on the screen is because this is the only place I can be free, neither censured nor judged.

I stumbled onto the best profession to heal my childhood: the only one that lets you release and express whatever is ugly and messy and beautiful about your life. We're in the business of creating human beings. The more we spew, and the more honestly we do it, the better. Try that on Wall Street.

For me, music is therapeutic, so the songs that came to me the easiest came from the most devastating moments of my life.

I'm more honest in my lyrics than I am in anything else. It's where I feel the most safe to express myself.

Speaking my truth. I think that's the number one thing, man. That's my 2018 mantra. Speak your truth, because you hold all that in, it's going to destroy you.

In the end, censoring a comedian's jokes is on par with censoring 'Huckleberry Finn.' Now, I'm not comparing myself to Mark Twain - he had much wavier hair and a slightly thicker mustache. But when you deny an artist the chance to explore his art, you're forcing your beliefs on him.

I feel like my music at least allows me to release the other side of me, a more vulnerable and sensitive side.

The biggest thing that I hope people take away when they listen to my music is that they feel that there is an outlet being presented that allows them to be more authentic and for them to be more honest in their own lives.

We always trained never to really talk about things and get it off our chests but I think now everybody is more open about it.

Growing up, I felt like I couldn't talk about certain things until I had the outlets to do so. Once you're able to be honest and say things as they are, it removes this crazy stigma and fear around it.

I think and write whenever I want an outlet.

Music is an outlet, so I'm not going to get things out that aren't true. Sometimes I do exaggerate - but only a little bit.

Sometimes I worry I've said too much. But it's easier to write about things that are fresh in your mind.

If something is on my mind, I've got to get it out. I can't front, for lack of a better term.

I express myself through song when I can't let people in on my thoughts otherwise. I need the creative process.