Branding In Hip-Hop

Joe Budden - Monsters In My Head

Got a few talents but looking for a new challenge/ I’ll let you walk in my shoes once I find a New Balance

One key trait for success is to always seek new challenges to better yourself.  In Joey’s case, he understands that he is a man of many talents, but wants to do better.  Always the misunderstood one, Joe is allowing anyone who doesn’t get him to walk in his shoes.  However, it’s still too soon to do this and he first needs to find a new balance.  And yes he is referencing the shoe company, but only as a metaphor.  The new balance he is speaking about is referencing the balance he will find in his life after he seeks out new opportunities.

Hopefully everyone can have their own New Balance someday, whether it is a new pair of 574s or stability in one’s personal life.  

Joe Budden - Money, Power, Respect Freestyle

Now niggas say they in the hood like Mister Softee/ They in the hood getting treated like Mr. Softie/ “I clap the four-fifth”, if you believe that/ then you believe Rick James died of natural causes

Mister Softee is a highly popular ice cream truck franchise.  Operating 600 trucks in over 15 states, they are selling treats to many people on many streets, even in the lower income neighborhoods that many rappers refer to as “the hood.”  Joe Budden, known for his competitive nature, compares people in the hood to these ice cream trucks.  However, when used as a metaphor, Joe Budden refers to these so called thugs rappers as soft, just like the treats that Mister Softee sells.  So if you hear and believe these Mr. Softies when they rap about shooting four-fifths or any other gun, then you are probably gullible enough to believe Rick James died of natural causes.  

Mister Softee manages to cover many areas, especially during the summer where everyone is outside and sweating form the hot sun.  Unfortunately for hardcore rap fans like myself and Joe Budden, Mr. Softees also are all over the radio and clubs with their fabricated lyrics and stories.  

Joe Budden - Going Through the Motions

I’m just going through the motions, born alone die alone/ The result of playing angry birds on the side phone/ Buying some shots with some vicodin popped/ and have you tell old girl you love her when you just like her a lot

If you listen to Joe Budden, you will know that he goes through quite a lot of drama in his life.  His music is very honest and insightful, even when the details are sometimes upsetting.  There are many causes for this, but at the end of the day Joe is just going through the motions that we all go through.  One cause could be playing the “angry birds” on his phone, telling them he loves her when he really likes them a lot.  And no, he isn’t talking about Rovio’s insanely popular game.  He is talking about the birds, or women that he courts in his life.  Clearly not in love with the women, he is just texting or calling them on his side phone and thus playing them as fools. 

Angry Birds went from a $1 game on smartphone to a worldwide trend with toys, hats and sequels.  Most people either bought the app or played the demo.  Thus, the majority of people with phones can relate to Joe Budden.  Most of us have played “angry birds.” 

Joe Budden - Family Reunion

They callin em kings when they so-so hot/ Somethings wrong wit that picture must be photoshopped

In hip-hop, many rappers refer to themselves as kings.  They have lyrics about their crowns and thrones, boasting about their leadership in hip-hop music.  However, unless rappers considered hip-hop as an aristocracy (which is difficult to imagine due to the huge egos of some rappers), there can only be one king.  Joe Budden is noticing these people that are referred to as kings, but he can’t agree with it. Their talent is only so-so, an attribute that cannot fit a king.  Therefore, there is something wrong with this picture envisioned by those calling them kings.  The picture is not authentic, similar to an image that undergoes Adobe Photoshop edits.  Joe Budden believes that picturing others as kings is only a Photoshopped image.

In my opinion, any company that becomes a verb (Google it, Photoshop it, Youtube it) is solidified as a game-changing company and cultural phenomenon.  Since many, many images are Photoshopped, it is fair to see why Joe Budden thinks that picturing other rappers (besides himself) as a king is only a Photoshopped image and not the original.  

Joe Budden “Aftermath”

Honestly that crap of yours you should raffle off/ With me they getting Genius Bars without the Apple store/ Under the microscope I rebut’ the scrutiny/ If I’m to be compared, it’s only to who I used to be

A bar is basically a line in a song.  If you count four beats per measure, that is one bar (usually one line). In the lyrics above, I am analyzing four bars.  Joe Budden explains to the listener that his bars are truly the best when compared to others.  Bars from other rappers are crap, and they might as well raffle them off in attempts to gain attention/profit.  However, Joe Budden’s bars are genius, because of the intelligence in each line.  And, as a convenience to the listener, they do not have to go to the Apple Store to get this service (like most people when they need expertise on their products).  They only need to listen to Joe.  A clever pun detailing the witty bars Joe Budden provides, it emphasizes why Joe has better bars compared to other rappers’ crap.  It also emphasizes that he does not need to be compared to anyone but himself and how he is constantly improving.  

Considering Apple generally sells the same products but with annual upgrades and expansions, it is a clever metaphor to use in Joe’s description of his “genius” ability.  

Joe Budden  ”So Serious”

They thought I would go astray, but I won’t/ David Banner may have time to play, but I don’t/ Cause I spit the cane wit ease/ And I can’t just freeze, not until this whole game’s febrezed

Joe Budden speaks on the game.  The game is essentially hip-hop, a genre full of a variety of rappers that are competitively trying to make a name for themselves.  Joe Budden understands the criticisms that his competitors are saying (such as going astray).  However, Joe know that he is one of the most skillful (spit the cane = rapping flawlessly) and plans on cleaning hip-hop of its mediocrity.  Hence the use of the brand Febreze.  Febreze kills odors and pollutants.  It gives you a breathe of fresh air.  Joe Budden will do the same thing if you think that hip-hop is currently stinking.  He is that confident in his product.