There was much excitement this week when Joe Budden promoted his now-released interview with Isaiah Rashad, Rashad’s first public interview since a sex tape leaked back in February revealing that he may be homosexual. The House Is Burning artist did speak on it in his Coachella performance, but of his own volition. Joe Budden questioned the tape head-on and how Rashad identifies, to which the TDE rapper replied that he was “sexually fluid.” Budden seemed to not understand what that meant by that and assumed the 31-year-old was not monogamous before Isaiah provided clarity. Needless to say, the internet was not pleased with Budden artist after seeing this.
Isaiah Rashad did not need to do that interview, and if he was going to, Joe Budden was not educated enough on the subject matter to do it.
— Daric C., M.A. (He/Him/Él) (@DaricCott) May 27, 2022
I’m happy for Isaiah, and it’s shitty he got outed like that. He deserved to tell us when he was ready. But more importantly, Joe Budden, the Bruiser, shouldn’t be the one to have the conversation with for many reasons, mainly because he doesn’t have the range. https://t.co/PzUWwBThmt
— Lex (@iamlexstylz) May 27, 2022
Beyond the sexual preference implications here, people simply feel like Isaiah didn’t need to speak on this at all. This occurrence has forced viewers to once again question why Budden and other former rappers are allowed to operate within a journalistic capacity. The lines between journalists and media personalities have blurred over the years as rappers and celebrities with large platforms have brought their fanbases along into the podcasting game, quickly edging out independent creators who have been doing this long before them. This phenomenon won’t stop any time soon, and neither will the outspoken journalists who feel they would handle these opportunities with much more care than those who end up getting them.
Check out the Joe Budden and Isaiah Rashad interview above, and more reactions below.
Isaiah Rashad didn’t need to do that interview with Joe Budden. It didn’t help or change anything. People that truly rock with him didn’t care and weren’t waiting on any explanation.
— ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀ (@callmedollar) May 27, 2022
imagine doing one of the most important interviews of your career with joe budden, music media really is in a pathetic state
— Al Shipley (@alshipley) May 27, 2022
That Isaiah Rashad interview is infuriating and another missed opportunity.
Please stop going to Joe Budden, Charlemagne Tha God and the rest of these hip hop bloggers and "personalities" who lack the range, depth, maturity, and expertise to tackle these types of topics.
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) May 27, 2022
