Joe Budden recently opened up about his problem with drugs and says he’s been struggling with addiction for a long time. The rapper spoke on his most recent relapse during the summer of 2012 and says he’s decided to share his problem to help others going through the same thing.
Budden explained that he’s been battling addiction long before he was signed to a record label. “I started with drugs very early, maybe 12 or 13 years old. I checked into rehabilitation at 16, was released at 17, got a record deal at 20 and went 14 years without a drink or a drug. It was never an issue at all. Nobody ever knew anything. I spoke about it on songs like ‘Calm Down’ on my debut album on Def Jam, songs like ‘Walk With Me’ so if you were listening intently enough, you knew. I had a little issue over the past summer with a relapse. I thought it was important to share that because people out there may have been going through the very same thing,” Budden told Fuse.
Budden added that his return to sobriety has aided by Eminem and says the people around him kept him going during his recent relapse. “Em has his own struggles so he identifies. So that was great to have somebody…You’re on a label with someone that identifies with those problems because we’re unique people. We think a tad bit differently. All of the people around me were instrumental in micromanaging me to where I needed to be,” said Budden.
Budden explained that in spite of his state of mind last summer he managed to perform at Summer Jam. “I was definitely on stage at Summer Jam last year, being micromanaged, high out of my mind. Definitely saw some other artists backstage that couldn’t barely stand up. But the fans don’t see that. You still have to go out and do your job. You still have to perform. You still have to make a living,” said Budden.
http://youtu.be/OLvjVKl7lpQ
Speak On It!