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Joe Budden - Mood Muzik III [MM3]Album Review by:
Samir Siddiqui
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
 Joe Budden may have had a world of trouble getting an album out on Def Jam, but on the mixtape circuit, Budden's Mood Muzik series is arguably the most celebrated of all time. And unlike the waves of mixtapes that are lauded for simply being above mediocre, Joe Budden's mixtape material is certainly worthy of the praise it has, and will continue to receive. His last instalment of the series, MM2: Can It Get Any Worse, had an immediate impact with mixtape fans, and the project full of brand-new lyrics over fresh production is now generally viewed to be one of the best mixtapes ever. But instead of caving under pressure, Joe Budden drops yet another mixtape that trumps the majority of this year's full-fledged albums. Carrying original production and quotables for days, MM3: For Better Or For Worse has finally arrived.
With all the major-label turmoil that Budden has gone through over the past few years, it's only right that he continues his pattern of combining introspective lyrics with clever quips and punchlines. And the urgency in Budden's rhymes isimmediate right from the jump, as the hard-hitting "Hiatus" has Budden expressing his unwavering passion for emceeing, while the follow-up song sees Joey using his raps for "Ventilation" on the sombre, lyrically-sharp record. The much talked about"Jay-Z diss" record, "Talk 2 'Em," is far from a standout, as a simple, repetitive beat is used to back Budden's somewhat tired grievances against the Def Jam boss (although he does get in a couple of decent shots). However, "Invisible Man" is a much more impressive lyrical showing from Buddens, as the mixtape vet rips into the track with lines like, "Rather than sell a record, rather do it from the heart//I rather put me before y'all, I know ni**as might call it sell-centered, I call that being smart//So I stand behind mics, not even worried about the limelight, that'll manifest when the time's right."
"Dear Diary" gets hampered by an overly-repetitive sped-up sample and some lazy bars, but Budden redeems himself on the self-explanatory, feel-good record, "Star Inside." Introduced by an a capella rap from Budden, "Send Him Our Love" finds Joe reminiscing about his late friend, Stack Bundles, as Budden's heartfelt raps are a fitting tribute to the fallen Dipset-affiliate. Another of the mixtape's more toned-down joints, "Secrets," proves to be MM3's standout cut, as the vivid story of a troubled female is complimented by a layered, guitar-infused production effort from The Klasix. Elsewhere, the light horns-backed beat of "Long Way To Go" lays the foundation for a riveting lyrical slaughter from Budden: "We still in the hood, living like hostages, never mind colleges//School of hard-knock scholarship, dealin' with politics, I would just sell success in a store if I could bottle it//But, I ain't a millionaire, won't see me in Forbes son, life is like a beach chair, when you can afford one."
At 19 tracks deep, Joe Budden does an excellent job holding down the album throughout, as never once does he rely on straight-up filler, as even less outstanding efforts such as "Warfare" and "Roll Call" are pretty decent at worst. This ultimately leads to the obvious question of why guest "rapper" Killa BH shows up on MM3- you're not quite sure if he's spitting wack lines unknowingly, or as part of some sarcastic scheme...well, at least he puts a spin on a famed Budden line, by shouting "Are you in those shoes yet?!" Ultimately, even Budden's somewhat unimaginative song subjects don't hamper him in the least, as he seems forever ready to deliver worthwhile lyrics from the heart. Budden also tends to use the same fairly distinct flow throughout the tape, but for the most part, it works, and on the odd occasion that it's off-beat, it's still far from a distraction.
Bringing along a more-than-competent set of in-house producers (Klasix, WMS the Sultan, etc.) to lay the musical foundation for the experience, Joe Budden delivers another well-put-together mixtape that plays like a great album. The passion and talent of the New Jersey native is obvious, and his strive for excellence makes him truly deserving of a steady major-label position. Ironically enough though, it seems that the worst of Budden's career troubles result in his best material...For Better Or For Worse, "It's that on-top muzik!"
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