Joe Budden Criticizes “Whitewashed” Sexyy Red and Bruno Mars Collaboration

Joe Budden didn’t hold back during a recent episode of his podcast, slamming Sexyy Red and Bruno Mars’ new track, “Fat Juicy & Wet,” as a “whitewashed” attempt to appeal to broader audiences. The song, which dropped earlier this week alongside a star-studded music video featuring Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ, has sparked mixed reactions online. While some fans praised the unlikely collaboration, Budden took issue with its approach.

Budden argued that while the song is designed to succeed commercially, it’s emblematic of larger issues in how music is marketed. “Will it work? Yes. They’re gonna pay for this to work,” he said, referencing the video’s high-profile cameos and the industry connections behind the project. However, he accused the track of using a formula that caters differently to Black and white audiences.

“This is yet another clear example of that,” Budden said, describing the song as a watered-down version of Sexyy Red’s usual unapologetic style. “It’s nowhere near as graphic as any Sexyy Red lyric… I’m calling code switching when I see it. This is a nasty caricature code switch.” He also questioned Bruno Mars’ choice to rap in the song, labeling it as part of what he perceives to be a miscalculated strategy.

Budden’s critique of “Fat Juicy & Wet” isn’t the only strong opinion he’s shared recently. He also took aim at Drake over his ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group regarding Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Budden suggested that Drake’s actions reflect poorly on the hip-hop community’s ability to unite against industry powerhouses. “There’s no union in hip-hop, you don’t know what culture mean… this s*** is a f***ing mess,” he said.