Joe Budden finally has found a new home for his hit podcast, “The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal,” after months of fighting with Spotify over ownership and removing his show from the digital platform altogether in September 2020. Budden has now taken his talents to Patreon, a creator-founded subscription platform that also will host The Joe Budden Network.
The “Pump It Up” rapper also has been named Patreon’s head of creative equity under the new deal. The new title allows Budden to remain focused on making sure that the creatives get a fair split and ownership of the pie.
The Joe Budden Network on Patreon will feature exclusive content, including bonus episodes of the “Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal” every month, with the first exclusive episode launching on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021. Since his contract expired with Spotify, Budden had been airing new episodes on YouTube while in negotiations.
“I’ve seen firsthand that exploitation is everywhere in this industry – it’s become the status quo, and I’m tired of it,” Budden said in a statement about the new partnership on Wednesday, Feb. 3. “I’m tired of constantly fighting for independence, and I’m tired of proving my value over and over again. This partnership with Patreon marks a new era for the creative economy: one where independence comes first and creators get paid — something that shouldn’t be revolutionary. Creators should get the biggest stake in their art and the system isn’t ready to do that, so we’re going to change the system. This is the new blueprint and we are the first.”
Fans have the choice of selecting among three subscription membership services at some pretty good price points, too. The “Homies” start off the first tier at $5 a month, followed by “Family” at $10. “Friend of the Show” tops out the packages at $25 a month.
Jack Conte, co-founder and CEO of Patreon, is excited to have Budden on board. “Joe understands the discrepancy between what creators are worth and what they are paid. From music to podcasts, Joe has found himself reaching millions of people and getting a tiny fraction of the value he has created. That’s exactly the problem that Patreon set out to solve — and Joe wants to help. We’re excited to start working with him and figuring out even more ways to close the gap between the value that creators bring into the world and what they’re actually paid.”
In addition to exclusive episodes, the packages also will offer behind-the-scenes content, members-only options and priority notice when Budden goes back on the road.
