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Joe Budden is convinced JAY-Z still has a chance to resolve his issues with Ye and give fans the ultimate hip-hop moment during his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
The Joe Budden Podcast debated the possibility of a Watch The Throne reunion during the latest episode, which dropped on Wednesday, October 28. Budden and the crew reacted to the news that Hov will serve as the halftime show headliner and tossed around the idea of Jay and Ye performing hits like "Run This Town" and more.
“I’m not willing to 100% close the door on Kanye coming out," Budden said.
"Hov’s relationships are a different ball game," he continues. "If he really was gung-ho about taking Kanye to make rounds, make peace, and talk to the proper people, Hov will probably know the people to talk to to squash it.”
JAY-Z and Ye were once an unbreakable pair. After collaborating on multiple hits through the late 1990s and the 2000s, they teamed up to release their joint album Watch The Throne in 2011, featuring hits like "N****s In Paris," "No Church In The Wild," and more. Their once-prominent partnership began to fade in 2016, especially after Ye went on a rant about Jigga during his "Saint Pablo Tour." Hov addressed their fallout on his 2017 album 4:44 and recently revisited their feud during his HBO docuseries JAY-Z In 8. Although the series was recorded before their beef escalated, Hov still said Ye is like a little brother and called him "one of the most brilliant creatives we're ever going to see."
Five years later, the duo reunited on Ye's "Jail" from his Donda album. It was Ye and Jay's first time collaborating since appearing on Drake's "Pop Style" in 2016, but Hov's lyrics about Ye's MAGA affiliation sparked more drama. Their feud came to a head last year when the Chicago native targeted JAY-Z's wife and children in a series of offensive social media posts. Their relationship hasn't been the same ever since, but there's some hope for reconciliation. Ye issued a public apology for his posts in an interview and on social media. The Carters have yet to publicly acknowledge his apologies, but they may be waiting for the right moment.
Budden and Ice were the first to raise their hands when Marc Lamont Hill asked who actually thought JAY-Z would bring out Ye at the Super Bowl. Hill believes Ye is a "non-starter" following controversy surrounding Macklemore. The artist was recently barred by Robert Kraft from performing at Gillette Stadium because of his stance on Palestine. The hosts believe Hov's relationships could override those concerns, but they also agree Ye would be under a microscope and would probably appear with a 15-second delay during the live broadcast.
Listen to the entire episode below.