Before celebrating the new year, former rapper and popular podcaster Joe Budden has found himself in some legal trouble.
On Monday, a statement by the Edgewater Police Department in New Jersey claimed that on the morning of December 4, officers responded to a call at an apartment complex claiming that Budden was naked outside of someone’s door.
Per the statement, they were specifically alerted by their doorbell camera and allegedly witnessed Budden attempting to enter the code into their apartment multiple times before returning to his unit across the hall. As a result, he was charged with lewdness.
On Tuesday, just a day after the Edgewater Police Department released their statement, Budden’s attorney, Nima Ameria, released a statement on behalf of the podcast host, claiming that their statement was “inflammatory and slanderous.”
More from the Ameri Law Firm’s statement:
On December 30, 2024, the Chief of Police of Edgewater issued a press release that we believe to be inflammatory and slanderous. It is important to clarify that Mr. Budden was never arrested, and the incident referenced was a result of a well-documented medical condition known as sleepwalking — a condition that Mr. Budden has a long and public history of.
A review of the Edgewater Police Department’s website reveals no similar press releases related to these allegations against any other individuals. Furthermore, there was no arrest associated with these allegations. The fact that Chief Martin chose to issue this press release, in our opinion, highlights his vanity over his integrity.
The statement later adds that these allegations were only made against Budden because he’s a “prominent Black voice for his community.”
On a recent episode of Joe Budden Podcast, Budden spoke briefly about the incident in a joking manner. “I just slept walked somewhere that I shouldn’t have slept walked,” Budden said. “And you know how I sleep: butt ass. ... Nobody can go through this stuff but me.”
Unsurprisingly, after the police statement was released and social media caught wind of the news, they immediately used it as an opportunity to clown the rapper-turned-podcaster.
The man himself also took to social media on Tuesday, writing on X, “Yall so dramatic lol.”
While Budden’s first comments on the podcast preceded the police statement, we wouldn’t be surprised if he spoke about the incident again on another episode. He’s always been one to address claims made against him, no matter how serious or defamatory they may be.