Budden’s Padded Room is likely the most anticipated hip-hop album of this year. After winning success with his self-titled debut album Joe Budden, everyone’s ears were burning to hear more. Unfortunately, however, Budden’s relationship with then label Def Jam proved to be unsatisfactory. Budden went on to hit it big on the mixtape circuit with Mood Muzik in 2003 followed by Mood Muzik 2 and Mood Muzik 3in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 rapper released hip-hop’s first ever digital only album, Halfway House by Amalgam Digital. No longer with Def Jam, this album was intended as a prequel to his long awaited Padded Room. In the same vein as the Mood Muzik series, Padded Room is delivered through a conceptual perspective. With production by Blastah Beatz and The Klasix, this album is a unique pairing of urban rock and classic hip-hop. Budden pushes himself to his lyrical limit on this album as he reflects about his life, his career and the music. The album gives off a light-hearted energy as it confronts serious issues. The album has little collaboration, but one very unlikely one, The Game, appears on “The Future”, an upbeat track about upgrading a female to celebrity status. As expected, Budden gives us “Pray for Me”, a plea of redemption and salvation. The track is structured as a conversation between Budden and God. The album was worth the weight, but the style of the high energy track “Adrenaline”, seems an uneven match for Budden’s persona. “Don’t Make Me” is also somewhat of a miss. “Though I’m not happy about it being pushed so far back, I do understand the method behind the madness. We've got an album that I’m extremely proud of and a lead single that Amalgam Digital and I are both very happy with,” says Budden who plans to release his third album entitled R.E.D.I. later this year. I'm in the studio every single day, vibing and coming up with ideas. There's always music around to put out, so you'll hear more from me sooner than later, I hope.”