Budden Hints at Ye at JAY-Z Halftime

Joe Budden stated on Wednesday that he remains open to the possibility of Ye appearing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Speaking on the latest episode of the Joe Budden Podcast, which aired on October 28, Budden discussed the recent news that JAY-Z will headline the event. The host suggested that the rapper has the interpersonal influence to resolve their long-standing dispute in time for the broadcast.

Budden argued that JAY-Z possesses unique relationships that could facilitate a peace process. "Hov’s relationships are a different ball game," Budden said. He continued, "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."

The podcast panel, which included Ice and Marc Lamont Hill, debated the likelihood of a Watch The Throne reunion. Hill called Ye a "non-starter" due to recent controversies. He cited the recent decision by Robert Kraft to bar Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium over the artist's stance on Palestine as a precedent for how the NFL handles political disputes.

Despite the skepticism, the hosts agreed that JAY-Z might override these concerns through personal connections. They noted, however, that Ye would face intense scrutiny. The group speculated that if Ye did appear, his segment might be broadcast with a 15-second delay to manage live reactions.

The tension between the two rappers dates back to 2016. Their collaboration on the 2011 album Watch The Throne, which produced hits like "N****s In Paris," began to fade after Ye criticized JAY-Z during his Saint Pablo Tour. JAY-Z addressed the fallout on his 2017 album 4:44 and later described Ye as a little brother in his HBO docuseries JAY-Z In 8.

The pair reunited in 2021 on the track "Jail" from Ye's Donda album. That was their first collaboration since appearing on Drake's "Pop Style" in 2016. The feud escalated last year when Ye targeted JAY-Z's wife and children in a series of social media posts. Ye has since issued public apologies in interviews and on social media, though the Carter family has not yet publicly acknowledged them.