Hip Hop

DJ Akademiks Went Ballistic On Joe Budden Over Outrageous Salary Demands From Complex

DJ Akademiks was not too impressed when dirty laundry from behind the scenes was hung up for the world to see.

When Akademiks’ former colleague, Joe Budden, appeared on The Breakfast Show, there was almost a 99.9% certainty that he would be asked about “Everyday Struggle,” and sure enough, he was. Joe and Ak started off as co-hosts of the Complex morning show back in April 2017, but their relationship was never quite comfortable which clearly came through on air. Joe went his separate way in December 2017 and created his own talk show called “State of the Culture,” while Akademiks continued to helm the Complex show they had started together. Whether there were any hard feelings between the pair, we never quite knew. But when the “Love & Hip Hop: New York” star was asked directly about “Everyday Struggle,” the DJ was none too pleased with his remarks.

“I love Wayno and I love Ak,” Joe told Charlamagne Tha God and his co-hosts. “I appreciate that the show is still on, but it’s different.” He then went on to describe how leaving the show was Complex’s “biggest business blunder in a decade.”

After hearing what Joe had to say, DJ Akademiks let loose on Twitter. Claiming that the “Pump It Up” rapper wanted 3% of Complex and had used him during negotiations, AK said, “Joe probably get ninety percent of the bread. That’s all he ever wanted. Great for him, but view-wise? You can say Everyday Struggle ain’t what it was in terms of cultural impact when Joe was there, but is anybody talking about State Of The Culture?”

Joe Budden commented on DJ Akademiks’s rant by responding to someone else’s tweet. “It was all naïve. That’s my guy but he’s got a bit to learn in this business,” he wrote. Ouch.

Here’s what Joe Budden said in response.