Joe Budden Criticizes Tommy Richman for Distancing Himself from Hip-Hop After Breakout Success

Tommy Richman has been making waves this year with chart-topping hits like “Million Dollar Baby” and “Devil Is A Lie,” solidifying his position as one of the most exciting new artists. However, despite his success in the hip-hop space, Richman has recently made it clear that he doesn’t want to be confined to the label of just a hip-hop artist. This sentiment sparked a debate on social media, especially after DJ Hed called him out, and now Joe Budden has weighed in with his own thoughts.

After catching wind of Richman’s back-and-forth with DJ Hed, Budden shared his opinion on the rising Woodbridge, VA, singer’s comments about not wanting to be boxed into the hip-hop genre. During the Oct. 4 episode of the Joe Budden Podcast, Budden expressed his distaste for Richman’s stance, especially the way it was framed.

Joe budden podcast react to Tommy Richman says he’s not a hip-hop artis. Joe believes that’s a dogwhistle for white artist who use the culture to get a buzz and then pivot to country music pic.twitter.com/GP0cDBhYax— joebuddenclips (@Chatnigga101) October 5, 2024

I meant to say I’m not SOLEY a hip hop artist.— Tommy Richman (@tommyrichmann) October 2, 2024

In response to Richman’s clarification tweet,

“I’ll say again, I’m thankful for everything. I’m saying I don’t wanna be boxed in. I grew up on hip-hop. But I’m a singer,”

Budden mockingly sang one of Richman’s hits and added,

“Tommy Richman, I hate that f**king song. I needed to hear more slaps.”

Budden went on to explain his frustration, stating,

“Culture pushed you to where you needed to be. Now is not the right time for, ‘I’m not a Hip Hop artist.’ I have no problem with, ‘I am not just a Hip Hop artist,’ or ‘I am much more than a Hip Hop artist.’”

The veteran podcaster emphasized that while it’s understandable for artists to want creative freedom, distancing oneself from hip-hop, especially when the genre was integral to their rise, can come off as disingenuous to fans.

Budden’s co-hosts largely agreed with him, further driving home his point that Richman’s timing and choice of words were ill-advised. He also compared Richman’s situation to Post Malone’s distancing from hip-hop after his breakthrough with “White Iverson,” a move that received backlash from the culture.

While Budden repeatedly said he didn’t fault Richman for wanting to explore other genres, he did express that, “Tommy Richman ain’t fire enough to do that yet,” suggesting that it might be premature for Richman to make such statements while he’s still building his career.

With Budden’s remarks stirring conversation, it remains to be seen how Richman will navigate his growing stardom and the expectations placed on him by fans and industry veterans alike.

For your Grammy consideration. pic.twitter.com/DaemGmalwf— Tommy Richman (@tommyrichmann) October 5, 2024

Listen to the full episode of the Joe Budden Podcast below!