Joe Budden Rips Apart Tommy Richman’s “I’m Not A Hip-Hop Artist” Comment

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Tommy Richman had a massive hit this year with “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” but a handful of tweets he recently fired off has ruffled some feathers.


On Wednesday (October 2), Richman wrote “I’m not a Hip-Hop artist” in a since-deleted post and was quickly smacked with an onslaught of backlash. He ultimately walked back the tweet, saying he meant to say “I’m not SOLELY a Hip-Hop artist.” But people weren’t buying it.

Now, Joe Budden—who admitted he “hated” that song—is weighing in. In a nutshell, he believes Richman is just another white artist who’s using Hip-Hop to break into country.

“You in that group of people that can receive your success and never have to talk to Black people,” Budden said in a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast. “But the first time you speak […] but you sayin’ it when Hip-Hop has broken you and accepted you, it gives us remnants of all of the white acts who their barrier of entry is Hip-Hop and then they abandoned it, throw it to the side and start doing country folk music and act like that s### never happened.”

Budden also acknowledged that DJHed essentially forced Richman to clean up his mess. Shortly after Richman sent the tweet, DJHed replied, “Glad I got the PSA before I did my radio mix. I now have 2 open slots. What should I play ? (From an artist proud to be Hip-Hop). NO ONE is bigger than the culture.”

Richman instantly went into defense mode and replied, “I’ll say again, Im thankful for everything. I’m saying I don’t wanna be boxed in. I grew up on hip hop. But I’m a singer.”

DJHed, clearly willing to have an open dialogue with Richman, returned with, “Understood, however there are nuances that can be perceived when statements are made. I don’t believe you have malicious intent but I do believe there is much to be learned about the system that you have entered within this thing we do. I hope it works out for you (Not sarcasm).”

Funkmaster Flex slammed “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” in June, saying, “If you’re someone that likes this song, you are a clown. I don’t know what the rest of his songs sound like. I don’t even know who Tommy Richman is. Sounds like a shoe store. Now we’re gonna document this hot garbage. We’re gonna play it now, I know you want to hear it. I wonder if this is big in the club. See this part is deceiving like it might be a good song.”