Months after parting ways with Spotify, Joe Budden has found a new home at Patreon.
The media figure shared the news during the latest episode of his eponymous podcast, confirming the Joe Budden Network will now be hosted on the Patreon platform. According to The Hollywood Reporter, subscriptions to Budden's Patreon content will range between $5 to $25 a month. Supporters will have access to bonus episodes of The Joe Budden Podcast, behind-the-scenes clips, a private community chat on Discord, new franchise series, and more.
But that's not all. Budden has also been hired as Patreon's Head of Creator Equity, a paid advisory role in which he will help the platform create programs and policies that benefit creators.
"I’ve seen firsthand that exploitation is everywhere in this industry – it’s become the status quo, and I’m tired of it," Budden said in a statement. "I’m tired of constantly fighting for independence, and I’m tired of proving my value over and over again. This partnership with Patreon marks a new era for the creative economy: one where independence comes first, and creators get paid – something that shouldn’t be revolutionary. Creators should get the biggest stake in their art, and the system isn’t ready to do that, so we’re going to change the system. This is the new blueprint, and we are the first."
Back in August, Budden announced he was ending his exclusive podcast deal with Spotify due to unresolved disagreements. Budden said he and his team were treated unfairly throughout his two-year contact, claiming the company wouldn't allow them to take vacation for the holidays and tried to give them Rolexes rather than bonuses. Budden said that when he and his crew selected which timepieces they wanted, Spotify informed them that the models were too pricey.
"That was the first time it dawned on me that Spotify is pillaging," Budden said at the time.
During Wednesday's episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the titular host spoke about the decisions he's made throughout the series' run. He explained he had turned down multiple million-dollar offers not only to protect his rights, but to set the standard for every other creator who comes after him.
"Head of Creator Equity at Patreon? Do you know all the steps that had to happen for this to happen?" Budde said (1:1:18). "Don't listen to this and say, 'Oh, I know where Joe's comin' from.' No the fuck you don't! You weren't there year 1 of that Spotify deal when they offered n***as $15 million in a growing market and n***as had to say no. You know how much self-serving shit I walked away from?"
He continued: "You weren't there in year 2 when they said, 'Hey, $21 mil and all your rights.' You weren't there when that next company came and said, 'Hey, $30 mil for y'all and all your rights.' ... You woulnd't have done it. And that be my point. I'm real responsible moving around with some of the decisions that I make because we set the bar ... Any decision that Joe makes potentially becomes the standard for any creator to follow."
You can watch the full podcast episode here, and learn more about The Joe Budden Network here.
