Joe Budden Explains 'Dramatic' Lewdness Charge After Trying to Enter Neighbor's Home Naked

Joe Budden feels like fans are overreacting to his recent disorderly charges and has responded with three simple words.

The rapper turned podcast host was reportedly arrested and charged with lewdness for an incident on December 4, 2024, after he was spotted on a neighbor's ring camera in his birthday suit.

Budden — full name Joseph Anthony Budden II — who maintains that he's a sleepwalker, doesn't seem pressed about the matter at all. Frankly, he thinks fans may be exaggerating the issue.

"Y'all so dramatic lol," Budden, 44, boldly wrote on X.

"Swear this s**t only can happen to you lol," one fan responded in the comments. "Hoe Budden, the streetwalker," a second teased. "Bro thank goodness you're ok. You should consider hypnosis for sleep walking. Thoughts and prayers and prayers," a concerned fan added. "If kids were around you'd be a certified pedophile. This isn't a laughing matter," a fourth darted.

He also appeared to reference the incident on The Joe Budden Podcast.

"I just slept-walked somewhere that I shouldn't have slept-walked," he said. "And you know how I sleep: butt-a*s [naked]! Good, naked sleepwalking. I just did it again."

The resident who called 911 on the "Pump It Up" rapper claims they were alerted by their ring camera when Budden was spotted standing outside of their apartment completely naked.

The caller added that the podcast star attempted to enter a code into their digital keypad multiple times before heading back to his own apartment, reportedly located in the same building, per 'TMZ.' The complaint also states that the resident's two juvenile daughters were present during the time of the disorderly offense.

Budden's lawyer, Nima Ameri, told 'TMZ' that he was "saddened" by the complaint of the incident being made public, in addition to accusing Edgewater Police chief Donald A. Martin of alleged racism.

"Mr. Budden is saddened by Police Chief Martin's press release. Mr. Budden has been waiting weeks for his cross complaints to be processed which include substantially more serious charges include possible felony charges against the persons behind these charges against him," Ameri said, per Hip Hop DX.

"The Chief has in our opinion sat on those but instead used his time to gain some free publicity for himself. Chief Martin should seek publicity by doing notable policing not inflaming disorderly person allegations."

Ameri continued: "The allegations against Mr. Budden are a minor charge, not even resulting in an arrest. A charge Mr. Budden is looking forward to beating in court on the merits, not in the press. The Chief's comments are reckless, and in our opinion racially motivated."

"Our research has not shown a single press release on a disorderly person charge on the police website this year. His choice to single out Mr. Budden in our opinion is self motivated and based off of Mr. Budden's race and celebrity status," she concluded.

Joe Budden is scheduled to appear in court on January 16.

-- Originally published in Enstarz

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Joe Budden, Arrest