Joe Budden is finally addressing the rumors about his shrinking waistline — and this time, he’s not dodging the question.
On Wednesday’s episode of Club Shay Shay, the 45-year-old rapper-turned-podcaster sat down with Shannon Sharpeand got very honest about how he’s been dropping weight lately. And yes, medication is part of the story.
“I’m Not on Ozempic — I’m on Zepbound”
Near the two-hour mark of the interview, Sharpe brought up the internet chatter claiming Budden was using Ozempic. Joe wasted no time clearing that up.
“I’m not on Ozempic. I’m on Zepbound,” Budden said plainly. “This week we’ll start my third week. I love it.”
According to Joe, the effects were immediate. He joked that the first sign it was working wasn’t the scale — it was his closet.
“I told you I was trying to get dressed and put something on and come here and I couldn’t fit in sh*t,” he said. “I lost a lot of weight.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Budden estimated that he currently weighs under 220 pounds, a noticeable drop from where he was just a few months ago.
“I was over 240,” he admitted.
That said, Joe made it clear that Zepbound wasn’t the only thing doing the work. He says the weight loss actually started before he began taking the medication.
Diet, Workouts, and a December Wake-Up Call
Joe explained that in December he decided it was time to lock in.
“My weight loss started before I started taking the Zep,” he said. “I did some dietary changes. I added some things to my workout routine. For December, I was like, ‘You know what? We’re going to rock and roll.’”
Zepbound, he says, was just the extra push.
“This was just supposed to be like a extra oomph,” Budden explained. “That’s all it was supposed to be.”
As for his goal weight, Joe has a specific range in mind.
“I could see between 210 and 215,” he said. “Anything less than that, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being outside — just in case something got to go on.”
Very Joe Budden answer.
“I’m the Healthiest I’ve Ever Been”
Budden emphasized that he’s not relying on medication alone. He says he’s consistently working out, eating better, and paying attention to his overall health.
“I’ve been working out,” he said. “I’m the healthiest right this second that I’ve probably ever been lifestyle-wise.”
And while Joe isn’t usually known for being preachy, he did take a moment to get serious.
Joe’s Message: Go Get Checked
Budden closed the conversation with a message about health awareness, encouraging listeners to stay on top of their medical exams.
“We’ve lost too many people,” he said. “I encourage the people listening: go get all of that sh*t done — all of it.”
He admitted even he struggled through some tests.
“I almost stopped the full body MRI right at the tail end of it, like, ‘Let me out this little tight-ass machine!’” he joked. “But no — you got to do it. Get the heart scan.”
Joe added, “I don’t want to sound like I’m preaching, but it’s just that important. There’s too many people dropping dead.”