Did the Hot 97 crew try to play jokes about it though, since they like to clown Budden like haters (mainly Rosenberg and I guess Ebro, the ultra troll).
But anyway, say Joe really did leave. What’s stopping him from doing this show on his own? He has the reach, and what real resources did Complex provide to create the show anyway? It’s only on YouTube, it didn’t require a big budget, he has the following. He’d just need some assistance on the social media/editing side, maybe a little funding.
He could turn his podcast into a multiple times per week kinda show, get advertising, guests, etc. What’s stopping him from turning his thing into a hip hop culture version of the Joe Rogan Experience?