Joe Budden Issues Apology After Oliva Dope’s Harassment Allegations

Joe Budden is undoubtedly one of the most popular broadcasters in the United States right now and has also released rap albums in the past. Budden recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons after he was accused of sexual harassment by a woman named Olivia Dope, who was a former co-worker on the See, the Thing Is podcast.

After a lot of public outcry over the matter, Joe Budden has finally responded to the allegations meted against him by Dope. According to Rolling Stone, Budden officially released a statement regarding the allegations, claiming that he supported “all women’s rights to feel comfortable and protected in the workplace.”

Budden would go on to apologize sincerely for his problematic actions in the past, admitting that he fell short when it came to making sure all women were comfortable in the workplace.

As a podcaster, it is my job to address topics and create dialogue around them. During the conversation on the See, The Thing Is podcast I didn’t handle the topics with the sensitivity they deserved. I recognize my words and power in that situation created an upsetting environment for Olivia. Upon reflection, both the network and I take accountability for this. I apologize sincerely to Olivia, her former co-hosts, our staff, and the public. In an effort to not further any trauma, the episode will be removed from all platforms. We support all women’s rights to feel comfortable and protected in the workplace. We fell short of that in this instance. We support Olivia in her quest to heal, applaud her for finding the strength to share her experience, and wish her the best in all her future endeavors. I am taking the time to listen and learn; we have already begun to make the necessary changes to ensure this is a safe environment for all moving forward. We at the network endeavor to continue to elevate Black women’s voices and create opportunities to have constructive conversations to impact change.

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While Joe Budden’s actions were certainly horrible to say the least, we applaud the fact that he admitted to his own wrongdoings and promised to do better by taking the necessary time to listen and learn in order to ensure a better future for women in all workplaces.