Joe Budden was reportedly charged with lewdness earlier this month when his neighbor claimed seeing him naked on Ring Camera footage.
TMZ reports that Budden was charged on Dec. 4 in Edgewater, New Jersey. The Edgewater Police Department addressed the incident after news of his charge surfaced online. According to authorities, officers arrived at the apartment complex at 7:21 a.m. after Budden’s neighbor claimed they saw Budden standing outside their door naked.
The neighbor also alleged that Budden tried to get into their apartment via the numbered keypad before returning to his apartment. Court documents reveal that the neighbor has two minor daughters who were present for the incident.
According to the outlet, Budden has been at odds with his neighbors, with Budden claiming he was thrown out of his apartment for recording his podcast there. He’s also claimed on his podcast that he sleepwalks.
Budden has allegedly responded to the report on his Instagram Stories with an image of Jeff Teague from his Club 520 Podcast.
Budden’s attorney, Nima Ameri, slammed the EPD in a statement to TMZ.
"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,” she wrote. “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."
She 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."
Budden discussed sleepwalking on his podcast earlier this month.
"I just slept walk somewhere that I shouldn't have slept walk," he told his co-hosts at around the 18:10 minute mark. Everyone paused and laughed before he said, "That's what happened. And you know how I sleep ... butt ass [naked]. ... Good naked sleepwalking. I just did it again."