Joe Budden is giving The Kid Mero his flowers, with characteristic skepticism mixed in.
On the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the veteran podcaster weighed in on Hot 97's major shake-up. The station this week announced the debut of Mornings with Mero, which premiered Tuesday (Jan. 13) following the cancellation of Ebro in the Morning.
Budden said Mero is a strong choice to hold down the coveted New York morning slot, pointing to his authentic connection to the city and his personality as key reasons the hire makes sense.
After emphasizing that Mero is a true hometown voice, Budden described him as a "New Yorker," adding that he's "somebody that knows the city, speaks the city, speaks to the city, somebody that's funny. Let's see how it goes."
His co-hosts echoed the praise, framing the move as a smart reset for the legendary station as it transitions into a new era. Still, Budden couldn't resist cracking jokes about what the rollout looked like and how much pressure Hot 97 might be placing on one person by promoting the show as a solo act.
"This is what I think: I ain't y'all," Budden said before laughing at the reveal. "I laughed for a long time when they announced Mero, and that was it. I'm like, 'Where the fuck everybody else?'"
Budden continued by questioning the lack of a supporting cast, suggesting the station may have cut costs after the cancellation of the previous morning show.
"Either they saved a whole lot of money, because who the hell is Mero just up there," he joked. "They didn't even announce a crew, a friend ... On the poster, it's just Mero ... Don't announce me by myself. Somebody gotta be behind me. He just looks lonely in the picture."
Mero, however, wasn't flying completely solo for his first broadcast. The premiere episode of Mornings with Mero included Miabelle, Shani Kulture, and DJ Kast One, who had co-anchored immediately following Ebro's departure.
Still, Budden noted that taking over mornings in New York radio isn't light work, especially following such a major programming shift.
"You're putting a lot of pressure on one man," he said.
While Budden had fun with the optics, the overall reaction wasn't negative. He repeatedly framed Mero as someone who can genuinely connect with New York listeners and bring energy back to the time slot.
Even Ebro showed love amid the change. The longtime radio host reacted positively to the news on social media earlier this week, writing: "Shout to @THEKIDMERO…. This is so great!"