Joe Budden is setting the record straight about Melyssa Ford and the changing cast on The Joe Budden Podcast.
During a new episode of Artist 2 Artist released Nov. 21, the media personality addressed Melyssa Ford’s absence and whether the longtime co-host had been quietly replaced. Sitting across from Jim Jones, Budden made it clear that Ford wasn’t fired—and the shake-up wasn’t the result of behind-the-scenes drama.
Jones kicked off the conversation head-on: “Is Melyssa still a part of the show or not, or is it just Mona [Don’t Call Me White Girl] a part of the show now?”
Budden didn’t hesitate. “I didn’t do a swap… I didn’t do a swap,” he repeated. “Melyssa stepped away, and Mona—we was negotiating for, for quite some time. Shouts out to Melyssa, we love her.” His tone left no doubt that Ford’s exit was voluntary and respected.
Jones shifted the focus to Mona, who joined the podcast earlier this year and has quickly become a standout voice. “She is one of the most funniest… like touch your soul funny,” he said. “Just her talk… She ain’t even gotta be funny. Her walk in, and you see her, you just want to laugh. She has that aura to her.”
Joe Budden Confirms He Did Not Fire Melyssa Ford From The Joe Budden Podcast
For Jones, Mona’s presence added a spark that immediately changed the show’s chemistry. “When I seen her on the couch, I was like, ‘Oh, now this show just got some more legs, ’cause this girl is a whole show on her own… Shout to you, Mona… You did that, girl. Show out time now.’”
Budden echoed the praise, revealing he had eyed Mona for years. “She’s been on time, just as funny as I imagined,” he said. “I’ve been plotting on Mona for a while… she was in whatever contract she was there.”
Jones added that he had pushed her early on: “Even when she was with Gille and Wallo… That girl got some shit with her… I’m glad she with you.”
Budden closed the topic with a metaphor only he could deliver: “It’s only so long you can contain good talent like that… The dogs get big and gotta leave the cage at some point. So Mona is great. We love Mel. Shout out to her.”
The exchange confirmed what fans suspected: Ford stepped away on her own terms, and Mona’s rise marks a new chapter—not a replacement—in the ever-shifting world of Budden’s hit podcast.
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