Joe Budden charged with lewdness after allegedly walking naked in neighborhood

Joe Budden faces lewdness charges after an alleged incident of walking naked in a neighborhood, captured on camera.

Joe Budden has been charged with lewdness and disorderly conduct following an incident on December 4 in Edgewater, New Jersey. 

The Edgewater Police Department stated that officers were called to an apartment complex after a report of a man standing naked in front of someone's door. The incident was captured on a Ring doorbell camera, which showed Budden attempting to enter a keypad code before heading back to his apartment. Budden, 44, is set to appear in court on January 16 to address the charges.

In a statement, Budden's lawyer, Nima Ameri, dismissed the charges as minor and noted that Budden was not arrested. Ameri also criticized the police chief’s press release, alleging it was a publicity move that was racially motivated. "The Chief's comments are reckless, and in our opinion racially motivated," Ameri said, adding that Budden looked forward to defending himself in court. The police clarified that the charges do not imply guilt, and Budden is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Budden, who had been absent from The Joe Budden Podcast around the time of the incident, briefly discussed the matter on the show. He explained that he had sleepwalked into the situation, drawing attention to his known history of sleepwalking episodes.

Seemingly addressing the charges in a lighthearted manner, Budden shared a meme on his Instagram Story on Tuesday. The meme featured basketball player Jeff Teague smirking at his phone, which appeared to be a playful response to the allegations.

This isn't the first time Budden has faced legal troubles. In 2012, he was briefly jailed following a parking dispute, and in 2014, he turned himself in to the police in connection with assault and theft allegations involving his girlfriend. However, those charges were later dropped.