Joe Budden bounces back with "Padded Room"

NEW YORK (Billboard) - If all goes as planned, rapper Joe Budden will release his first album in five years, "Padded Room," in the spring.

"Padded Room" will be the follow-up to 2003's "Joe Budden," which launched the hit "Pump It Up." Three editions of his "Mood Muzik" mixtape series have followed, but Budden told Billboard.com that he's looking forward to another proper album release.

"It's complete," Budden said of "Padded Room," which will be released by Amalgam Digital. "It basically will be in the same vein as 'Mood Muzik,' just a little more structure, and the mood will probably be a little lighter. I'm definitely pleased with the direction that it's going."

Budden had intended to release a second album called "The Growth" in the wake of the self-titled record's success. But it was scuttled by a deteriorating relationship with Def Jam, his label at the time, and a rumored feud with outgoing CEO Jay-Z. Nowadays Budden says that "the relationship went sour over the years, not something that just happened spontaneously or instantly. It was kind of a developing process."

Looking beyond "Padded Room," Budden hopes that there won't be as long a wait for his third album. "I'm in the studio every single day, vibing and coming up with ideas," he said. "There's always music around to put out, so you'll hear more from me sooner than later, I hope."