Last week, on July 29, Ari Lennox spoke about some jokes from the '90s sitcom Martin. Her opinion quickly went viral on social media. It also caught Joe Budden's attention, who responded to Lennox's comments in the latest episode of Joe Budden Network. In a video shared on X on Monday, August 4, by a Joe Budden fan page, the podcaster began by sharing his own opinion on the dynamics between the characters of Martin on screen."If we talking about our culture, or just what traditionally happens, you do get fly enough with one of your girlfriends to crack on them, and they normally reciprocate that... It speaks to a bond, a certain close and tightness that you have."A co-host pointed out that time also played a role in how viewers perceive the jokes in the sitcom, and Budden agreed. He added that because Ari Lennox hadn't seen Martin when it first aired, she didn't fully understand the "close-knit friend group that was there for each other through it all" on the show. Joe Budden also seemed to think that Lennox's thoughts didn't come across well on social media, even though she's a "bright girl." Especially in the case of Martin, Budden said that the Shea Butter singer "just missed the mark a little bit." Finally, Budden advised Ari to be wiser in choosing causes to support on her platform, suggesting she focus on something like the viral Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad instead. He said:"And if you're looking for some racial matters to be a part of, the story with the American Eagle jeans has grown leg. So, if you wanna be a part of racial issues, don't pick 'Martin'. Take your strong voice and use that strength for issues that are pertinent and relevant to now. 'Cause that's not 'Martin'."Joe Budden's comments come days after Ari Lennox said that the way Martin constantly made digs at Pam (Pamela James) in the sitcom bothered her.The issue Ari Lennox claimed to have with Martin was addressed by Tichina Arnold years agoJoe Budden isn't the only one who feels Ari Lennox's issue with Martin is misplaced. Years before Lennox pointed out that Martin's digs at Pam seemed problematic to her, Tichina Arnold, the actress who played Pam in the sitcom, spoke about her fond memories from the show's sets. In a 2022 interview, Arnold recalled that the cast of Martin "had fun literally every day," further adding that Martin's digs at her character were not malicious. The actress said:"Martin cracking on Pam did not come from a mean place. Our relationship and our dynamic was really built upon, me being the best friend. It had nothing to do with color. It was not derived from that at all because that’s not how Martin is."Ari Lennox dropped her latest single, Soft Girl Era, in April 2025 on YouTube, which has since received over 1 million views.