The rapper-turned-podcast mogul surprised his longtime partner during his birthday celebration—and the couple revealed another life-changing announcement that same night.
August 31, 2026—Joe Budden wasn’t planning to let his 46th birthday pass like an ordinary celebration.
The rapper-turned-podcast host got down on one knee for longtime girlfriend Shadée Monique, turning a private birthday gathering into an engagement celebration when he asked the question that had everyone watching.
“We doin’ it or what?”
Monique’s answer was immediate.
“Of course we are!”
And just like that, after seven years together, Joe Budden and Shadée Monique are officially engaged. The proposal happened during a celebration on August 29, one day before Budden’s 46th birthday, with video of the moment captured by veteran hip-hop journalist Elliott Wilson and shared online.
But the engagement wasn’t the only major announcement of the night.
Monique had a surprise of her own.
The couple also revealed that they are expecting a baby girl, meaning Budden’s birthday celebration became a double milestone: an engagement and the announcement that he is about to become a girl dad again.
Credit : therealcateyes
For a couple that has spent years keeping much of their relationship away from the loudest corners of celebrity culture, it was a pretty unforgettable way to make their next chapter official.
Joe Budden and Shadée Monique Have Been Together Since 2019
Budden and Monique’s relationship began in the summer of 2019.
They didn’t immediately turn their romance into a public spectacle. Instead, the couple gradually became more comfortable sharing pieces of their relationship, with Budden publicly celebrating their anniversary by 2022. They recently marked their seventh anniversary in July 2026.
For longtime listeners of The Joe Budden Podcast, however, Shadée isn’t exactly a new face.
She has occasionally appeared around the podcast and is also part of Pod Wives, the relationship-focused podcast featuring couples connected to Budden’s podcast world. Their conversations have included marriage and relationships, making the proposal feel like the next step in a story their audience has been following for years.
Monique also has a career of her own.
The Houston native is an entrepreneur and operates Bawdy Essentials, a clothing boutique. She has developed a presence in fashion and business while remaining considerably more private than her famous partner.
That balance has been part of their relationship from the beginning. Budden’s career has played out in front of microphones and cameras for decades. Monique has maintained more control over how much of her personal life reaches the public.
Now, though, the two have given everyone a pretty significant update.
They’re getting married.
And they’re having a daughter.
The Proposal Came With a Surprise Inside a Surprise
The engagement moment itself was surprisingly simple.
Budden was dressed for the occasion when he approached Monique and got down on one knee. In footage shared online, he held out the ring and asked whether they were really going to do this.
“We doing it or what?”
Monique said yes as the people around them erupted in celebration. Budden then placed the engagement ring on her finger.
But according to reports, Monique initially believed she was the person bringing the biggest surprise to the party.
She had announced that the couple was expecting a baby girl.
After revealing the pregnancy, Budden jokingly reminded her that she wasn’t technically part of the family yet.
That set up the proposal.
The sequence made the entire night feel less like a carefully staged celebrity announcement and more like a genuine family celebration that happened to have two enormous pieces of news waiting inside it.
Monique later described the moment on Instagram as two beautiful announcements happening at once: their baby girl and their engagement.
It also means Budden is preparing to become a father to another daughter after already having two sons from previous relationships. He shares son Lexington with Cyn Santana and his oldest son, Joseph Budden III, known as Trey, with former partner Angela.
This will be Budden and Monique’s first child together.
From Rapper to Podcast Mogul—and Now a New Family Chapter
The engagement arrives at an interesting point in Budden’s career.
He first became known as a rapper, releasing music throughout the 2000s and becoming particularly associated with the Mood Muzik mixtape series and his 2003 hit “Pump It Up.”
But the career that followed has taken him far beyond music.
Budden became one of the most recognizable voices in hip-hop media through The Joe Budden Podcast, turning his ability to debate music, relationships, culture and entertainment into an independent media business.
That evolution has also changed the way fans see his personal life.
Credit : therealcateyes
His earlier relationships were often part of the reality-TV ecosystem, particularly during his time on Love & Hip Hop. His relationship with Monique has unfolded differently. Much of it has existed alongside his podcast career, with occasional glimpses rather than constant exposure.
That’s part of what makes this engagement feel significant. Seven years is a long time in celebrity relationship years.
And Budden and Monique have made it through those years while building their own professional lives and gradually allowing their audience to see more of their relationship.
Credit: Joe Budden Instagram
Now the next stage is very clear. A wedding, baby girl is coming, And Budden’s 46th birthday will probably be remembered as the night he somehow managed to receive one surprise and deliver another.
Shadée Monique Is About to Become a Much Bigger Part of Budden’s Story
For years, Monique has been the person beside Budden without needing to become the headline herself.
That’s changing.
Credit: Joe Budden Instagram
Her engagement ring has already made her part of one of the week’s biggest hip-hop relationship stories. The pregnancy announcement adds another layer, particularly because the couple has been together long enough for their audience to have watched their relationship develop gradually.
There is still plenty they haven’t revealed. They have not announced a wedding date, not publicly shared when their daughter is due, And they haven’t turned the engagement into a detailed public wedding plan.
For now, they’re simply celebrating.
And honestly, that’s probably enough.
Joe Budden has spent years talking about relationships, commitment and the complicated realities of love in front of a microphone.
Credit: Joe Budden Instagram
This time, he didn’t need a podcast episode to make his feelings clear.
He got down on one knee.
He asked one question.
She said yes.
And somewhere in the middle of celebrating his 46th birthday, Joe Budden became an engaged man and a future girl dad.
Not a bad birthday weekend.
FAQ
Are Joe Budden and Shadée Monique engaged?
Yes. Joe Budden proposed to Shadée Monique during his birthday celebration on August 29, 2026. She accepted, and the couple is now engaged after seven years together.
How long have Joe Budden and Shadée Monique been together?
The couple began dating in the summer of 2019 and recently celebrated their seventh anniversary.
Are Joe Budden and Shadée Monique expecting a baby?
Yes. The couple announced that they are expecting a baby girl, their first child together.
Who is Shadée Monique?
Shadée Monique is a Houston-based entrepreneur who operates the clothing boutique Bawdy Essentials. She is also involved with Pod Wives alongside Joe Budden and other couples connected to his podcast network.
How did Joe Budden propose to Shadée Monique?
Budden proposed during his birthday celebration, getting down on one knee and asking, “We doing it or what?” Monique replied, “Of course we are!” before he placed the engagement ring on her finger.