Base Current vs Emitter Base voltage
Voltage does not cause current, current does not cause voltage, at least for any meaningful understanding of the word 'cause'. They both co-exist. 

When the base-emitter junction of a transistor is biassed, an Ib flows into the base, while a VBE exists across it.

If we now measure the collector-emitter current, we find the ratio to the base current is more or less constant over a very wide range, many orders of magnitude. This is sufficiently useful that engineers call this ratio beta.

The ratio of collector current to VBE varies with the base current. The ratio of them is still useful, engineers call it the transconductance or gm of the transistor, but it's valid at only one base current setting. So while the BJT is also voltage controlled, as the relationship is non-linear, it's not useful for doing calculations for the initial biassing of the transistor, which usually involves comparing currents over a wide range.

This means that when biasing up a transistor, the beta&times;Ib expression is most useful for collector current. When using a biased transistor as an amplifier, the gm&times;VBE expression is frequently used.