February 06, 2005 @ 3:17 pm

Fat Joe- Things of That Nature (Atlantic)

by: Toshitaka Kondo

When Fat Joe took exception to being left out of the “King of New York” battle raging between Nas and Jay-Z in 2001, it was easy to dismiss him as either being delusional or just plain hatin’.

When Fat Joe took exception to being left out of the “King of New York” battle raging between Nas and Jay-Z in 2001, it was easy to dismiss him as either being delusional or just plain hatin’. But when Mr. “Cook Coke Crack” attained platinum status with that year’s Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E), he proved that Terror Squad’s best chance for rap supremacy didn’t die with the great Big Pun. Using savvy MTV favorites like “What’s Luv?” featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule, and “We Thuggin’,” alongside R. Kelly, Joe catapulted himself onto hip hop’s A list. Now, with Jiggaman kinda, sorta retired and Nas beyond his glory days, Southern cats with gold grillz are running rap. Ironically, Joey Crack is one of the few MCs reppin’ the Rotten Apple hard. And despite the disappointing Loyalty, with Terror Squad’s True Story (which featured the gutter anthem “Lean Back”) Joe has become the face of New York hip hop. Eager to embrace his newfound responsibility, Things of That Nature may be Joe’s best work yet, with the Terror Squad commander in a supremely cocky but focused mindset. Joe may have never lacked confidence, but his on-mike ability rarely matched his boasts. With a flow that’s improved by leaps and bounds, however, his swagger over tracks is now quite noticeable. On the oldschool flavored “Here’s a Little Story,” Cool & Dre’s hypnotic xylophone hits and Neptunish synths are splattered with witticisms like, “I’m like baby boy’s step-papa / I’m in your kitchen butt-naked fixing eggs before the toast pop up.” Even forgotten female rappers feel the pain on Timbaland’s electronic boom–bap-driven “Get Up,” where Crack quips, “Ain’t gotta be a celebrity to get with me / Shit, I fuck bitches that look worse than Heather B.” Although the Bronx Bomber is charitable with the magic stick, his standards are much higher for beats. While previous efforts like Don Cartagena and J.O.S.E had a random, beat-by committee feel, Natureis more consistent, relying heavily on TS affiliated producers like Cool & Dre and DJ Khaled. Their rugged and dramatic sounds are perfect for the murder and mayhem that surrounds “Victim” and “Temptations Part I,” where the former finds Joe threatening fake gangsters over crashing cymbals and understated horns. Outside producers don’t disappoint either, as Just Blaze crafts another “Breathe”-like banger with “Safe to Say,” creating an apocalyptic atmosphere to accompany Joe’s bold proclamations that he’s “the sound of New York.” Nature does falter a bit when Joey Crack stops pounding the pavement. People were surprised when “Lean Back” hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, but his attempts to chart here seem a bit obvious and unoriginal. “Get It Popping” finds Nelly and Joe lacking chemistry and forming a pastiche rather than a smooth melding of their distinctive styles. And although the R. Kelly–assisted “Hot” isn’t horrible, it’s dull and lacks the power of “We Thuggin’.” Regardless, these mishaps don’t detract from what Joe has accomplished. Unlike most artists a decade deep into their careers, Joe’s skill level and relevance continue onward. In bringing some light back to New York, Fat Joe is a lyricist worthy of contending for New York City’s hot seat. And this time, he won’t be the only one speaking out on his behalf. Illustration by Asaf Hanuka

Article tags: Fat, Joe, Things, Nature, Atlantic 

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