 Raekwon | KRS-One  |
I know people might think I’m crazy—I think Bug Pun’s the best lyricist to ever touch the game.
To hear him tell it, Fat Joe belongs in the legends conversation. He may have a point—few MCs have been on the sort of sustained three-decades long run that he’s on. And he’s still making moves, as he prepares his ninth album, JOSE 2 (Terror Squad/Imperial), for release later this summer. VIBE hollered at the man once known as Fat Joe da Gangsta, 39, about his favorite music, what happened to New York City hip hop, and the legacy of his protégé, the late Big Punisher.
Are we gonna get JOSE 2 this summer?
Yeah, for sure. You’ll probably get it by the end of June. I’m gonna give you another single, too. I wanted to give the streets two looks before I drop the album. The first thing I dropped was the joint with me and Akon called “One.” And I got this joint with T-Pain called “Put You in the Game.” So I’m feeling great about that.
What’s it like working with Pain?
He’s the ringmaster, the hitmaster, this guy. Hits is contagious with that dude. And that’s the joint before the album comes out, so we’re gonna shoot a video to that soon.
So what’s your mind-set with this record?
I’m just trying to make big music. Like I woulda never called the new album JOSE 2, but it just felt so big. On Jealous Ones Still Envy (JOSE) [in 2001] we had “We Thuggin” and “What’s Love” and “My Lifestyle.” As I was making this album, the records just started feeling so big to me that I was just like, Wow. And then it just felt like, Yo, this is a JOSE album. It just felt so big. So, you know, I dared to call it JOSE 2.
What songs are gonna be big?
I love this song with me and Lil’ Kim called “Porn Star” that’s crazy on the album. I have a pepper tone called “Congratulations,” which is me, the artist C.A., and Rico Love. We did this joint together and it’s gonna be a Summer banger. I’m happy with the whole album. I think when people get it they’re gonna really love it. What I like to do is just…step my game up every time and have people say, Yo, this album is better than the last one. As long as I got that effect, then I’m still good.
Do you feel like people sleep on your catalog? How many rappers have that long of a track record for—what is it—14 or 15 years?
Yep. Yep. I mean, Busta Rhymes. I think Busta Rhymes is probably the only one. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe.
What’s the secret of your longevity?
The realest way to say it is I’m still hungry. And the fact that you write and live and sleep and drink hip hop all day, it ain’t ’til you’re doing a Fat Joe story that you really start thinking about, Damn, this nigga been here for so long. He’s so consistent. I’m trying to erase that. Like I’m trying to make it more than obvious to the whole world that Yo, this guy deserves to be a living legend of the game. An icon. Damn, he brought too much to the table. That’s what drives me and makes me hungrier.
What made you want to become a rapper?
What made me want to rap? Growing up in the Bronx. This is where hip hop was born. So I watched it go from disco to hip hop. My big brother used to carry the crates for Grandmaster Flash in the jam. He used to carry the records in there. So he would go to all the jams at Bronx River and all over. And he would always bring me a cassette of the battles that were goin’ on—the DJ battles and the rap battles. And ever since then I always wanted to rap.
You were how old then?
I was no older than 6, 7 years old.
What’s the best thing about your job?
There’s two things: there’s creating music, you know, and doing what I love to do. When people tell me, Yo Joe, your new song is crazy. I love that. When they come to me and say, Joe I really love your new album—that gets me high. It’s like smoking crack. The other aspect to it is performing. I love performing for the people. You know, I looked up to KRS-One and LL Cool J and Doug E. Fresh—real entertainers. So I love performing in front of the people. At the end of the day, like Kanye’s new record [sings] I got such a big ego. I like walking in the club and hearing my song ringing off crazy, and hearing people tell me, “Yo Crack, that new song is sick.” That’s what I love to hear.
Yeah. He always told me to step my game up. You know that’s my idol. To this day all I ever wanted to do was please him. As long as he loves my shit I’m happy. Every time I work in the studio I hope I make him happy.
That’s the original Bronx representer.
Yes indeed. [laughing]
Let’s talk about Big Pun for a second.
The late great.
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