Fat Joe Interview (New Album, Working with DJ Premier day Guru died, etc.)

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2479/54/


With hip-hop being an overly competitive young man’s game, few hip-hop artists don the resume the Bronx born gangsta Fat Joe holds. Almost 20 years in the game, Fat Joe just released his 10th solo album via E1, “The Darkside Vol.1”.

A landmark release, Fat Joe spoke to us at Raptalk.net about his new album, working with DJ Premier on the day of Guru’s death and much more. Coming up from the Diggin’ in the Crates crew (D.I.T.C.) all the way to his 10th solo release now, we couldn’t have dreamed of hooking up with Fat Joe for an interview at a better or bigger time in his career.

Enjoy.

Read Full Interview:
http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2479/54/

[Lunatic]

Raptalk.net: What’s going on Fat Joe?

Fat Joe: What’s going on my brother?

Raptalk.Net: You’re with www.raptalk.net. How you doing bro?

Fat Joe: I’m alright my brother.

Raptalk.Net: “The Darkside Vol.1” album dropped July 27th. First off, congratulations on this being your 10th solo release. Not a lot of rappers get to make it to 10 albums.

Fat Joe: It’s been a hard fought mission. I’m glad I’m here and I’m glad “The Darkside” is the best work I’ve ever done. I put so much into this album. It is what it is.

Raptalk.Net: No doubt. We’re gonna’ talk extensively about it. Tell us about the title, “The Darkside.” What meaning does that hold?

Fat Joe: “The Darkside”, you gotta’ realize that I grew up in the Bronx. I come from real hip hop music, Diggin’ in the Crates crew, Terror Squad and so on. A lot of my fans and the blogs have told me “Joe we love you and will support you, but we want you to go back to Fat Joe the gangsta.” That’s what I did. I brought it back home and gave you that uncompromised, boom bap hip-hop.

Raptalk.Net: There is no doubt you did that. With that album title explanation, for those who haven’t heard it, would you describe the albums’ sound as a dark one?

Fat Joe: It would be considered dark but its fun as well. Darkside just means it’s me against the world man. Its uncompromised hip-hop, I don’t give a fuck music.

Raptalk.Net: The sound of this album differs quite a bit from your recent releases. The last album “J.O.S.E. 2” had a little more club music.

Fat Joe: That’s what the fans told me. They wanted Joey Crack to go back to day one. I found a way to balance it out. The first single “Slow Down” with Young Jeezy was crazy. That was a club banger but it’s a street club banger. And the second single I have Trey Songz on, produced by Cool & Dre which is really hot. The video debuted recently.  I’m making records with the theme of the Darkside.

Raptalk.Net There is a little bit of fun music, the video for “If It Ain’t about Money” with Trey Songz was recently released as you mentioned. I know you’ve been particularly excited about this record for a while, and it is the current single, so go ahead and tell our readers about it.

Fat Joe: You know Cool & Dre produced the track. It’s always an honor to work with somebody like Trey Songz. He’s one of the hottest R&B cats in the game and he’s from the streets as well. It was an honor. We made music that doesn’t sound like any other artist. I’m excited about that.

Raptalk.Net: Tell us about the video process. Where was it shot and what not?

Fat Joe: We shot the video in New York City the day after Summer Jam. We kept that vibe. We had a legendary performance; me, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Barrington Levy, Cam’Ron, Vado and others. Right after that performance, we shot the video the next day and it just turned out really well.

Raptalk.Net: You announced the album on MTV in January of 2010 and six months later and here we are at its release. That’s a quick turnaround, do you normally work that quickly or were you just so comfortable working on this album that the recording process went that smoothly?

Fat Joe: I put my heart into this album man. I didn’t go anywhere. I just stayed in the studio day and night working hard. I’m trying to be the best I can man. Hip-hop is very competitive. This album is like my nuclear bomb man.

Raptalk.Net: No doubt that hip-hop is very competitive. But with this being your 10th solo album, you’ve obviously remained ahead of the curb. What do you think it is about you that have allowed you to remain relevant for all these years?

Fat Joe: My love for hip-hop. It’s my determination, I never gave up and I always believed in myself. I have good people around me too. That’s pretty much why I’m still here.

Raptalk.Net: Tell a story about one of the particular collaborations on the album. And you do have plenty to choose from, as the album holds features from Young Jeezy, Trey Songz, The Clipse, Cam’Ron, Lil Wayne, Too $hort, R. Kelly and many more.

Fat Joe: Wow! (Laughs).

Raptalk.Net: (Laughs) I know, as soon as you hear someone else say that lineup out loud…

Fat Joe: (Laughs) Right my brother?

Raptalk.Net: (Laughs) it’s a crazy lineup, that’s for sure. And I haven’t even got into the production lineup, but that is up next.

Fat Joe: I’m blessed man. I’m really blessed to be able to work with those cats. They started a rumor that I was dead man. They said my career was dead. And then I come on my first single with Young Jeezy, the hottest rapper in the hood, the second single with Trey Songz, the hottest nigga in R&B, I wanna’ know what’s gonna’ happen when I’m alive.

Raptalk.net: Who said your career was dead?

Fat Joe: (laughs) Curtis! Him and his advocates.

Raptalk.net: (laughs) no doubt. As I promised, the production list is now and that’s phenomenal as well. We’re talking about DJ Premier, Street Runner, Scoop Deville, Cool & Dre, Just Blaze, Scram Jones and more. Tell a story about that one.

Fat Joe: You know it’s always an honor to work with all of those dudes, from Streetrunner, to Infamous, to Raw Uncut, and so on. I had to take it back to that pure hip-hop. Nobody does it purer than these guys man. I told the people I’m gonna’ make an album called “The Darkside”, well it better be dark and represent the Darkside. I got with the producers and they made some hot shit and we just rocked out.

Raptalk.net: DJ Premier didn’t produce on your last album, but did on the one before that. Talk about re-connecting with him for this record.

Fat Joe: That was an honor. He’s one of my favorite producers. I feel like he’s the purest producer ever in hip-hop. I feel like Gangstarr is the purest group in hip-hop history. To get a beat from him is an honor. I actually got this beat the day Guru had past. It’s a Premo beat, a somber and sad beat; and we almost did a tribute to Guru on it. It’s pretty much like a tribute to Guru.

Raptalk.Net: Do you have a favorite track on the album?

Fat Joe: It’s called “Valley of Death.” That’s my favorite track. Cool & Dre produced it. The way they flipped the beat was crazy and I was just talking that shit. I was talking on there like I crawled up out of a hole outta’ the dessert.

Raptalk.net: We’ve referred to the record as “The Darkside” but “Vol.1” is also apart of the title. Does that mean you’re already planning more installments to “The Darkside?”

Fat Joe: We already did the Intro to volume too. I’m hard at work on that.

Raptalk.Net: What do you like about working with E1? You’ve taken your last few records independently, and now it’s E1 this time around.

Fat Joe: They have a very strong radio and video crew. I respect them. I just feel like, to put it in a nutshell, if you give them a number one hit record, they could push it to be number one, and not every independent label or distributor can promise you that. That’s what I love about E1. If the music really is hot, they can push it to be number one.

Raptalk.net: One thing I’ve noticed about your last few records which have been independent is that the albums haven’t had an independent sound if you know what I mean. They haven’t sounded cheap or anything.

Fat Joe: (laughs) that’s right my brother. We spend money to make sure we have quality.

Raptalk.net: Exactly. You still have the major producers and guest appearances, and so on. Nobody can guess that your last 3-4 albums have been independent records.

Fat Joe: Not at all. That’s how we try to do it. We made the transition to independent but we made it seem like it’s all still major. It’s the same way, we kept going hard.

Raptalk.Net: That’s dope. How has the promo run been going? Are you hitting a tour anytime soon?

Fat Joe: We’re always doing shows everywhere. We’re independent baby; we work out of our own.

Raptalk.Net: One thing I want you to touch on before I let you go is the Big Pun “The Legacy” documentary that came out a few months ago. We just passed his death anniversary not too long ago. Do you want to share with us a story about Big Pun?

Fat Joe: (laughs) Big Pun was one of the funniest guys on earth. His charisma, his aura and his whole persona was phenomenal. He was a very funny dude. I shared many times with him that was hilarious.

Raptalk.Net: I like that. I really appreciate your time Fat Joe. I hope everyone goes and cops the album if they haven’t already. We continue to wish you the best of luck with “The Darkside Vol.1” and its success. It is in stores now as we’ve stressed. As your last words, tell the readers of www.raptalk.net what you have up next.

Fat Joe: “The Darkside Vol.1” is in stores right now. Look out for me when I come to your town. I need y’all to support that new album. If you love hip-hop, this is one you do not wanna’ miss.

[D-Nice]

Dope read fam, loving his new album.

[LONDON!!]

good interview, that album is gonna get copped

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Does Fat Joe have even ONE good song in his whole career?  I'm willing to sample it on youtube if he has... but definitely nothing I've heard has been good

[Leggy Hendrix]

Does Fat Joe have even ONE good song in his whole career?  I'm willing to sample it on youtube if he has... but definitely nothing I've heard has been good

you need to go back and listen to Jealous Ones Envy or Don Cartagena...both got some bangers on there...

or more recently That White from The Elephant In The Room, also a good track from a decent album

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Does Fat Joe have even ONE good song in his whole career?  I'm willing to sample it on youtube if he has... but definitely nothing I've heard has been good

you need to go back and listen to Jealous Ones Envy or Don Cartagena...both got some bangers on there...

or more recently That White from The Elephant In The Room, also a good track from a decent album

okay, name me one song off of either Jealous Ones Envy or Don Cartegena and I will go look it up and check it out

[Leggy Hendrix]

Does Fat Joe have even ONE good song in his whole career?  I'm willing to sample it on youtube if he has... but definitely nothing I've heard has been good

you need to go back and listen to Jealous Ones Envy or Don Cartagena...both got some bangers on there...

or more recently That White from The Elephant In The Room, also a good track from a decent album

okay, name me one song off of either Jealous Ones Envy or Don Cartegena and I will go look it up and check it out

Jealous Ones Envy-

Success
Fat Joes In Town
The Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)
Bronx Keeps Creating It

Don Cartagena-

The Crack Attack
My World
John Blaze
Dat Gangsta Shit
The Hidden Hand

[R1ZE]

Kind of an annoying interview lol, kept asking him to share a story but he never actually did.