Fat Joe Doesn’t Think Kendrick Lamar Will Respond To Drake: “That’s Over”

Fat Joe is an industry legend. He’s been around for decades, beefed with some of the best rappers of all time, and lived to tell the tale. He knows a thing or two about beef protocol, which makes his remarks on the Drake versus Kendrick Lamar battle all the more insightful. The “Lean Back” rapper got on IG Live to discuss Drake’s AI-generated diss, and determine whether Lamar still has a fighting chance to win the battle. He had a mixed opinion on the former, but he made his stance clear on the latter. As far as he’s concerned, K. Dot has already lost.

Fat Joe made it clear that he doesn’t prefer one artist over the over in the battle. “I got no horse in this game,” he asserted. “I wish they would all get along.” He did, however, make it clear that he feels Drake came out on top. He pointed to the fact that Drake rattled off two diss tracks in the span of two weeks, while Lamar has failed to put out a proper response. “I don’t think Kendrick’s cooking up,” he admitted. “It didn’t take him three-four weeks. I think that’s over.” Joe’s comments are not unique among hip-hop insiders. Many are waiting on Lamar to come back, and fear that he won’t complete the battle that he effectively started with “Like That.”

Read More: Fat Joe Believes Diddy Is “The King Of Deception”

Fat Joe Believes That K. Dot Waited Too Long

Drake’s second diss, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” has been another major talking point. The rapper was forced to take the song down after 2Pac’s estate threatened legal action. The estate claimed that the 6 God’s antics were a “blatant abuse” of the late rapper’s legacy. Fat Joe was much more complimentive of what Drake did, and even went as far as to say it pushed the boundaries for rap beef. “I thought it was creative,” he noted. “Using the AI 2Pac, pushing the envelope.” Joe may be displaying a bit of bias in this instance, however.

The New York rapper bumped heads with 2Pac at the height of the West Coast-East Coast beef in the 1990s. During an interview with Cam Capone News, Joe went as far as to claim that he made a collab “diss” album with The Notorious B.I.G. The latter died before it could be completed. “We made a bunch of songs,” he recalled. “But it was like really disrespectful and hateful and so [Biggie] died and ‘Pac died. They might have burnt them sh*ts, to be honest with you, ’cause you know, it was distasteful after the fact.” Joe’s experience lends credence to his desire to see Drake and Lamar smooth things over.

Read More: Fat Joe Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rap Icon

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Kevin Durant Blasts Fat Joe For Claiming NBA Star “Almost Got Jumped” After Iconic Rucker Park Game

When you think of legendary moments in professional sports, let alone the NBA, what comes to mind? For many fans of the game, Kevin Durant’s unreal performance at the hallowed Rucker Park near Harlem, New York is one of them. The story goes that he dropped 66 points, which led his team to an unforgettable 99-93 victory. It went down during the 2011 lockout season and it will forever go down as one of the most unstoppable games that a professional has ever put on. The reason it is making waves nearly 13 years later is due to a retelling of the story by New York rap legend Fat Joe.

The longtime New York Knicks fan was a guest on Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart’s podcast, Roomates Show, according to HipHopDX. The current Knicks’ stars let him have the floor and Fat Joe wound up revealing a never before heard part of that game. “Kevin Durant scored like 82 points in the third quarter. He don’t like me telling this story. They chased him out the Rucker, like they wanted to beat him up. He whipped their a** so bad that they wanted to literally beat him up out there,” Joe said.

Read More: Boosie Badazz Issues Warning About Rap Beef: “The Truth Hurts”

Kevin Durant Tells Fat Joe To Check His “Facts”

However, KD almost immediately called out his supposed bluff on X, replying to the clip, “Another podcast lie. It was nothing but respect and love out there that night, didn’t feel unsafe for one second.” Joe stood his ground though, hilariously taunting him back, “I was there he knows I’m not lying 62 points in 3 quarters why was the game stopped it’s all love all i did was big him up ‘GREATEST STORY TELLER IN THE GAME.’” Whoever’s side you believe, we are just happy this moment exists in basketball lore.

What are your thoughts on Kevin Durant saying Fat Joe lied about the fight at Rucker Park? Who do you believe more and why? Is this one of the greatest basketball moments in the history of the sport? NBA game or not, is this one of the best performances ever? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kevin Durant and Fat Joe. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the worlds of music and sports.

Read More: Charlamagne Tha God Thinks Drake Is Ducking Kendrick Lamar’s Smoke For This Reason

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Fat Joe And Friends: A Night of Legendary Performances at the Apollo Theater

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Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater shook with excitement last week when Fat Joe, the Bronx native and rap heavyweight, curated an unforgettable showcase titled “Fat Joe And Friends.” The star-studded event brought together an array of Hip-Hop legends, R&B favorites, and legendary performers for an evening of pure musical magic.

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Fat Joe’s long-standing connection with the Apollo Theater added to the anticipation surrounding the event, with fans eager to witness history unfold on the historic stage. And indeed, the night did not disappoint.

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The lineup was nothing short of spectacular, with a roster of friends and collaborators joining Fat Joe on stage to deliver memorable performances. From the fierce presence of Lil Kim to the soulful melodies of Ashanti, each artist brought their unique flair to the stage, captivating the audience with their talent and energy.

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Remy Ma, Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Havoc, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, The LOX, and more graced the stage alongside Fat Joe, each adding their own distinct flavor to the mix. The Apollo Theater was transformed into a melting pot of musical excellence, with each artist leaving an indelible mark on the audience.

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The star power didn’t end there. Backstage, an impressive array of celebrities and industry heavyweights mingled, soaking in the communal vibes and celebrating the rich tapestry of Hip-Hop culture. Mary J. Blige, Carmelo Anthony, Keith Sweat, Papoose, Melle Mel, and others added to the aura of excitement and camaraderie that permeated the event.

The evening was made possible by D’USSE, who helped commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Terror Squad hit “Lean Back” in grand style. As the beats echoed through the Apollo Theater and the crowd roared with excitement, it was clear that “Fat Joe And Friends” had cemented its place as one of the best concerts of the year.

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The legacy of the Apollo Theater, coupled with the star-studded lineup and the infectious energy of the performers, created a night to remember—one that will undoubtedly be etched in the annals of music history.

For those who missed out on the action, the snapshots from the evening offer a glimpse into the magic that unfolded on stage, capturing the essence of a truly legendary concert experience.

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From Lil Kim’s fierce presence to Ashanti’s soulful melodies, Fat Joe And Friends at the Apollo Theater was a night of pure musical magic. Check out snapshots from the evening below, as Hip-Hop legends and R&B favorites came together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Lean Back” in grand style.

photo credit: Fernando Gonzalez/The Apollo

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The post Fat Joe And Friends: A Night of Legendary Performances at the Apollo Theater first appeared on The Source.

The post Fat Joe And Friends: A Night of Legendary Performances at the Apollo Theater appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Fat Joe Speaks Out About His Monumental “Fat Joe And Friends” Concert At NYC’s Apollo Theater

Fat Joe Shares That He's 'One Million Percent' Taking The COVID-19 Vaccine

After a week of the internet and attendees alike talking about the Apollo Theater show, “Fat Joe And Friends”, which was a 20th anniversary celebration of Fat Joe and the Terror Squad’s smash hit “Lean Bakc”, Joe Crack took to social media to talk about the once in a lifetime show that took place in what used to be his backyard and all of his friends that showed up and showed out to give fns in NYC a true Hip Hop and R&B show to remember.

Joe didn’t leave anyone out of his shout outs that came out to show love on stage, including Peter Gunz, who performed NYC anthem “Deja Vu”, Lil Kim and Mobb Deeps Havoc, who did their classic “Quiet Storm” remix and of course all of the hits that came from both the Dipset and State Property camps respectively. The Terror Squad made sure that he properly acknowledged one of the kings of R&B, Keith Sweat.

“You know, D-boys when we was in the street in ’88, we was playing Keith Sweat. We wasn’t playin’ nothing else,” stressed Joe. He went on to mention a plethora of notables who graced the show with their presence, “Carmelo Anthony on the right, Mary J. Blige and Lorena(Joe’s wife)and Angie Martinez and Chrssy(Jim Jones’ wife)…they was dumbin’ out up there..”

Joe went on to praise all of the artists involved with the celebration and even shouted out the fallen rappers from all eras that we lost in the past including Biggie, Tupac, Freaky Tah, Eazy-E, Big Pun, Big L, Prodigy, Heavy D, ODB and “all the giants in the crew.”

Joe hints that this may become an annual event, however, nothing ever beats the original.

The post [WATCH] Fat Joe Speaks Out About His Monumental “Fat Joe And Friends” Concert At NYC’s Apollo Theater first appeared on The Source.

The post [WATCH] Fat Joe Speaks Out About His Monumental “Fat Joe And Friends” Concert At NYC’s Apollo Theater appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip Hop History: Big Pun’s Posthumous Sophomore LP ‘Yeeeah Baby’ Dropped 24 Years Ago

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On this day in 2000, the first posthumous L.P. to be released by the first “Latin to go platinum” entitled Yeeeah Baby was released on the Loud/Terror Squad imprint.

Christopher “Big Pun” Rios passed away just shy of two months before his sophomore L.P.’s release and anticipated success, which came on the heels of his debut album, Capital Punishment. With appearances from the entire Terror Squad and executive production by the T.S. general Fat Joe, the 16-track album showed Pun’s acute diversity in his lyricism and approach to song-making, which yielded some of the most memorable songs of his career. The album took longer to record because of Pun’s extreme obesity since his breathing problems couldn’t permit him to spit his custom, rapid-fire flow freely.

Some of the L.P.’s favorites are the Puerto Rican anthem “100%” with Terror Squad crooner Tony Sunshine on the hook, “New York Giants” featuring M.O.P., “Ms. Martin,” an ode to his protege Remy Ma and the touching single “It’s So Hard” featuring Donnell Jones.

Salute to Big Pun, Pun Jr., and the entire Terror Squad for this remarkable piece of Hip Hop History!

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Big Pun’s Posthumous Sophomore LP ‘Yeeeah Baby’ Dropped 24 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Big Pun’s Posthumous Sophomore LP ‘Yeeeah Baby’ Dropped 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Fat Joe Still Hasn’t Made Money From The Platinum Album He Dropped Two Decades Ago

Fat Joe has had a great career. He’s scored massive hits in multiple decades, and is rightfully seen as an elder statesman of New York hip-hop. Unfortunately, his OG status hasn’t translated to proper payment. During a recent Instagram Live, Joe revealed that he still hasn’t been paid for the release of his seminal 2001 album J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy). It’s one thing if J.O.S.E. did poorly, but with over 2 million copies sold worldwide, the album is Joe’s biggest to date!

Fat Joe blamed the lack of payment on the record label, which he likened to a Ponzi scheme. He detailed how labels like Atlantic, who released J.O.S.E., trick artists by giving them advances and later claiming all of the profits. “They make the profits off the records,” he added. “They charge you whatever they spent on the video. It ain’t like we 50/50 partners, they pay half of the video we pay half of the video.” Fat Joe went as far as to call these industry practices “robbery.”

Read More: Fat Joe’s “Don Cartagena” Turns 25

Fat Joe Likens Record Deals To Ponzi Schemes

The fate of J.O.S.E. supports the rapper’s claims. The album went platinum in 2001 and spawned the hit single “What’s Luv” featuring JA RULE and Ashanti. “What’s Luv” peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and yet, two decades later, Fat Joe hasn’t seen any of the profits. In fact, he still owes the label money! “When I get my statement from the major label 20 years later, I still owe them money,” he said on IG Live.

Fat Joe has shunned label deals in the years since, and prefers to release music independently. He asserted that albums financed by his own Terror Squad label, and distributed through majors, result in much better paydays. “I put out an album independently on Empire and get distribution,” he added. “My album might sell 250 to 300,000 records, I make millions of dollars off of it.” Joe’s recent hits, including 2017’s “All The Way Up,” have been independent releases, which thankfully means he’s made the lion’s share of the profits.

Read More: Fat Joe Doesn’t Want His Kids To Be Rappers

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Fat Joe & Lil Kim Perform At The Apollo, Rap Diva Brings Out Signature Robot Moves: Watch

For the past few years, female rhymers have been holding things down in the hip-hop community, from big players like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B to rising stars such as Ice Spice and Sexyy Red. Before we met all of those artists, one woman was holding onto the title of the Queen of Rap – Lil Kim. The New York native pushed boundaries so that those coming after her would be free to express themselves fully and find success within the industry rather than be taken advantage of by executives.

Though she’s no longer rhyming as feverishly as we once heard her, Kim remains in the public eye and still knows a thing or two about performing. For instance, her dear friend Fat Joe tapped her to join him on stage at the Apollo Theater in New York City earlier this week, which she happily obliged. In the video below, the “Love Stick” hitmaker pulls out some of her signature dance moves, including the robotic motions she often goes viral for pulling out consistently over the years.

Read More: Fat Joe Says He’s Praying For Diddy Following House Raids

Fat Joe Surprises New York Crowd With Queen Bee Lil Kim

Kim’s fans are always happy to see her still in action, but critics still have much to say about the significant changes to her appearance over the years. “Personally, my heart hurts for this woman, and Black women in general when I see this video,” one Twitter/X user wrote, pulling out an old photo of Kim to compare to her notably whiter look in 2024. “We’re just lying to ourselves; the only thing I see is a Black woman in pain and nothing else,” they speculated. “I love when seasoned artists still have enthusiasm to perform,” someone else chimed in, praising both Joe and his friend.

Elsewhere in the Queen Bee’s world, Lil Kim’s been cozying up with a younger man who goes by Tayy Brown. It’s unclear what their current relationship status is, though we can tell the New York native has plenty of feelings. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news.

Read More: Who Is Lil Kim Dating? Tayy Brown Birthday Tribute Suggests Love Is In The Air

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Fat Joe Panel Leads Discussion With Vice President Kamala Harris on Criminal Justice Reform, Cannabis and Healthcare

Fat Joe Shares That He's 'One Million Percent' Taking The COVID-19 Vaccine

Bronx-raised rap icon Fat Joe just had a high-level meeting this past Friday with the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris! As TMZ reported, Joe “led a panel regarding criminal justice reform featuring Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and White House Director of the Office of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin,” where he expressed ideas and solutions for important issues in the country.

This seemed more than a photo op. Fat Joe met with VP Harris and spearheaded the conversation with other advocates of criminal justice reform, not to mention a few recipients of marijuana-related pardons. Joe had the Vice President’s audience for about an hour, and he reportedly contributed personal anecdotes from the pardoned in attendance.

TMZ was told Fat Joe expressed gratitude for how his Hip-Hop journey paved the way for a close relationship with the Veep, whom he met through Power To The Patients, his healthcare reform group. Did you know he had that? Joe has been busy in the public reform arena!

Now get this: the report also said Fat Joe could have a private chat with Kamala, and the two dished on transparency regarding healthcare prices and other issues that matter to Joe.

ICYMI, Joe also rapped with President Joe Biden, himself after the State of the Union address, which implies Joe was at the address. Both political parties were clamoring for Joe’s attention trying to score autographs and snap pics. Rightfully so, because Joe has been working the world of politics and advocacy like no other in the world of Hip-Hop, maybe he’s on to something. 

The post Fat Joe Panel Leads Discussion With Vice President Kamala Harris on Criminal Justice Reform, Cannabis and Healthcare first appeared on The Source.

The post Fat Joe Panel Leads Discussion With Vice President Kamala Harris on Criminal Justice Reform, Cannabis and Healthcare appeared first on The Source.

Fat Joe And Kamala Harris Got Into The Weeds About Marijuana Reform At A White House Event

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Vice President Kamala Harris is on a mission to make penalties for marijuana-related offenses less harsh, and she has now recruited Fat Joe to the cause.

On Friday, March 15, Harris hosted a discussion on the topic at the White House, and it featured Fat Joe and others. As the Associated Press notes, the rapper “moderated a subsequent closed-door discussion that included Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and individuals who received pardons for prior marijuana convictions.”

Harris said during the event, “I cannot emphasize enough that they [Department Of Health And Human Services and Department Of Justice] need to get to it as quickly as possible and we need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment. But this issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin,” she said during the public portion of the meeting. Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd. Not to mention patently unfair. So I’m sure DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] is working as quickly as possible and will continue to do so and we look forward to the product of their work.”

As NPR notes, Harris also said plainly, “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.”

Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, And Jill Scott Will Headline The 2024 Strength Of A Woman Festival

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Uproxx attended Mary J. Blige’s inaugural Strength Of A Woman Festival in 2022. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nominee explained how the event came to be, telling Uproxx, “It was something that just came to us — like, why don’t we do this? Because when we go to the Essence Festival, people are like, ‘I’m going to see Mary.’ So, we’re like, ‘Hmm, well, let me just get my own festival and have everyone come to that festival every year.’”

People will have another opportunity to see Blige at the 2024 Strength Of A Woman Festival And Summit presented by Queen of Hip-Hop Soul and Pepsi in partnership with Live Nation Urban.

“Good Morning NYC!” Blige captioned her Instagram announcement. “We’re proud to present the 2024 Strength Of A Woman Festival And Summit in partnership with @livenationurban. Our purpose is to empower, educate and elevate on May 10-12, Mother’s Day Weekend in New York, NY for the first time. I can’t wait to see you there!”

The 2024 musical lineup features 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Muni Long, Lola Brooke, and Funk Flex. As per the press release, the weekend will wrap “with a Gospel Brunch, hosted by Mary J. Blige, and Gospel Concert headlined by The Clark Sisters with Femme It Forward.” Pepsi will also bring food by local Black female restaurateurs to the fan experience through Pepsi Dig In—a platform designed to provide visibility, resources, and awareness to Black restaurateurs.

Pre-sale tickets are available now here, and the general sale is scheduled for Friday, March 8, at 10 a.m. ET.

“I’m so excited to bring our Strength Of A Woman Festival And Summit to my hometown, New York City, a place that has always been a huge source of inspiration for me,” Blige said in a statement. “Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build within my community is the reason I created this festival. I’m so grateful for all the support from our performers, attendees, and, of course, our partners, Live Nation Urban and Pepsi. Nobody does it like New York, so get ready.”

See the full day-by-day schedule below.

Strength Of A Woman Festival 2024 Lineup: Friday, May 10

Comedy show at The Apollo Theatre with performances by Tiffany Haddish, Don’t Call Me White Girl, and Paris Sashay; Jazz Concert at Blue Note Jazz Club with a performance by Robert Glasper

Strength Of A Woman Festival 2024 Lineup: Saturday, May 11

Strength Of A Woman Summit at The Glasshouse, hosted by Angie Martinez; Strength Of A Woman Concert at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with performances by Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Muni Long, Lola Brooke, and Funk Flex

Strength Of A Woman Festival 2024 Lineup: Sunday, May 12

Gospel Brunch at the Brooklyn Chophouse in Times Square, hosted by Mary J. Blige; Gospel Concert at Brooklyn Paramount with a performance by The Clark Sisters with Femme It Forward