Terror Squad

Fat Joe Songs: His Best From “Lean Back” To “What’s Luv?”

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Fat Joe’s imprint on Hip Hop is unmatched. His rise arrived next to the late-great Big Pun, and the pair became formidable forces in the industry. Following Pun’s untimely passing, Joey Crack did his best to honor his friend’s memory while continuing to become one of Hip Hop’s elite. The award-winning hitmaker has done just that.

In the early 2000s, Terror Squad was a force to be reckoned with Joe at the helm. Often, we’ve seen Joe with his best friend and hitmaking partner Remy Ma collide on a track. However, she is one of many collaborators of Joe’s that have joined him at the top of the charts. While many of today’s artists shun away from certain contemporaries, Joe often works with creatives from around the globe. Whether they’re from his stomping grounds of the Bronx (like Cardi B), making hits in the South (with the likes of Rick Ross), or grooving in the West (with Ty Dolla $ign), Joe isn’t afraid to link in the studio.

Throughout the years, Fat Joe has proven to be in the conversation as a great emcee. Undoubtedly, he’s one of the greatest rappers to come out of New York. Let’s look at some of his best work.

13. “Pullin” With Dre & Lil Wayne (2019)

Fat Joe makes a good rap record on “Pullin’.” It’s neither a club record nor a song for the ladies. On “Pullin,” Crack wasn’t going for a commercial hit. He taps Lil Wayne and his long-time collaborator, Dre, for features. Wayne and Crack link up again as they have appeared on the same track together plenty of times.

12. “Money Showers” With Remy Ma ft. Ty Dolla $ign (2017)

“Money Showers” might be part two to “Make It Rain.” He even uses a popular line, “I make it rain on them h***,” from the 2006 hit in “Money Showers.” Both songs are indeed meant for the strip club. The music video for “Money Showers” takes place in a club as it is influenced by the 1998 movie, The Players Club.

Instead of a heavy rap club record, Fat Joe opts to go for a smooth, subtle Hip Hop-R&B blend. Remy Ma’s aggressive flow complements this peaceful production. Joe taps into the new school R&B by linking up with Ty Dolla $ign. This gives the typical Fat Joe-Remy Ma collaboration a modern sound. 

11. “John Blaze” ft. Nas, Big Pun, Jadakiss, & Raekwon (1998)

“John Blaze” is one of the best “posse cuts” in Hip Hop history. Some of the best lyricists we have ever come across come together on this track. Jadakiss, Raekwon, Nas, and Big Pun took turns on “John Blaze.” Including Fat Joe, it’s hard to decide who had the best verse. Many will go with Pun, but you can’t go wrong with any of the five heavy hitters.

10. “Yes” With Cardi B & Anuel AA (2019)

Fat Joe taps into his Latin roots on “YES.” Whether he collaborates with Latin artists or shouts his culture out on a song, the Bronx native makes sure to represent. He gets help from Cardi B and Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA. “YES” has a Latin feel to it as Fat Joe samples a salsa song to loop throughout the track. It’s another track for the ladies, unlike “Another Round” or “I Won’t Tell.” It’s more of a strip club record like “Make It Rain.” What better way to make a club anthem than to have a former stripper on the track?

9. “So Excited” ft. Dre (2017)

If you heard “So Excited” and “Attention,” you may get the same feeling from both songs. And it’s not just because Dre is on both tracks. Fat Joe keeps the energy fun and light with “So Excited.” It’s another bop for Crack as he adds one more party record to his catalog. His ability to appeal to all audiences should not go unnoticed.

8. “Attention” With Chris Brown & Dre (2018)

“Attention” feels just like “Sunshine (The Light).” Instead, it’s an original song, as Crack grabbed Chris Brown and Dre for this one. Fat Joe has a knack for making records that feel like the summertime. It seems as if Scott Storch is his go-to producer for his hit records. This is the third time they have linked up and been successful.

7. “Sunshine (The Light)” With Amorphous & DJ Khaled (2021)

Fat Joe has a knack for making songs to dance to. What’s interesting about “Sunshine (The Light)” is how it came about. DJ Amorphous is known for creating mixes of different artists’ songs. His mashup of Rihanna and Luther Vandross caught the attention of Fat Joe and DJ Khaled. Amorphous combined Vandross’s “Never Too Much” with Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better.” Fat Joe’s smooth flow is perfect for this sound. The title of the song perfectly describes the feeling of this tune.

6. “Another Round” ft. Chris Brown (2011)

”Another Round” is one for the ladies. However, this one is a bit more intimate as Fat Joe taps Chris Brown to make a slow jam. Not to be compared to the similar sounds of the 90s, “Another Round” is more modern. The sound feels R&B, but the drums make it Hip Hop. ”Another Round” is an example of Fat Joe taking a page from Big Pun or the Notorious B.I.G.’s book.

5. “I Won’t Tell” ft. J. Holiday (2008)

For this track, Fat Joe calls on J. Holiday to create “I Won’t Tell.” This was another hit for Joe as it landed in the Top 40. He also has a knack for collaborating with artists while they’re hot. First Lil Wayne, now J. Holiday. ”I Won’t Tell” was Fat Joe’s lead single for his album, The Elephant in the Room. Many believe it was solely for radio, but nonetheless, it is another hit in Joe’s catalog.

4. “All The Way Up” With Remy Ma ft. French Montana, Infrared (2016)

Decades later and Crack is still making hits. Grammy-nominated hits, that is. ”All The Way Up” was one of the best songs in 2016. It was nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. The hit song even got the attention of arguably the greatest rapper of all time, Jay-Z. To everyone’s surprise, he was on the official remix. Hov’s presence on the record gives it more of a New York feel. First “Lean Back” and now “All The Way Up,” it’s safe to say Fat Joe knows how to make a song for the Big Apple.

3. “What’s Luv” ft. Ashanti (2002)

Fat Joe makes a song the ladies can enjoy on “What’s Luv?” Ashanti elevates the song with her catchy chorus. Their chemistry on this track makes you wonder why this is their only track together. Fat Joe gets his first Top 10 with “What’s Luv?” while also creating another memorable moment for Hip Hop in the 2000s. 

2. “Make It Rain” ft. Lil Wayne (2006)

The North and South collide on “Make It Rain.” Fat Joe taps Lil Wayne for this Grammy-nominated hit. It was up for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2008. ”Make It Rain” was so popular that it called for a remix. Birdman, Rick Ross, R. Kelly, Ace Mac, and T.I. all joined Fat Joe and Wayne for the updated version.

1. “Lean Back” – Terror Squad ft. Fat Joe & Remy Ma (2004)

Fat Joe and Remy Ma joined the Terror Squad and created a dance craze with “Lean Back.” Now, it wasn’t the most complex move ever, but it sure was popular. Whenever Fat Joe said, “Do the rockaway, now lean back, lean back…” people of all ages did just that. ”Lean Back” is arguably one of the best songs of the 2000s. Any time you can create a great song with a popular dance craze is a success. The 2004 hit is a huge party record, giving Fat Joe another No. 1 hit.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Big Pun’s Debut Album ‘Capital Punishment’ Turns 25 Years Old!

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A quarter of a century ago, Christopher Rios, aka Big Punisher, put out his first LP, Capital Punishment, on Loud Records.

Released by Fat Joe and the Terror Squad on Loud Records, Pun’s highly anticipated album showcased Pun’s unequaled lyrical ability, comedic punchlines, and ever-evolving style that his son Chris Rivers has inherited from his pops.

Album highlights include joints like “You Ain’t A Killer,” “Super Lyrical,” featuring The Roots’ Black Thought, and the platinum-selling album that propelled the album to a million sales, “Still Not A Player.”

Salute to Fat Joe, the Rios family, the Terror Squad, and the entire Loud staff for this classic!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Big Pun’s Debut Album ‘Capital Punishment’ Turns 25 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Tony Yayo Reveals G-Unit’s “Realest” Beef

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If there’s any one rapper who mastered the art of beef, it’s 50 Cent. Songs like “How To Rob” helped propel him to infamy. He name-dropped every rapper possible while detailing exactly how he’d stick them up. His marketing strategy evolved over time. Still, the feuds he involved himself in became the furthest thing from a publicity stunt. His issues with Ja Rule and Murder Inc. stem from street politics. But, according to Tony Yayo, that wasn’t necessarily the most dangerous feud G-Unit was involved in.

Pistol Pete of Terror Squad took to the ‘Gram this week where he shared a joyous video of himself alongside Tony Yayo and “Whoopty” rapper CJ. Yayo had nothing but praise for Terror Squad, too. “Yo, the realest beef was with Terror Squad,” Tony Yayo said. “He was a real n***a, I gotta give it up. The realest beef was with Fat Joe and them. We outside.” Pete responded, “Tony Yayo, we fuck with you, though. We out here in the trenches, n***a. We out here, fuck all that.”

G-Unit Vs. Terror Squad

Things have undoubtedly died down between Fat Joe and 50 Cent, who have been good buddies in recent years. But, as Tony Yayo mentioned, that wasn’t always the case. Fif took issue with Terror Squad after Fat Joe worked alongside 50’s arch-nemesis, Ja Rule. At this point, the feud escalated and nearly turned violent backstage at the 2005 VMAs. Even though Fat Joe and 50 Cent continued to trade shots with one another on various records, the “In Da Club” rapper recently admitted that it was one of his biggest regrets.

“If anybody went next to Ja Rule, I’d jump on the person who featured with them, anybody who was faintly near them, ’cause I put him on life support and you wanna go resuscitate him…So that energy, later you look at it and you go, ‘I was buggin,’” he told Rolling Stone. “Fat Joe, his issues, I would see him a little uncomfortable with the success I was having, and I interpreted as, ‘He doesn’t like me,’ when he’s really the kind of guy you want to be friends with because he’s loyal to a default.” Check out Pistol Pete’s video above. 

[WATCH] Tony Yayo Says The Realest Beef Was With Fat Joe And Terror Squad

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Yesterday, famed street legend and Terror Squad member PistolPete linked up with G-Unit lieutenant Tony Yayo in the streets of NYC, giving props to each other— gangster to gangster.

With the rest of the G-Unit soldiers sporting TS baseball caps, Yayo recounts the 2006 beef with the BX-based crew headed by Fat Joe.

“Yo, the realest beef was with Terror Squad,” Tony Yayo said. “He was a real n-gga, I gotta give it up. The realest beef was with Fat Joe and them. We outside.” Pistol Pete resplied, “Tony Yayo, we fuck with you, though. We out here in the trenches, n-gga. We out here, fuck all that. We out here together, n-gga, a bunch of real n-ggas.”

The post [WATCH] Tony Yayo Says The Realest Beef Was With Fat Joe And Terror Squad appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip Hop History: Big Pun’s Posthumous Sophomore LP ‘Yeeeah Baby’ Dropped 23 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 23 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: The Source Magazine Remembers the Legacy of Big Pun 23 Years Later

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On this date in 2000, the Hip Hop community was both shocked and saddened by the untimely death of lyrical giant Christopher “Big Pun” Rios. As the premiere artist for Fat Joe’s Terror Squad, Pun became the first Latino Hip Hop artist to go platinum and discovered TS’ First Lady, Remy Ma.

Pun is regarded as one of the game’s best lyricists to ever do it, or as he is aptly described, one of the best “dead or alive”. His only two full-length releases, Capital Punishment and Yeeahhh Baby, are considered classic albums among true Hip Hop aficionados and continue to get radio play on his smash singles “I’m Not A Player” and the posthumous “It’s So Hard”.

Rest In Peace to Pun and sincere condolences to the Rios family from the entire Mind Squad.

#RIPBIGPUN

The post Today In Hip Hop History: The Source Magazine Remembers the Legacy of Big Pun 23 Years Later appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Big Pun Dropped His Debut Album ‘Capital Punishment’ 24 Years Ago

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24 years ago on this date, Christopher Rios aka Big Punisher put out his first LP, Capital Punishment, on Loud Records.

Released by Fat Joe and the Terror Squad on Loud Records, Pun’s highly anticipated album showcased Pun’s unequaled lyrical ability, comedic punchlines, and his ever-evolving style that his son Chris Rivers has inherited from his pops.

Album highlights include joints like “You Ain’t A Killer”, “Super Lyrical” featuring The Roots’ Black Thought, and the platinum-selling album that propelled the album to a million sales, “Still Not A Player”.

Salute to Fat Joe, the Rios family, the Terror Squad and the entire Loud staff for this classic!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Big Pun Dropped His Debut Album ‘Capital Punishment’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip Hop History: Big Pun’s Posthumous Sophomore Lp ‘Yeeeah Baby’ Dropped 22 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 22 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Fat Joe Praises Tina Turner, Terror Squad During Tiny Desk Concert

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NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert done the Don Joey Crack way looks a bit different from the other bespoke office concerts. With a camera trailing behind him, Fat Joe enters the premises where his Terror Squad is in ready position, spitting “I stand alone in this cold world” — the first verse from his 2001 origin story track, “My Lifestyle.”

“What’s good, Tiny Desk?” Joe said, flanked in a denim Louis Vuitton bucket hat, baby blue aviators, and a Barbie-pink leather jacket. Against a backdrop of designer sneakers encased in glass, the Bronx emcee ran through some of his biggest in his 30-year career, including his monumental Song of the 2002 Summer, “What’s Luv?” Vocalist Angelica Vila expertly handled the Ashanti parts and the salsa dancing parts, matching the Don in a long hot-pink blazer.

“Luv” ripped into the undulating “Lean Back” — where the tiny desk was, predictably, leaned on — and then Joe’s new single, “Sunshine (The Light).” The new track uses a Heaven-sent mashup by DJ Amorphous, of Rihanna’s 2016 song “Kiss It Better” and Luther Vandross’ 1981 song “Never Too Much.”

“I love you Luther,” Joe said, pausing for a reflective moment before performing his Terror Squad anthem, “All the Way Up.” Having released his first new single since 2019, the 50-year-old rapper contemplated the difficulty of staying both authentic and fresh in the music industry.

“I tell ’em all the time — that your darkest moments bring you the most clarity. It’s hard to start from nothing, make something of yourself, and have ’em rip it all away, start back from scratch … Who’s gonna come back, 40-years-old as a rapper? Well shit, Tina Turner did it at 48. Terror Squad means loyalty, trust, respect, and honor. Most of all, we never give up.”

Look: Remy Ma Shares Rare 2002 Pic + Promises She’s Motivated – “This The Zone I’m In Right Now”

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Terror Squad’s Remy Ma is back on her music grind. The hip-hop veteran has shared a throwback pic to her 2002 days and promised her hunger is as big as ever.

The post Look: Remy Ma Shares Rare 2002 Pic + Promises She’s Motivated – “This The Zone I’m In Right Now” appeared first on SOHH.com.