Fat Joe sat down with WEDR 99.1FM Miami for the Florida station’s 99JAMZ Live event over the weekend.
During the conversation, the Terror Squad vet recalled snubbing Eminem, who was just a thirsty kid from Detroit trying to get his demo in the right hands at the time.
“Eminem out here in Miami, he gave me his demo like six different times,” Joe explains in the clip. “Everywhere I went was this little white boy, and he kept giving me his demo. He was like ‘listen to my music, I’m telling you I’m nice, I’m nice.’ I never really … I didn’t do it! Now, he’s the biggest guy in the universe.”
Of course, the rest is history. Slim Shady has sold over 230 million records sold globally, earning the title of one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Armed with 15 Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, an Academy Award (for Best Original for “Lose Yourself) and a MTV Europe Music Award for Global Icon Award, Em’s legend status is undeniably set in stone.
Elsewhere in the interview, Joe admits he had a similar experience with Rick Ross. He also explains how he was the one who took Pitbull to New York City to get signed.
Watch the full clip above.
Em would have been better in DITC
He would’ve remained underground and would not have gone mainstream though. He would not be as successful at all. Him linking with DRE and Jimmy Iovine was meant to happen. It worked out best for him, so salute. And to hell with Ray Benzino for still trying to play the kid. He earned every dollar in his pocket, how can anyone hate on that
Benzino didn’t dispute that, he is simply saying that because he’s is white he got the White Privilege Stimulus Package, which doesn’t mean you have to be the best or the most talented, he’s where he is at in part due to the pigment of his skin.
And he is wrong. In fact it held him back. I find it crazy that 20 years later its still this black and white shit. Its hip hop all are welcome.
Anybody who thinks white rappers had any sort of white privilege in the 90’s, obviously wasn’t old enough or alive then. first of all we didn’t have those pussy ass buzzwords back then, and 2nd of all…there is no white privilege in black culture. The world wasn’t always as soft as it is today, Hiphop had integrity back then, you needed to be dope to be respected…and Em was definitely respected in Hiphop back then. Bunch of soft ass children trying to rewrite history with today’s pussy mentality…fuck outta here with that shit
And when does success = quality?
Reckon Eminem’s life work would of been of a higher quality had he gone down that route. He’s a pop sellout and hasn’t made a consistently good album since The Marshall Mathers LP.
15 Grammy Awards? They just couldn’t wait to hand the awards to one of their own. 15? What the heck did he release to win 15 Grammys?
Well he had 3 albums that were polarizing as fuck no matter what way you look at it and was riding with dre where 1 Grammy came, he got 9 of them between 2000 and 2004 when he was at his peak. When you read what the Grammys are for it’s kind of hard to deny him.
Lol MALIK sounds like an inferiority complex you have there
Good thing that didn’t happen. Eminem on Terror Squad beats? No thanks.
“Will the real Slim Shady please lean back, lean back, lean back…”
Eminem was on the official remix of Lean Back. Lol just thought I would share that.
Yea and it was bad.
ehh it was decent. wasnt as good as the original version but wasnt horrible.
nearly as bad as is verse on that B.I.G joint
Fat Joe had better beats than Eminem had though lol
How many times does joe roll out this story? Either this one or the fact that Ja rule or 50 don’t get along. Tell you what joe why don’t you use the quality of your album to get some promo?
Haters wanna say Em ain’t ‘part of the culture’ but every damn interview and every fuckin washed up rapper gotta use Eminem to get views… That would tell me dude is most definitely part of the culture!!!
Facts!!
Fat Joe certainly doesn’t have the best ear or eye for talent. Mans essentially chose Pitbull over Eminem? Worked out for the best for Em tho because Em linked with Dre. I think I speak for everybody when I say how a rapper would rather work with Dre than Fat Joe. Nas was turned down by Russell Simmons before MC Serch got Nas that deal at Columbia. I rap myself and I know I’m just one co-sign and one push from a major artist away from “getting on”. Niggas wouldn’t even know who Cole is without that Jay Z co-sign or Roc Nation deal. Same with Mark Ronson putting Wale out there. Man, it’s so many rappers such as myself who still trying to get their shot to be heard around the world but, you got these stiff, gatekeeping, don’t-wanna-help-nobody, Fat Joe, Russell Simmons ass niggas keeping us at bay and struggling to be heard on a MASSIVE SCALE. That whole A&R shit is dead too. I could easily get a deal now if labels signed niggas with actual rapping talent and potential. Nowadays, you have to have a “hit” or some cheesy, corny ass “viral moment” à la “Cash Me Outside” girl. This is why Hip Hop been dead for over a decade man. Sales, popularity, and the ability to return a hefty profit done easily trumped and usurped actual rapping ability. Freddie Gibbs one of the hardest in the game but, guess what “lesser” emcee is more popular, famous, and making money than Gibbs- Cardi B, Travis Scott, and 21 Savage to name a few. I guess getting turned down and turned away is all a part of the game. Still wondering who gone take a chance on me the same way Dre did with Em, or Em did with 50. 50 was essentially blackballed from the game until Em and Dre stepped in. Ain’t nobody fucking with my music until I get that co-sign and push.
On one hand this well said on the other hand if you got what it takes no gatekeepers will stop you!!
What name do you use as an artist?
I think Dre is overrated in the sense that he uses ghost producers and such, but thankfully Eminem went to Dre and mother another label, because the classics made with Dre were definitely legendary. Lose yourself, my name is, til I collapse, ect… If he didn’t get with Dre, he likely wouldn’t have been all over with 50, and they made some tight music in the day.
Lose yourself and till i collapse was produced by eminem luis resto and bass brothers….dr dre did produce my name is this
one could argue that without being around dre he wouldnt master production skills to the point that he has,and probably wouldn t produce said hits
The whole “ghost producer” thing is way over stated. Dres beats stick out like a sore thumb and sometimes other producers (like Scott Storch) played keys or druns on a beat but Dre still mixed everything and mixing is the bulk of producing. And Dre mixing is literally second to none
Eminem is the goat. When white privilege and actually being intelligent collide.
Hey William, maybe Google average IQ by race
Can someone please stop asking these washed up rappers about Eminem? I don’t doubt they have nothing better to say but still stop riding off of someone else for attention. Clearly Fat Joe lacks taste and is arrogant. Why the hell didn’t he even give it a listen? Even for laughs & giggles? Because he’s an idiot who thought he was too good to. That’ll teach him.
Or…. because he probably was handed 30 demos a day. If Joe lacks taste why did he put on Big Pun, and why does he have a catalog of hits? Dumb fuck.
Fat joe
It was cause Em always handed it to him well Joe was in line for a hot dog. That’s why he passed