Fat Joe – Me, Myself & I

    Fat Joe has never
    had a problem creating popular music. But since the Bronx Bomber scored a
    platinum plaque for 2001’s Jealous Ones
    Still Envy
    , he’s watched a series of radio hits fail to convert his
    hit-making talent into landmark sales. After pushing through a highly-publicized
    beef with 50 Cent and a departure
    from his long-time label, Atlantic
    Records
    , Don Cartagena is once
    again aiming for platinum status with Me,
    Myself & I
    – his eighth solo album.

    Though he’s now an independent spitter working with Imperial/EMI, Fat Joe still holds a major label pedigree. He enlists New Orleans fireman Lil’
    Wayne
    and
    super-producer Scott Storch to
    assist his latest potential chart-topper, “Make It Rain.” With Storch’s stammering digital horns and Joe’s exaggerated Southern swagger, the
    Terror Squad leader is clearly
    looking for some down-home love. “No Drama (Clap & Revolve)” takes
    listeners down I-95 once again as Orlando’s
    The Runners re-hustle their
    signature opus of menacing organs and screwed hooks. Joe “switches to Southpaw” and changes his cadence, delivering
    slurred, sinister vocals to match the song’s dark setting.

    Catering to the industry’s dominant sound is a smart business move, but Joey Crack artistically peaks when he
    sticks to doing what he does best: rap fiercely and energetically over intense
    music. Staying true to his penchant for stout street raps and anthemic,
    horn-heavy production, Joe gets
    familiar on tracks like “Think About It” and the LV-produced “Damn.” Skillfully grabbing hold of the hyper horns and
    buzzing bass of the latter, he raps, “It’s
    survival out here/These niggas don’t even respect the Bible out here/It’s Pirus
    out here, Cuz and Kinks too/Death’s the only thing that summer gon’ bring you
    .”

    Ironically, the lows of Me,
    Myself & I
    also come when Crack
    plays a little too close to home. Despite showing growth through the gritty yet
    emotive “Bendicion Mami,” he’s excessively predictable on “Jealousy.” After
    bragging about his previous block exploits for so long, the heavy-set emcee actually
    spreads himself thin by not staying sharp over the funk-inspired beat. The same
    happens when Streetrunner provides a
    hard-hitting set-up for “She’s My Mama.” The soulful music and vocal sample are
    cheated by uninspiring tales about gaming hood chicks into a life of sex,
    drugs, and crack rocks to roll.

    Fat Joe doesn’t
    hold his weight on a few of the album’s songs, but he delivers enough strength
    to silence anyone who questions his place in Hip Hop. Some cynics claimed he
    couldn’t bounce back from a tough year of controversy and criticism. But with Me, Myself & I packing a trim yet
    still unadulterated serving of Cook Coke
    Crack
    , there’s little doubt that the Don
    still reigns supreme.

    Check out DX‘s interview with Fat Joe here

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