Following the release of his 10th solo album The Darkside, Vol. 1, Fat Joe has spent the better part of 2011 finishing up the follow-up The Darkside, Vol. 2, his first official mixtape out October 31. With guest appearances from Raekwon, Jadakiss, and French Montana, Joe returns to his hardcore hip-hop roots after 2009’s more commercially-minded Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), enlisting Cool & Dre and Macho as executive producers and handing the bulk of production over to fledgling producer Mark Henry.
But the Bronx rapper, who recently shed nearly 100 pounds, hasn’t completely abandoned his mainstream aspirations, having just released the slow, R&B-laced “Another Round” with Chris Brown. While no release date has been set for Joe’s upcoming album of the same name, his confluence of street, club, and bedroom hip-hop has allowed him to remain popular long after other rappers his age have faded from the scene.
Rap-Up.com spoke with Joey Crack about his support for Chris Brown, keeping in touch with Ja Rule, opening weight loss clinics, and why, regardless of his size, he will always be Fat Joe.
When it comes to Jennifer Lopez, there’s one question that longtime friend and collaborator Fat Joe gets all the time.
People always be like, “Yo, what that ass look like?,” the “Lean Back” rapper told Rap-Up.com. “I’m like, ‘My man, I can’t look at her. I’d be embarrassed to be looking.’” But when the newly single J.Lo brought out Joe during a show at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun over the weekend, even he admitted to finally copping a quick peek.
Jennifer Lopez linked up with Fat Joe, who’s looking less “fat” these days, during her concert for Mohegan Sun’s 15th anniversary in Uncasville, Connecticut. The old pals performed “Feelin’ So Good” off J.Lo’s 1999 debut On the 6, which also featured the late Big Pun.
“@joeycrackts just killed @mohegansun with me tonight!!!” tweeted J.Lo, while Joe added, “My sister @JLo and me great Times!!!!!!!”
Unfortunately, the recently incarcerated Ja Rule wasn’t able to join the celebration, but J.Lo still performed their classic remix to “I’m Real.”
Fat Joe sheds some pounds and returns with “Another Round,” his new single featuring Chris Brown. Joey Crack shouts out some sexy ladies including Janet Jackson, Kim Kardashian, and Chris’ ex Rihanna (“She like it kinky”) on the smooth joint, which samples ’80s R&B group Troop’s “I Will Always Love You.”
Pharrell continued the nationwide rollout of his Qream liqueur with a sexy soirée in Miami on Thursday night (July 28). The music impresario flew down south to launch the vodka-based, lactose-friendly cream with some help from his pals including Trina, Fat Joe, hitmakers Jim Jonsin and Rico Love, and Q-Tip, who DJ’d the event.
In an interview with Rap-Up TV, Skateboard P explained how he came up with the concept. “I looked at the market, I looked at the holes out there and it felt like indulgence and women were the two things that were being neglected,” he said. “So what I decided to do was design a drink that made sense for women that everybody could enjoy, but women knew it was for them.”
Pour over more pics from the sweet celebration below.
While most of their counterparts were celebrating the Fourth of July with barbecues and fireworks at home, Chris Brown, Ciara, Lil’ Kim, and Fat Joe were overseas setting off their own sparks onstage. The U.S. stars brought their worldwide hits to Luanda’s Cidadela stadium for the “Festival Unitel 10 anos Contigo” in Angola, Africa.
Chris thrilled his international fans with songs off his latest album F.A.M.E., Ciara had the crowd transfixed with her bangin’ body and moves, Lil’ Kim stormed the stage with her fiery mixtape material, and a slim Fat Joe performed hits such as “What’s Luv?”
You won’t have to trek across the world to check out some of the fan-filmed footage below.
Fat Joe launches a lyrical assault on “Drop a Body,” his new street record produced by Mark Henry. “Toast champagne, celebrate that we livin’/ And if you disagree, a thousand shots is what I’m givin’,” raps Joey Crack over the old school sample. Did he bury the track alive? Listen below.
Hip-hop and R&B’s brightest stars traveled Down Under for the first date of Supafest 2011, Australia’s largest urban music festival. “Pretty Girl” Keri Hilson lit up the stage in a studded denim jacket, black bra, and cutoff shorts while performing material from her No Boys Allowed album live for the first time at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.
Ciara wowed thousands of festivalgoers with her well-choreographed moves and tight abs as she and her troupe of dancers worked up a sweat onstage. Hip-hop hunks Nelly and Bow Wow had the ladies swooning, the latter repping for his crew in a white YMCMB T-shirt.
Timbaland pulled out of the gig at the last minute, but Game, T-Pain, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Taio Cruz, and the New Boyz made up for his absence with their lively sets. Snoop Dogg brought the West Coast to the land of Oz, closing out his performance by sharing the stage with Bow Wow on the classic “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”
The four-date festival will also play Perth, Brisbane, and Melbourne, and is expected to attract over 100,000 music fans. Check out all the action below.
