 |
MTV: The "Piggy Bank" record, when you first heard it what did you think?
Fat Joe: Dr. Dre called me, said "I respect you." I'm cool with Ja Rule— Ja Rule's my family, Irv [Gotti] and them are my family, they great people. But they never once included me with their beef with 50 Cent. Never once did they tell us, "Let's go get him." So I explained that to [Dre], "I don't have a problem with homeboy. It's not like we can rock with each other, because I'm cool with [Murder Inc.]. But I don't have a problem with [50]." I never used battle rap as a promotional tool. I like to make hits that everyone can enjoy and love. We seen what happened with Biggie and Tupac, where this can end up.
 |
|
|
|
|
"If you got a problem with me, all you got to do is pick up the phone and say, 'I got a problem with you.'"
|
|
MTV: But what was your initial reaction once you actually heard "Piggy Bank"?
Fat Joe: I hear the record, and of course I'm pissed because no one's ever disrespected Fat Joe, ever! So I'm like, this is truly crazy. I'm not into battle rap, I'm not into WWF. To me that's WWF, when you rapping about a guy and you on the radio. If you got a problem with me, all you got to do is pick up the phone and say, "I got a problem with you." Either we can fix it or you can tell me where to meet you and we can fight. Very simple, Fat Joe is known to square off with guys one-on-one, no problem.
MTV: If you're not into battle rap, why even respond?
Fat Joe: He's disrespected about 50,000 artists. I never heard an artist talk back to this dude. I'm a man, you can't disrespect me as a man. Are you serious? I got to defend myself as a man. Basically "Piggy Bank" is just to create hype, to create sales for this guy's career — I'm not with that. This is a stunt, man. This is a promotional stunt that I don't appreciate being a part of. Me and [50] got into a shouting match on the Kay Slay show [on New York's Hot 97 late last month], exactly what he wanted to do to promote his album. Exactly what I said I wasn't going to feed into, but somehow I fed into.
MTV: How dangerous can it get?
Fat Joe: Joe Crack's a more responsible artist who knows better than that. But what about the ignorant friends and fans? There's nothing cool about that. I try to avoid it or divert that situation. Unfortunately it's here, but it's a ugly situation right now. It makes us look ignorant as rappers; it makes people look down at us. Don't get it wrong: I'm a gangsta rapper, I'm a real dude, don't get it wrong for one second. I'm just saying that even I get caught up in the moment. What I'm saying is all of this out-of-control stuff is not really cool. I just need people to know I try to avoid situations [like the one] we have now.
MTV: A major part of the falling-out between 50 and Game stemmed from Game saying he wouldn't get into the "Piggy Bank" beef, and that he had no problems with you and Jadakiss.
Fat Joe: I appreciate Game. You can tell his album's real hot and you can tell he loves hip-hop. What did Game do other than say, "These are artists that I like, I enjoy their music"? I don't know Game like that, we don't talk. He just said, "I don't want problems with them brothers, man." Lloyd Banks don't want problems, Young Buck don't want problems, they just don't want to say they don't want problems. I've seen Lloyd Banks a million times and he looks at me like he's dying to say, "Hi, Fat Joe. I love your music, peace." Young Buck [came up to] me like, "I don't got no problem with you, dog. I love your music, Joe Crack. Peace, brother."
MTV: 50 Cent justifies his attacks on you and Jada as street etiquette. He says that you guys are from the streets and know you're not supposed to jump into the middle of a beef like his and Ja's.
Fat Joe: He attacks everyone. He's attacked Nas and his wife, he's attacked Jay-Z, he attacked Shyne — a brother who's locked up, a good brother who ain't bothering nobody. Of course Ja Rule, of course Jadakiss, of course Lil' Kim, of course R. Kelly. He's attacked everyone but himself. I heard him the other day on [New York's] Power 105 where he attacked Dre — how do you dis Dr. Dre, the greatest producer of all time? Now he's arguing with the Game. Who else is there to dis? There will be an Eminem dis sooner or later, guys. This dude's miserable. He's attacking the world. There's no justification.
MTV: You accused 50 of starting drama to boost his sales, but even 50 says drama doesn't boost record sales — great songs do. How do you feel about that?
Fat Joe: Very true. It gets very real. I just don't appreciate my name being thrown up in the mix.
|
|
