Fat Joe |
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Fri. December 13.2002 2:23 PM EST |
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Fat Joe: From the Bronx to the Burbs (And Back)The MC comes clean about sneaker pimpin', staying true to the 'hood, and treating your sweetie nice. by C. Bottomley |
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Fat Joe (VH1.com) |
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It’s all good for Fat Joe. The rapper has just moved from his beloved Bronx to New Jersey, and he’s such a happy homeowner that he even rakes his own leaves. If you caught his episode of MTV Cribs, you know that from kitchen staff to shoe
But nightmares about the early days in the projects keep chasing after the MC. He told VH1 about how he’s repaying the debt to the block, how he survived as the only overweight break-dancing Spanish kid in his early rhyme battles, and how he learned lessons from KRS-One and Chazz Palminteri. Oh yeah, he's got a unique approach to proposing, too. VH1: In the early days, were you inspired by Latin rappers like Kid Frost? Fat Joe: Kid Frost is a legend, but I’m from the Bronx, so it’s in the blood. I used to put the pillows in the bed to make it look like I’m sleeping and sneak out of the house to go to the jams. I’d do graffiti on the trains, get chased by the cops, and break-dance in the train station on cardboard boxes. That is what growing up in the Bronx was about. Who’d of known that we was playing out history? We didn’t! VH1: You were in a break-dancing crew? Fat Joe: Yeah! TBR - The Breaker’s Revenge. You kidding me? I used to hit ‘em with the electric boogie, all of that. We’d perform at jams and train stations. I lived hip-hop out to the fullest. VH1: When did you first realize the power of a rap lyric? Fat Joe: The first lyric that ever touched deep into my brain was KRS-One. I had just hopped a train with my walkman on and I was listening to him rap: “Overseas people dyin’/ Politicians lyin’/ I’m tryin’ not to escape but hit the problem head on/ by bringin’ out the truth in the song.” I was like, “Wow! What the hell is this dude talking about?” That night I’m watching the news and seeing things going on in other parts of the world and I’m like “Yo, hip-hop music is very strong.” [Watch Clip] VH1: Did you ever take part in freestyle battles like America's now seeing in 8-Mile? Fat Joe: When I was battling it was worse than it was for Eminem. I was the fat Spanish white dude with blond hair thinkin’ I’m hip-hop in the middle of thirty black dudes! People didn’t take me seriously. They were like, “What does this Spanish dude know about rapping?” VH1: Why did you decide to move out to New Jersey? Fat Joe: I’ve been in this business ten years. I stayed in the Bronx for eight of those years, but I outgrew it. There were people knocking on the door all of the time, cars slowing up right in front of your house. So now I’m in Jersey. I like it. It was a real quiet neighborhood - ‘til Cribs came along! VH1: Are you the kind of guy who mows your own lawn and does your own supermarket shopping? Fat Joe: We’re regular people. So many times I go to a concert and I’m in the middle of the crowd thinking I’m just Joey from the Bronx and people are going crazy, like “Oh, Fat Joe!” I go to the supermarket, the post office. I was raking the leaves in the front of the house until I found out about the leaf blower. I’m one of those dudes - I haven’t caught up with technology yet! [Watch Clip] VH1: You’re something of a sneaker pimp. What’s the most expensive pair you’ve got? Fat Joe: I’ve been offered five grand for this pair of Air Jordans from the Barcelona Olympics with the No. 9 on them. I also got a lot of exclusive Nike Air Force Ones in different colors. I go on the computer and get them from Japan, the U.K. - all over. Air Force Ones are the most comfortable shoes. But when I come home at the end of the day, I put on little Snoopy slippers! They’re doofy puffy ones. VH1: You haven’t left the Bronx completely. You own a barbershop, clothing store, and have your own fashion line, FJ 560. Fat Joe: The businesses were a way I could employ my friends and let them earn their money instead of asking me for it. It’s also important for us to invest in our community. A lot of celebrities get rich and run away from their community and never come back. I’m in the Bronx all the time. I hate when people leave the Bronx and when they come back they get parades and stuff like that. You should be praised for being in your community on a regular basis and going to schools and talking to kids and opening up businesses. VH1: Does the businessman in you ever get in the way of the artist? Fat Joe: Man, it’s all about the money. I have nightmares with the big project building chasing me, and I’m like “Nooooo!” Everything is done to secure the future. When hip-hop doesn’t want Fat Joe and can’t relate to him no more and they think Fat Joe’s whack, I got money and my kid’s future will be secure. VH1: You rap a lot about gangster films on Loyalty. Which one is your favorite? Please don’t say Scarface. Fat Joe: My favorite gangster movie is A Bronx Tale, with Chazz Palminteri. It’s so educational, man! When Calogero was about to chase the guy that owed him $12, the Chazz Palminteri character said, “Think of it this way. You got rid of a guy that wasn’t really your friend for $12.” There were a lot of little scenes in that movie that were classic. It was almost like Curb Your Enthusiasm. This is stuff that goes on in our lives everyday, and it’s crazy. A Bronx Tale is the same thing for me. VH1: “All I Need” on Loyalty is a romance rap and god knows there’s too few of them. Fat Joe: Fat Joe has never done nothing like that. I figured I’d dedicate something to my wife. The first time I ever did it, people went crazy over it! She tried to act cool about it. But one day I jumped in her car because I had to go to the store, and when I turned on the car, the song came out blasting from the stereo. When she’s alone with her friends, she’s blasting that song! VH1: What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for her? Fat Joe: It was my wife’s birthday. I had my friends sneak into the house and put roses all over. They threw the rose petals all up the stairs and into the bedroom. I had the champagne stand there, and I did a little sexy dance for her with the radio going. That was a one shot deal; I’m not really romantic like that. When I got engaged, I didn’t get down on one knee. I was getting on the tour bus and gave her the rock and was like, “All right then!” She opened it up went, “Ah!” but I was already on the bus! I’m whack like that! VH1: When you came back from tour she might not have been there! Fat Joe: [Laughs.] Not with that iceberg! That ring had her leaning to the side like the Flintstones when they threw the rack of ribs on the car! [Watch Clip] For, news, bio, songs, CDs, and more go to the Fat Joe Artist A - Z pages. |
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