Fat Joe has been thriving in his new career as a podcaster during the quarantine, but he has at least one rap luminary pushing him to step back into the booth to get some bars off. During the latest episode, as Fat Joe interviews rapper Big Sean about his new album Detroit 2, he reveals that another Motown rap icon called him recently to coax him out of his rap retirement: Eminem, who once sent Joe his demo tape six separate times.
After being told by Sean that he’s one of Eminem’s favorite rappers, Joe revealed that the “Rap God” has been chasing him down. ““You defy the odds and I think that’s a true testament to your character,” Sean told him. “I know that’s why Eminem is such a big fan of yours too ’cause I talked to Eminem and he said that you were one of his favorites.”
Joe replied, “That’s nuts to me, bro. That’s nuts. You know, Em called me last week — I don’t want to keep throwing his name around — but the man was trying to talk me out of retirement last week. This is all I ever wanted my whole life, for one of the rap gods like to call me and tell me, ‘Yo Joe, you nice. You need to get back in there.’”
In December last year, Joe released his Family Ties album — which, incidentally, features Eminem on the track “Lord Above” — saying during the promo run that he was thinking about walking away from the rap game. “I’m almost out of here,” he told CBS This Morning, ” I think I’m retiring. I think it’s time to give it up. I’ve got mad at all the other rappers who said that they’re retiring and they came back. I’m a strong advocate against that so I’m really… I’ve been flirting with it. I’m like 85 percent gone.”
Watch Fat Joe’s interview with Big Sean above.
