Introducing Joeprah. That’s Fat Joe’s new nickname thanks to his brand new REVOLT series “The Fat Joe Show.” On the show, the recording artist turned media personality chops it up with some of your favs for dope conversation and good laughs. Get into it.
Right now, it seems people can’t get enough of Detroit. For numerous reasons, Motor City has been the topic of discussion and the world has been eating it up. So, of course, the now hip hop journalist Fat Joe found it to be the perfect time to make a virtual visit to the D to chat with rappers Royce da 5’9” and Big Sean on this week’s “The Fat Joe Show.”
In each artist’s one on one with Joe, they talked about their hometown and the legacy it holds, as well as its progress into the forefront of music. Royce spoke of his relationship with Eminem and Joe Budden, while Sean chatted about his relationship with Detroit’s living legend Street Lord Juan. Joe made it very clear in the beginning: “I don’t know why, I interview everybody, Sean. But, for some reason, I said I’m going to go into Detroit. I want to know about Big Sean.”
A champion for his home, the MC has made it his duty to give back in numerous ways. With his most recent album, Detroit 2, he managed to encompass the city’s energy while employing several creatives from Detroit to work on the album. He celebrated as much as possible and reconnected with the man who first believed in him, Street Lord Juan, upon his release from jail early September. “Street Lord Juan gave me the opportunity to record at his studios,” Sean explained. “Obviously he was one of the forefathers of the Detroit sound that you hear a lot in music, a lot when I was growing up. It was like he was one of the forefathers and in the streets, he was respected on a whole ‘nother level.” Sean described him as a superstar, but also a leader amongst leaders.
Sean says his music career started around 11 years old. However, it took years to build into what he is today. Upon graduating from high school in 2006, he chose music over a full-ride to college. It was then that the city’s icon gave him the keys to success. “It was four years when I was heavy on the grind and in those four years, Street Lord Juan really helped me and gave me a foundation and support system to get my music done, recorded, hooked me up with the right engineers that he had and just helped me.”
It was also during this time, he signed a deal with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music in 2007 and Def Jam in 2008, and his first album released in 2011. Sean even revealed his first advance was only $15,000. “That ain’t last four years,” Joe shockingly responded. “You gotta remember everybody I knew was in school and they would always hit me like, ‘Man what’s going on? What you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m still in the same crib that I grew up in. I’m still at my mama house,” he shared. “It was a moment where I didn’t know this was gon’ work out.”
A moment that came full circle, he shares he used money his grandmother saved to send him to college on studio sessions simply because he believed in himself. Fast forward to where Sean’s career finally took off, he was able to move his mother and grandmother into new homes with the money he earned making music.
Another hot topic both he and Royce touched on was the current state of Detroit rap. “It’s a continuation of what was going on back in the day, it’s just that the street side of things. The street rap wasn’t really getting the shine like it is now,” Royce stated. With artists like Sada Baby, Payroll, Kash Doll, Tee Grizzley, 42 Dugg, and more gaining recognition, it’s hard not to notice the city’s unique sound. “All of those guys pretty much grew up on the street rap that was going on when me and Em was doing our thing. It always existed.”
To hear more from two Detroit rap heavy-hitters, watch the full episode above!