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SOURCE: blacknews.com
Rapper Fat Joe, who is from the Bronx, is once again defending his connection to Black culture and his use of the N-word. The Puerto Rican and Cuban rapper said he considers himself “the Blackest” while pointing to his upbringing and deep ties to the early days of hip-hop. According to Complex, the rapper discussed the issue during a recent appearance on “The Joe Budden Podcast.” Co-host Emanny asked whether Fat Joe believed he had ever been wrong about his long-standing claim that hip-hop is also part of his culture. Fat Joe quickly dismissed the question and explained that he grew up in Forest Houses, a public housing development in the Morrisania section of the Bronx.
He said his childhood placed him close to several people who helped build hip-hop in the early 1970s. He recalled seeing Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash around his neighborhood and said the girls who babysat him were also connected to the emerging music movement. He also remembered his brother carrying crates of vinyl records for Grandmaster Flash. Fat Joe said Melle Mel later backed him during an interview, saying, “Yo, Joey’s from here. I don’t know what y’all talking about.”
Fat Joe also addressed previous conversations about his racial identity. Referring to Joe Budden’s past comments about his relationship with Blackness, he made a strong statement about where he believes he stands. “Fat Joe is the Blackest n***a you ever seen in your life,” he said. His comments come after years of debate over his place in hip-hop and his relationship with Black culture.
The conversation follows earlier controversies over the same subject. In August 2022, Fat Joe said during an Instagram Live session that hip-hop started “half and half” between Latino and Black artists. The comment sparked criticism, but he stood by his position. In June 2023, he addressed the issue again on Talib Kweli’s podcast while defending his use of the N-word.
At the time, he said he had heard the word used toward him since he was a child and questioned why his use of it was viewed differently. He also emphasized his relationships with Black communities and said he has spent his career fighting for both Black and Latino people. His latest comments continue that explanation, with the rapper once again pointing to his Bronx upbringing and personal connections to early hip-hop figures.
