Straight out of Long Beach, CA, Joey Fatts is the epitome of a rapper from the streets. He tells his story of being raised in the same neighborhood that was home to hip hop legends Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg on Ill Streets Blues. Similar to them, he is able to inspire and motivate with lyrics that detail the hard work, dedication, and heart necessary to make it out of the streets.
In recent news, Fatts suffered a great loss with the passing of A$AP Yams. Co-founder of A$AP Mob, Yams reached out to Fatts via Twitter and asked to manage him. His career quickly set sail, with Yams as more than a mentor, but a brother and best friend. Fatts credits him for everything he knows, as well as helping to get him out of streets. Nowadays, he has Yams with him everywhere he goes, as his face is tattooed on his right hand. Fatts is motivated now more than ever to carry out his legacy.
His latest project Ill Street Blues, cannot be boxed in as just a mixtape. This project is definitely album-quality, and perhaps unsurprisingly, as it was first set to be a commercial release. After some delay on its release, the self-produced 7-track offering features Curren$y and JSMN.
Fatts works with Spitta on "Same Shit," track number four, resulting in a dope collaboration. This track is all about the saying, "same shit, different day." Whether it’s getting money, getting girls or smoking weed, both artists keep it real. All BS aside, they keep their eyes on the prize, grinding everyday. With the friendship these two have in place, the collaboration was a favor for favor gesture-- Fatts also provided a hot beat for Curren$y’s “Cargo Planes,” set to be on his forthcoming album Pilot Talk 3.
Back to the beginning though, the “Intro” provides the framework for the next 6 tracks that follow. The track highlights specific moments from his childhood, starting off with a skit of his mother giving birth.
Family is a huge part of Joey’s life. As we enter into "How We Livin’," we get another skit, Joey in his natural habitat at his own house. “My mama asleep off that bottle, my pops wet off that shirt…” Joey details what his home life was like, and the struggles he faced when trying to provide for himself and his family. He paints a vivid picture of the situation, from "roaches in the kitchen," cooking up the work, and selling it.
Joey needs to grind even on a "Sunday." He knows he should be in church, but he also needs to stay up 7 days a week in order to make it. He makes it known how blessed he is to have come out of the streets, and points out the irony in his typical Sunday activities (no church, but he will fuck a bitch, shoot someone, and stay posted on the block).
The Joey Fatts' journey continues with "Late Night." This one takes us even deeper into Joey's mind, specifically the thoughts that roll through on late nights-- and in order to avoid those thoughts, or at least de-stress, he needs to smoke himself to sleep. It's nothing new for those struggling 24/7.
The project closes out with "All We’ve Got," which brings us full circle in Joey's journey. After taking us through his youth and come up, where back to present day, where the rapper is climbing to the top (and bringing his peoples with him).
Altogether, this project is solid, highlighting Joey’s drive and passion to make it. He delivers gritty rhymes and production, which details an inspiring story about a rapper coming from nothing. It may be a story we've heard before, but Joey makes sure to keep his sound his own. It's a nice warm-up for the debut album that is undoubtedly in the works, and we're sure he'll only get more polished as he progresses.