Fat Joe Stands Up For Young Thug, Says He's Lied In "95%" Of His Songs

BYGabriel Bras Nevares927 Views
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2017 BET Experience - Pool Groove Sponsored by McDonald's - Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 23: Recording artist Fat Joe attends day one of the Pool Groove, sponsored by McDonald's, during the 2017 BET Experience at Gilbert Lindsey Plaza on June 23, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for BET)
The New York legend defended Thugger on CNN while addressing his lyrics being admitted as court evidence in his RICO case.

Young Thug and YSL's RICO case is obviously a big point of contention in the worlds of crime and hip-hop. On that last point, though, many MCs are concerned of the precedent this case could set, as the court will admit rap lyrics as evidence. Moreover, this debate centers around whether these artistic expressions should be taken as true, especially in an industry in which artists are rewarded for being more outlandish, "hard," and "real in the streets" than the last. A legend in hip-hop, Fat Joe, recently spoke to Gayle King on CNN about how much he and other rappers lie all the time in their music, and why this is a ridiculous conclusion to arrive to on behalf of the justice system.

"I’ve been rapping professionally for 30 years," Fat Joe began. "I’ve lied in almost 95 percent of my songs. I’m being honest. I write like I feel that day. I’m just being creative. You couldn’t build a jail high enough for the lyrics I’ve said on songs, which are all untrue. What I am is a family man, the person who gives back to my community all the time, opens businesses in my community.

Fat Joe's Appearance On CNN: Watch

"So the music would never amount to the actual person, Joseph Cartagena,” Fat Joe added. "What’s even more horrible is that the district attorneys, they know those lyrics ain’t real. They know that’s creativity. But if it helps their case, they’ll use it to put these guys in jail. And here, we’re having a fun show about it and discussion, but there really is six defendants in Atlanta who might spend the rest of their lives in jail for something that’s totally not true. This is very serious. This destroys families.

"This case right here is setting such a precedent in America," he concluded on a somber note. "Because they’ve used this before in up-and-coming, aspiring artists. They’ve never took a guy off the stage in the arena. You know, a number one artist that my daughter and all the kids look up to, and say, ‘No, you going on trial for this.’ It’s nasty work, it’s real nasty work." For more news and the latest updates on Young Thug, YSL, and Fat Joe, stay logged into HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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