Fat Joe Confused by Current State of Rap Music

As one of the veteran voices in hip-hop, Fat Joe has never been one to hold back his opinions. In a recent interview with Complex, the "Lean Back" rapper expressed his confusion and bewilderment with the direction of today's rap music, particularly coming out of his hometown of New York.

"I encourage the youth and I love the youth, [but] I've sat in traffic and [heard the music] — I felt like they were playing devil music right next to me," Joe said. "I'm like, 'Yo, what the fuck? That's Hip Hop?!' They got some weird shit going on."

The Bronx native went on to contrast the current crop of rap stars with the golden age of hip-hop that he came up in, which included artists like Lauryn Hill, Biz Markie, Eric B. & Rakim, and Nas.

"Sometimes when I'm listening, especially in New York youth, I'm hearing the same shit, the same beats, and I'm numb. I'm like, 'Yo, this is crazy,'" he explained. "[Back in my day], if we had a love song, it'd be LL [Cool J] going, 'I need love / Sometimes I stare at the room, I hear my conscience call.' [Now], if you hear a love song, it's over the same beat and it's, 'I'll kill you! Fuck ya mother!' It's the same shit. I'm confused."

Fat Joe's comments echo similar sentiments expressed by other rap veterans like LL Cool J and Dr. Dre, who have also voiced their concerns about the current state of hip-hop. LL told The New York Times that he feels "songwriting" is missing from today's rap, while Dre admitted he doesn't like "a lot of that shit" that's popular now, even though he's not "hatin' on it."

As for whether Fat Joe will ever try his hand at the "sexy drill" sound that's taken over New York, the answer is a resounding no. "That's definitely not in the works," he said. "I got a love song with fucking Babyface."

It's clear that the old guard of hip-hop is struggling to fully embrace the new generation of rappers and their evolving styles. While they may not fully understand or connect with the current landscape, their perspectives offer a valuable historical context that shouldn't be dismissed. The debate over the state of rap music is sure to rage on.