Fat Joe has credited Killer Mike with inspiring him to come out of retirement.
In mid-December, the hip-hop icon dropped The World Changed On Me, his first solo album in 15 years.
Reflecting on the decision to make music again during an interview for Billboard published on Tuesday, Joe explained that he was influenced to get back to the studio after seeing Killer Mike win three Grammy Awards at the 2024 ceremony for his sixth album, Michael.
“He’s the guy who inspired,” Joe said of the Run the Jewels star, real name Michael Render. “I retired. I was gone. I had an infamous phone call with Eminem, where he was trying to talk me into not retiring. ‘Joe, we need you. You’re one of us.’ I was super done, but I got back outside because of Killer Mike. The man won that Grammy.”
The World Changed On Me includes appearances from the likes of Babyface and Anitta.
And the Lean Back hitmaker, real name Joseph Cartagena, emphasised that he hopes the project will be recognised during awards season.
“When I seen it, I called (Dr) Dre, I was like, ‘Yo. It’s possible. Let’s get back in the kitchen and cook.’ So, he inspired me to come out of retirement,” the 54-year-old continued.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Joe divulged that he hasn’t yet landed one of his dream guests for his STARZ chat show, Fat Joe Talks.
The TV show host noted that he has wanted to speak with former U.S. President Barack Obama ever since he won the 2008 election.
“I know what it felt like for me when he did his acceptance speech. The first time he won, he did that speech in Chicago. It was like millions and millions of people out there. I felt so proud,” he recalled. “I could not believe it.”
