Split Infinitives

With the release of the excellent “Ha Ha (Slow Down Son)” a few weeks back, some friends and I got to thinking about how, without fail, Fat Joe can be relied on for at least one exceptional, and exceptionally banging record a year. Not necessarily the most lyrically engaging, or innovative. Joe is a yeoman MC. But his songs are tough-minded and immediately identifiable. Sometimes even shiver-worthy. Songs that sound great on Hot 97 after midnight. They come from his own albums, or in collaboration with Terror Squad, Big Pun, D.I.T.C., et al. They’re singles, and album cuts and remixes. And they permeate.

One or two songs a year doesn’t sound like much, but when you consider that Joseph Cartagena, who turns 40 in August, has been in the music business since first appearing on Ultimate Force’s “Oh Shit” in 1989, that amounts to a surprisingly long and deep discography. There are no pop hits in this compilation—sorry “We Thuggin’” fans. There are no Jennifer Lopez or Ashanti features, either. Instead there are 33 knocking records, traditional Bronx-born grit from the early days and his increasingly Southern oeuvre from the aughts. Despite never being a top shelf star, Joe always worked with a vast and impressive array of producers like Diamond D, DJ Premier, Just Blaze, Lil Jon, Ski, Cool & Dre, Showbiz, The Runners, and others. A surprising amount of the tracks here have been culled from his last few albums, especially the underrated All Or Nothing and Me, Myself & I. Together, this collection stands as a surprising testament to long-term consistency, hiding in plain sight. (If you’re wondering, Terror Squad’s “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” is my favorite.) Enjoy this.

Cooked Coke Crack: The Meanest Fat Joe Shit

Disc 1 (Download)

Christopher Walken: “King of N.Y.”

Fat Joe: “The Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)”

Ultimate Force feat. Fat Joe: “Oh Shit”

Ja Rule feat. Fat Joe & Jadakiss: “New York”

Fat Joe Da Gangsta: “Flow Joe”

Fat Joe: “Dat Gangsta Shit”

Fat Joe: “Take A Look At My Life”

DJ Khaled feat. T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman & Rick Ross: “I’m So Hood (Remix)”

Fat Joe: “Joey Don’t Do it (Hey Joe)”

Terror Squad: “Lean Back”

Fat Joe feat. Big Pun, Jadakiss, Nas, & Raekwon: “John Blaze”

DJ Khaled feat. Akon, T.I., Rick, Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Lil Wayne: “We Takin’ Over”

D.I.T.C. feat. Big L & Fat Joe: ‘The Enemy”

Fat Joe Da Gangsta: “I’ma Hit That”

Terror Squad: “Let The Things Go”

Fat Joe Da Gangsta: “Bad Bad Man”

Disc 2 (Download)

Big Punisher feat. Fat Joe: “Twinz (Deep Cover ‘98)”

Fat Joe feat. Raekwon: “Respect Mine”

Fat Joe: “That White”

Fat Joe feat. Lil Jon, Eminem, Mase & Remy Martin: “Lean Back (Remix)”

Fat Joe: “Prove Something”

LL Cool J feat. Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, Keith Murray & Prodigy: “I Shot Ya”

Fat Joe Da Gangsta feat. Apache and Kool G Rap: “You Must Be Out Your Fuckin’ Mind”

Terror Squad: “Bring It On”

Fat Joe: “My Fofo”

Fat Joe: “Safe 2 Say (The Incredible)”

Terror Squad: “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”

Fat Joe: “Damn”

Fat Joe: “No Drama (Clap & Revolve)”

Fat Joe: “Pendemic”

Fat Joe feat. Lil Wayne: “The Crackhouse”

Fat Joe feat. Lil Wayne: “Make It Rain”

Fat Joe feat. Young Jeezy: “Ha Ha (Slow Down Son)”