Hip-hop icon Fat Joe isn’t holding back his thoughts on the state of today’s hip-hop journalism.
The Bronx rapper recently shared his take on the backlash surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s choice to give his first “Not Like Us” interview to SZA, sparking a larger debate about the quality and approach of modern hip-hop media.
During a recent interview, Fat Joe expressed frustration with the current hip-hop journalism landscape.
He highlighted a troubling trend where artists face negative narratives as a trade-off for media exposure, often seeing stories skewed to fit a certain angle rather than letting authentic conversations shine through.
Joe suggests that artists are increasingly hesitant to trust journalists who seem more focused on sensationalism than respect.
Joe then took a deep dive into the past, alleging that 90s media coverage of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls’ feud contributed to their untimely deaths.
He pointed a finger directly at influential publications of the time, notably Vibe Magazine, for intensifying the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry that ultimately led to the tragic loss of two hip-hop legends.
“When you talk about East Coast-West Coast, Biggie-Tupac, that thing was amplified, and they both ended up dead,” Joe said, recalling the tension-filled era.
He reflected on how magazines like Vibe and The Source seemed to stoke the fire, highlighting divisions rather than unity.
Even today, Joe feels that veteran hip-hop journalists carry the same negative energy.
“To this day, when they interview people and do their podcasts, it’s often still a negative route,” he noted, challenging the older generation of media to evolve and take responsibility for the lasting impact of their coverage.
Fat Joe’s reflections shed light on a complex relationship between hip-hop artists and media, urging today’s journalists to consider the influence they wield and the responsibility that comes with it.
